Fast food restaurant employee FM (likeable FM Einheit) discovers that the insipid muzak played over the PA system at the place he works at contains subliminal messages to lull people into a passive state so they stay in line and adhere to the status quo. FM decides to alter said muzak in order to shake the masses out of their blank unthinking complacent state.
Director Muscha brings a funky-punky very 80's New Wave aesthetic to the odd, yet absorbing premise that proves to be quite hypnotic and engaging in its sheer blithely overt weirdness. Moreover, the biting script trenchantly explores the still quite timely and pertinent themes of stifling mass conformity, corporate and government omnipotence, how advanced technology intrudes on people's lives and can be used to control people's lives, and the use of various media such as music, video games, and television as a means of further reinforcing both conformity and complacency. William Rice excels as ramrod government agent Jaeger, Matthias Fuchs contributes an amusing turn as an overzealous fast food manager, and William S. Burroughs has a cool cameo as a raggedy old man. Only Christiane Felscherinow leaves something to be desired with her stiff portrayal of the zonked-out Christiana. Shot with striking garish style by cinematographer Johanna Heer, set to a groovy techno-rock soundtrack, and moving along at an unhurried pace, this truly unique and different one-of-a-kind sci-fi oddity is highly recommended to adventurous viewers who want to see something way out of the ordinary.
Director Muscha brings a funky-punky very 80's New Wave aesthetic to the odd, yet absorbing premise that proves to be quite hypnotic and engaging in its sheer blithely overt weirdness. Moreover, the biting script trenchantly explores the still quite timely and pertinent themes of stifling mass conformity, corporate and government omnipotence, how advanced technology intrudes on people's lives and can be used to control people's lives, and the use of various media such as music, video games, and television as a means of further reinforcing both conformity and complacency. William Rice excels as ramrod government agent Jaeger, Matthias Fuchs contributes an amusing turn as an overzealous fast food manager, and William S. Burroughs has a cool cameo as a raggedy old man. Only Christiane Felscherinow leaves something to be desired with her stiff portrayal of the zonked-out Christiana. Shot with striking garish style by cinematographer Johanna Heer, set to a groovy techno-rock soundtrack, and moving along at an unhurried pace, this truly unique and different one-of-a-kind sci-fi oddity is highly recommended to adventurous viewers who want to see something way out of the ordinary.