The Baader Meinhof Complex
Overview
'Der Baader Meinhof Komplex' depicts the political turmoil in the period from 1967 to the bloody "Deutschen Herbst" in 1977. The movie approaches the events based on Stefan Aust's standard work on the Rote Armee Fraktion (RAF). The story centers on the leadership of the self named anti-fascist resistance to state violence: Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof and Gudrun Ensslin.
Backdrop
What makes this movie Worth Watching
The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008) is based on the true story of the German terrorist group known as the Red Army Faction (RAF), active during the 1960s-1980s. The movie provides insight into the disillusionment and political upheaval of West Germany's youth at the time, which played a significant role in the formation of the RAF.
- The movie offers an engaging and thrilling portrayal of the true story behind the infamous German terrorist group, the RAF.
- Ulrich Tukur's powerful performance as the prosecutor Hans-Joachim Klein is noteworthy and adds a gripping dimension to the narrative.
- The film sheds light on the complex societal and political factors that led to the rise of this extremist group, making for thought-provoking viewing.
- The cinematography effectively captures the tense atmosphere of West Germany in the 1960s and 70s.
Fun Facts
- The film was named after the 'Baader-Meinhof phenomenon', also known as the frequency illusion or Frequency Bias, which refers to the seemingly sudden heightened noticing and increased perception of a word or concept after encountering it multiple times.
- Many of the actors in The Baader Meinhof Complex are non-German speakers; some of them had to learn German for their roles.
- The movie was banned in Germany until 2015 due to its controversial subject matter.