"Christiane F." is one of the first mainstream movies about heroin addicts, and perhaps the first about very young ones. Supposedly the film was quite shocking because of the age of the characters (and actors) as well as the graphic drug use scenes. We meet Christiane F. when she is 12 and already getting into hallucinogenic drugs. Her friends are all interested in heroin and she starts is deeply addicted and prostituting herself by age 14, as is her best friend Babsi, and her boyfriend Detlev.
With the characters rapidly deteriorating before your eyes and stooping ever lower to get their "dough", this is definitely a downer of a movie, as I guess all heroin movies are, but given the ages of the characters and the stark setting of Berlin at the height of the cold war, this one is especially bleak save for a few brief moments of teenage bliss before they are all addicted to heroin, and David Bowie's performance (Bowie composed the soundtrack and performs a song, his name attached to the project quite possibly helped it be made and contributed considerably to its success).
Made in 1981, "Christiane F." clearly paved the way for "Trainspotting", but really can't match it in terms of stylized drug use scenes and really exciting scenes set to perfectly chosen pop music, despite Bowie's role in the production. Actually this movie makes "Trainspotting" look downright cheerful. It is incredibly bleak and parts are quite difficult to watch, but that is due to its emotional power. Feel-good movie this isn't, but it's absolutely worth watching. Just don't expect it to leave you in a good mood.
With the characters rapidly deteriorating before your eyes and stooping ever lower to get their "dough", this is definitely a downer of a movie, as I guess all heroin movies are, but given the ages of the characters and the stark setting of Berlin at the height of the cold war, this one is especially bleak save for a few brief moments of teenage bliss before they are all addicted to heroin, and David Bowie's performance (Bowie composed the soundtrack and performs a song, his name attached to the project quite possibly helped it be made and contributed considerably to its success).
Made in 1981, "Christiane F." clearly paved the way for "Trainspotting", but really can't match it in terms of stylized drug use scenes and really exciting scenes set to perfectly chosen pop music, despite Bowie's role in the production. Actually this movie makes "Trainspotting" look downright cheerful. It is incredibly bleak and parts are quite difficult to watch, but that is due to its emotional power. Feel-good movie this isn't, but it's absolutely worth watching. Just don't expect it to leave you in a good mood.