"The bomb is underneath the table and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place it there. The public is aware the bomb is going to explode at one o'clock and there is a clock in the decor. The public can see that it is a quarter to one. In these conditions, the same innocuous conversation becomes fascinating because the public is participating in the scene. The audience is longing to warn the characters on the screen: "You shouldn't be talking about such trivial matters. There is a bomb beneath you and it is about to explode!"
-Albert Hitchcock
"Tenderness of the Wolves" is a unorthodox take on the serial killer genre. With any foreknowledge of the Fritz Haarmann story, one might go into the film expecting a payout of gore and butchery at somewhere in the film. Basically another Ted Bundy biopic from early 19th century Germany, which would make for a pretty good film. Instead, we are shown nothing just the insinuation from other characters in the story. Hitchcock's bomb ticks for a 80 or so minutes before the final explosion, keeping the view on the edge of their seats desperately wanting to save the victim. Haarmann is portrayed in more of the fashion of Vladimir Nabokov. One doesn't necessarily feel sympathetic but more of a connection on a human level. By bringing Haarmann alive just adds to the somber tone of the film, taking a step beyond the monster. Overall, I liked the films artistic direction, innovative genre bending and tone.
3.5ðŸŒs / 5.
"Tenderness of the Wolves" is a unorthodox take on the serial killer genre. With any foreknowledge of the Fritz Haarmann story, one might go into the film expecting a payout of gore and butchery at somewhere in the film. Basically another Ted Bundy biopic from early 19th century Germany, which would make for a pretty good film. Instead, we are shown nothing just the insinuation from other characters in the story. Hitchcock's bomb ticks for a 80 or so minutes before the final explosion, keeping the view on the edge of their seats desperately wanting to save the victim. Haarmann is portrayed in more of the fashion of Vladimir Nabokov. One doesn't necessarily feel sympathetic but more of a connection on a human level. By bringing Haarmann alive just adds to the somber tone of the film, taking a step beyond the monster. Overall, I liked the films artistic direction, innovative genre bending and tone.
3.5ðŸŒs / 5.