Jazzclub - Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm. (2004) User Reviews

Life ain't easy for a guy named Shu

[richard_sleboe · 8/10 · 29 January 2008]

Selling someone else's fish by day and his own scrawny body by night, Teddy Shu (Helge Schneider) is working a total of four jobs to make a meager living. Most every day, he drives and runs the dingy "Happy Fish" panel van for a bunch of exploitative capitalists while his lazy girlfriend (Susanne Bredehöft) is having late breakfasts and killing time at Professor Henry's shady mental practice. Come rain or shine, he also delivers newspapers in the middle of the night. At all hours, he makes house calls in the guise of cranky boy toy Rodriguez Faszanata, catering to single ladies and couples alike. Despite all his hard work, Teddy is only one step up the social ladder from a nameless street salesman peddling bulk-stock band aid. After dark, Teddy jams at a dingy club with his friends, getting paid in preserved plums rather than cash. But he's in it for the fun. Things go from bad to worse when the innkeeper (Horst Mendroch) dies and the club closes down. But even in his darkest hour, there is a ray of light as Teddy finds out who the quiet homeless person he passes every night *really* is. Solid gold for lovers of jazz and flub-dub alike.

The early Helge catches the worm.

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 27 April 2015]

"Jazzclub" is an 80-minute (without credits) movie from roughly 10 years ago starring Helge Schneider, directed by Helge Schneider and written by Helge Schneider. In terms of the script, he got some help from longtime collaborator Andrea Schumacher. Schneider turns 60 this year and there is a documentary in theaters right now about his life and work. When "Jazzclub" was made he was roughly 50 years old and had been in the film industry for about 20 years. His films usually have no big names in the cast, but rather actors who sometimes aren't even real actors, but share a long time of companionship and collaboration with Schneider, such as his band members.

If you know his humor, you know that it is certainly not for everyone. Some will love it, some will not find it funny at all. I like it. He is an atheist, he does not drink tea. Pretty funny. As in most Schneider movies, he plays several characters, or at least changes costume frequently. Here he shows up as a jazz musician, a paperboy, a fish vendor and a doctor and probably more. In many of his films, female are played by males in drag, but this one not really. The female characters are also played by women. Apart from that, as the title suggests, there is lots of music in this one. After all, Helge Schneider is a gifted saxophone player himself. And at the very end, it becomes even a bit supernatural. The X-Files was already finished, but I guess aliens were a much bigger deal back in 2004 in movies than they are now. Anyway, solid movie. Recommended.

great film, nevertheless not the best of Helge

[placebo99 · 9/10 · 14 July 2005]

Yes, even Helge calms down.. I can definitely recommend this film but would strongly disagree to call it the best film of Helge ever. The thing, that makes him and his art great is not the "silly stuff"(as it appears to many at the first glimpse), but it is improvisation. He talks and acts just like he is playing handling his instruments - free. He is a word-jazzer and this is what makes him unique and a very important. This films seems more planned and professional than the others, especially compared to Texas, where he is singing and playing guitar with the camera focused on him for nearly 10 minutes. But can we "accuse" him of that? Surely not. It's a film about music, more than his other works. Great jazz, lots of fun and a lovely contribution to "Ruhrpott's" - urban life. And sometimes you still feel the anarchistic notion, especially in the Alien scene with one of his most famous impersonations: Udo Lindenberg. In total, watch this film, but don't miss the others.

The first authentic Helge Schneider experience on screen

[Aguirre1 · 10/10 · 25 October 2006]

As this film is only available in German, most of the interested people will already know that Helge Schneider isn't only an actor or producer, but also a greatly gifted jazz musician. He is touring all-around the German language area with his combined jazz/comedy shows. In this movie the element of jazz plays an essential role concerning the story and in the background music. With Jazzclub, you have quite a good access to the artist as a whole and not "only" to the comedian. On the other side, this is probably the reason why the film is somewhat disputed by a lot of people who liked his movies so far. But in my opinion, there is no reason for that. Even if you don't like jazz, it is still one of the funniest Helge Schneider movies. As always, you love it or you hate it. I, for my part, love it.

Masterpiece!

[betwixt · 26 May 2004]

I love the older films of Helge Schneider, but I think this one is the best. Although it is still low-budget, there are some excellent takes (like one closeup of his face where you see his hands playing piano mirrored in his sunglasses). To all who already love Helge, don't worry, he refers to his earlier films (for example there is a man bouncing a basketball ;)

In this film Helge Schneider really shows that he is a genius concerning jazz. The gags of course are excellent as well.

The film is a very strange and different mixture of "Monty Python" and "Bluesbrothers". If you like one of both the film is a must-see.

Real fans should see this movie... once!

[hammer_c · 3/10 · 28 August 2005]

I think this film is schneiders worst. Of course, this depends on what you expect of a Helge movie. As a Helge fanatic for years i am used to the kind of humor of the preceding movies - loving the sometimes senseless, sometimes daffy but mostly with a subliminal critical and ironical undertone between the lines style of this intelligent musician and comedian. But this one is really different.

I was really looking forward to see the movie. When i went out the cinema, i was really deranged and couldn't really believe what i saw. There might be the thin storyline of the club, Helge and his fellows playing jazz at, being closed and Helge is forced to ensure his subsistence and so on. But in my opinion this is not enough even for this relative short movie of 84 minutes. The only thing happening is the band jamming at their jazz club, Helge selling fish and Helge carrying out newspapers. Additionally visiting the bum under the bridge and bearing his wife.

I think Helge just didn't want to miss the chance making a movie with his temporary band mates Jimmy Wood and Pete York but without really having an substantial idea of a story - so this really boring movie came out.

Nevertheless the music being played at the movie is still of high quality as we are used to from Helge. Furthermore there are indeed some funny scenes like Helge trying to get the newspapers under control in the hurricane or the alien-scene at the end of the movie.

the best film in the career of helge schneider

[benji-32 · 10/10 · 20 May 2004]

i think this film is schneiders best. it is not just silly German comedy like the earlier movies (texas, 00Schneider or Praxis Dr.Haselbein). The first time schneider ads critical and dramatic peaces to his work and there is also for the first time a real story which is also timed properly.

an other interesting point is that the female parts are played by real women and not in the Monty python-way by men and fat transsexuals. this picture is also photographed much better then the earlier pics. to make it short: the first real masterpiece of mr.helge schneider. he brings really new parts and sights into the new German cinema and of course in the kind of German humor which was not always a very good one. i am wondering what will come next.