Starring: Horst Krause, Harald Warmbrunn, Karl-Fred Muller
Director: Michael Schorr
Studio: Paramount
Video: Enhanced for 16:9 Widescreen
Audio: Dolby Digital – German 5.1 Surround
Language: German
Subtitles: English
Extras: Commentary by Director/Writer Michael Schorr
Length: 107 minutes
Rating: ****
Schultze, a miner facing retirement, lives alone in a small
German town where little in the way of excitement occurs. Retirement is
unsatisfactory for Schutze and his two closest friends. Schultze,
who plays the accordian, accidentally hears some zydeco music for the
first time on the radio at home one evening. He cannot bear to play
polkas any longer and determines to visit the Deep South. Schutze is
inspired to try something new at long last, leading to his life
becoming much more colorful and less predictable. This is a gentle and
hopeful story of a life being transformed by a glorious adventure late
in life.
The first feature film of director writer Michael Schorr, who has
previously done documentaries, Schultze Gets The Blues has a strong
documentary feel. A naturalness which works very well persists
throughout this film with its frequent use of amateur actors and extras
as well as authentic settings. Horst Krause as Schultze is at the
center of the film throughout and carries it beautifully.
The director’s audio commentary for the film is rich with production
details and little stories about the settings, actors and the overall
development of the movie. It is a fascinating look at the making
of a “semi-documentary” as the director describes it.
The starting point for Schultze was 15 years ago when the director
discovered Zydeco in Louisiana where joyous Zydeco events were
inclusive of every generation. To say that this is not an action-
packed film is an understatement. Just put aside any Hollywood
fast-moving film expectations and get into the gentle and realistic
rhythm of Schultze’s great adventure!
The images are without serious artifacts and the sound is serviceable
but primarily in the front channels. Filmed in both Germany and
Lousiana, the recent disaster on the Gulf Coast make the scenes shot
along the Gulf Coast and Lousiana bayous most poignant.
– Donna Dorsett