Katzelmacher follows a group of young people with no purpose in their lives whatsoever, they simply waste their time without doing anything meaningful. However, it's not until Jorgos arrives, a Greek immigrant played by Rainer Werner Fassbinder himself, that their disgusting personalities unfold in all their glory. The only exception is Marie (Hanna Schygulla), whose compassion for Yorgos and their relationship provides the only warming moment. That's when the movie turns into a prophetic social commentary on themes such as racism, xenophobia or the power of rumour and prejudice.
Fassbinder adopts an artistic/experimental style. Examples of that would be the use of black and white, the camera that doesn't move or the repetition of variations of the same scene. All of that leads to the movie being - intentionally so - just like its characters' lives, dull and frustrating.
Fassbinder adopts an artistic/experimental style. Examples of that would be the use of black and white, the camera that doesn't move or the repetition of variations of the same scene. All of that leads to the movie being - intentionally so - just like its characters' lives, dull and frustrating.