Schramm (1994)

Director:

Jörg Buttgereit

Writers:

Jörg Buttgereit
Franz Rodenkirchen

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

...today I am dirty, but tomorrow I'll be just dirt.

Plot:

As serial killer Lothar Schramm lies dying in a pool of his own blood, choppy memories of his horrific life flash before his eyes.

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Blood | Taxi | Inflatable Torso | Restaurant

Cast

Florian Koerner von Gustorf	...	Lothar Schramm
Monika M.	...	Marianne
Micha Brendel	...	Der Gläubige
Carolina Harnisch	...	Die Gläubige
Xaver Schwarzenberger	...	Älterer Herr 1
Gerd Horvath	...	Älterer Herr 2
Michael Brynntrup	...	Jesus
Franz Rodenkirchen	...	Zahnarzt
Anne Presting	...	Zahnärztin
Eddi Zacharias	...	Liebhaber
Michael Romahn	...	Selbstmörder
Volker Hauptvogel	...	Kellner

Directed by
Jörg Buttgereit

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jörg Buttgereit
Franz Rodenkirchen

Produced by
Manfred O. Jelinski	....	producer

Original Music by
Max Müller
Gundula Schmitz

Cinematography by
Manfred O. Jelinski

Film Editing by
Jörg Buttgereit
Manfred O. Jelinski
Franz Rodenkirchen

Makeup Department
Marianne Drope	....	makeup artist: Frau M.

Production Management
Jörg Buttgereit	....	production manager
Pia Löffler	....	unit production manager
Clemens Schwender	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Franz Rodenkirchen	....	assistant director

Art Department
Micha Brendel	....	poster designer

Sound Department
Tom Scheutzlich	....	sound mixer
Clemens Schwender	....	sound
Bernhard Steudel	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Heike Eger	....	special effects makeup
Michael Romahn	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Manfred O. Jelinski	....	lighting designer

Production Companies

• Jelinski & Buttgereit

Distributors

• Barrel Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Barrel Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (re-release)
• Manga Films (1997) (Spain) (video)

Also Known As:

"Schramm: Into the Mind of a Serial Killer" - International (English title)

Runtime:

65 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | Finland:(Banned) (1994) | Finland:K-18 (2001) (self applied) | Singapore:(Banned) | New Zealand:R18 | Spain:18

Company:

Jelinski & Buttgereit

Movie Connections:

References Nekromantik (1987)

A shocking study of a serial killer.

Almost two decades ago, when VHS was king, a mate of mine got hold of an nth generation copy of Jörg Buttgereit's Nekromantik, the latest tape doing the rounds in underground horror circles. With extreme scenes of animal mutilation, corpse-shagging, and other assorted depravity, it was a real eye-opener—my first experience of independent German ultra-gore (you never forget your first time!).

Fast forward to 2007, and I've finally gotten around to viewing my second film by the twisted genius that is Mr. Buttgereit: Schramm—an amazingly disturbing look into the mind of a sexually inadequate serial killer, which has made me wish that I had followed this film-maker's career a little more closely!

The movie begins with our protagonist, Lothar Schramm, falling off a ladder whilst trying to paint over bloodstains on his apartment walls; as he lays on the floor dying, we are shown glimpses of his life via a series of flashbacks. And what a twisted individual he turns out to be.

Lothar likes to spend his spare time humping his inflatable rubber female torso, hallucinating (mostly about his leg falling off and a weird tentacled vagina-monster with teeth), nailing his tally-whacker to a table, and killing unwelcome visitors before arranging their lifeless bodies in a variety of sexual positions.

He also likes to pass the time with the pretty prostitute from across the hall, although his inability to interact normally with the opposite sex (or anyone else, come to think of it) eventually leads him to abuse his friendship...

Buttgereit delivers a decidedly grimy tale of an unhinged individual that is disturbing, shocking and visually arresting. The direction is assured, with some well considered camera movements and a nice use of a non-linear time-line; the low-grade film stock used gives the film a suitably 'cheap' look and the whole affair is complemented perfectly by a hauntingly oppressive score.

There are plenty of surreal moments that will delight fans of avant-garde horror/shock cinema—some hallucinatory gore (with an amazingly yucky eyeball gouging), a bizarre suicide, an ambiguous ending (for one character, at least)—but it is the scene in which Schramm fixes his tadger to a table that is guaranteed to stick in the minds of most viewers the longest: using real nails, a real lump-hammer, and, worst of all, a real penis, it is a total shocker and not for the faint-hearted! 7.5, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.