Friday, December 2, 2011

Halber Mensch (A.K.A.- 1/2 Mensch) (1986) by Sogo Ishii & Einstürzende Neubauten



"Halber Mensch" (aka "1/2 Mensch") is a 1986 film by Japanese director Sogo Ishii with German band Einstürzende Neubauten. It was originally released on VHS, and re-released on DVD in 2005. The film's title comes from the album of the same name.

Einstürzende Neubauten were in their creative prime when punk film pioneer
Sohgo Ishii shot this 58-minute document in Tokyo during the band's world
tour in 1985.

Set mostly in a condemned factory/junkpile (the former Nakamatsu Ironworks),
the film features a tormental troupe of butoh dancers, fire, FM Einheit repairing
his shoe, micro photography, industrial textures, live footage from their Korakuen
Hall arena shows, one of their guerilla street actions, lots of beautiful destruction
and amazing music.

It's extremely, lyrically visual, perhaps because Ishii didn't feel the need to
hang everything on some skimpy plot this time and could just let his camera do the talking.

[01]. Armenia
[02]. Sehnsucht
[03]. Letztes biest
[04]. Abfackeln
[05]. Zerstorte Zelle
[06]. Halber Mensch
[07]. Z.N.S.
[08]. Die Zeichnungen des Patienten
[09]. Der Tod ist ein Dandy
[10]. Schaben