Cheap Christiane F. (DVD) (Natja Brunckhorst) (Uli Edel) Price

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Customer Reviews of Christiane F.

Powerful and Gripping! - Why No Subtitles?
If you are interested in the substance abuse genre, this movie is the most realistic, powerful, and disturbing I've seen. Compare this to the likes of "Days of Wine and Roses", "The Man With the Golden Arm" and "28 Days", and the others all seem lame and glossed over. The only film that I thought came close to the level of realism of "Chrstiane F." was "Panic in Needle Park".

This film takes you to the horrifying depths of heroin addiction, as excruciatingly experienced by a German teenager and her "friends". Based on a true story from the 1970's Berlin drug scene, the title character is from a dysfuntional family who eventually falls into the grips of heroin addiction and prostitution by age 14. Great soundtrack, with Bowie (I especially liked the version of Heroes that is sung partly in German), great depiction of the 70's club scene in Berlin, which was rampant with drug use. Even though in color, has the gritty feel of a noir. The film also captures dead-on the desperation of addiction, and how the addicts life becomes all about the next shot. The film also does a great job of conveying the depravity and desolation of the Berlin Zoo train station, a haven for prostitues and addicts at the time.

Based on a book of the same name (unfortunately, last I checked, the book was out of print), the movie of course does not go into as much detail (what movie based on a book does?) but nonetheless, this is a brutal, accurate portrait of the ravages of drug use.

Two things, if you can find the book, buy it. The book was riveting and goes into much greater depth of the girls family background, and her early drug use pre-heroin addiction. Also the movie condenses her many "cold turkey" episodes into one or two instances, and the true horror of her withdrawals are much more graphic and real in the book.

Secondly, I would have given this 5 stars if the movie were subtitled instead of dubbed. It takes a lot away from the film, and I would recommend waiting until it is released (hopefully) in German with subtitles. I was fortunate enough to have seen the film in the theatre in German with subtitles, and it made a big difference.

A classic movie of this genre, a must see, even with the dubbing!

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THIS FILM IS A MUST!
I first saw and heard "Wir Kinderen Vom Banhof Zoo" when I was a child and I will never forget the impact it had on me. Beyond the obvious "Dare to Keep Kids Off Drugs" message, this film and music are a bittersweet snapshot of a tantilizing, tragic, and triumphant era gone by as captured so beautifully in Bowie's epic song "Heroes." Watching it now in a new millenium it still packs the same punch it did twenty years ago. Although it is unfortunate that a sub-titled edition has not yet been released, the original German language version is a must for anyone who ever lived on the edge and survived to tell about it. Regardless of what language you speak, you'll understand.

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Harrowing ordeal
...as any good movie that explores the world of drug addiction should be. Quite graphic in its depiction of the consequences of drug addiction, and the heartbreaking, and seemingly unbreakable, bonds involved. Just when you think someone is about to break free, they get sucked back in. Very sad, and frustrating.

About as searingly graphic, if not more, as "Requiem for a Dream", another excellent movie that should convince anyone who watches it to avoid the scourge that is drugs. Another movie you wouldn't want to watch too frequently, due to its gruesome honesty and the fact that the images are burned into your brain.

Excellent soundtrack from David Bowie, including live concert footage. Most of the songs are from his "Heroes" album, which was written and recorded in West Berlin, and conveys the feelings that living in West Berlin evoked in Bowie. Ideal soundtrack then for Christiane F, being set in West Berlin.