"Der Damm" is a disaster of all sorts for the new German cinema. And to be included on that great new wave of films from the 1960's, viewed as an experimental
avant-garde project that echoes the settings and artistry of Polish, Czech films of the time, isn't good enough to make a good film or a worth seeing experience.
Vlado Kristl's film is strangely described as a tragicomedy where two guys (one of them played by the writer/director himself) make crazy efforts to conquer the
girl of their dreams, a pathetic and demanding wheelchair-bound woman (Petra Nettelbeck) who actually doesn't need to be there. Minimal dialogues, repeated lines
over and over again, jump cuts, jumpy sounds and no development at all alienates the viewers into thinking this is truly artful, unique and filled with symbolisms.
Nothing could be far from the truth presented in those long exhausting minutes.
At first, I've tried to erase the concept of a story, filling up the blanks and make it up as we go along. "Der Damm" allows you that as long as you want. You see the girl, then they have
a pointless brief chat, cut to moments later he's on this mountain of rocks, keeps throwing rocks above his head and then the camera moves to an avalanche of rocks.
In one memorable sequences that guy and a train worker exchange pornographic books with one another in the background while on the foreground trains keep passing by
blocking their conversation. "Rouge, Rouge. No, noir." or the "Oh, yeah. Whatever things happen but I keep on smiling", so imagine having to hear such dull and empty
quotes time and again. It's such a frustrating experience that you're not getting anything out of it except great technique employed by the director with his editing
and great camera work. It's impossible to see the whole thing as a comedy since it doesn't generate laughs; neither as a drama since there's no plausible development.
I like to think I have great sensibility for artistic projects, having seen countless films over the years and I know how challengeable some works can be - the more
difficult the better is my rule, the reward lasts longer, specially if you get to make connections with events from your life, history, literature, or when they reach
the level of poetry. It's like good wine, you don't hit the bottle you taste it with delicacy, with time and let the effect rush through your body. It's an experience when
films reach that level of quality art. Now, this film was one of those where I just couldn't wait for its ending because I wasn't getting anything from it. Cinematic
qualities are only noticeable thanks to director presents his film as a true 1960's rebel film; but without at least some drops of a story it simply failed to work. 4/10