Ulli Lommel's "Tenderness of the Wolves" looks deliciously decadent
Released by: Arrow Video
Release Date: November 3, 2015 (US) / November 2, 2015 (UK)
Production Year: 1973
Region Code: A & B / 1 & 2 (DVD)
Running Time: 1:22:11
Audio: German LPCM Mono
Video: 1080p (1.78:1 Aspect Ratio)
Subtitles: English
THE FILM - [ 3.5 / 5 ]:
Fritz Haarmann, aka the Butcher of Hanover and the Vampire of Hanover, was a German serial killer responsible for the murders of two dozen boys and young men during the so-called ‘years of crisis’ between the wars. His case would partly inspire Fritz Lang’s M, and its central character portrayed by Peter Lorre, as well as this forgotten gem from 1973.
"Tenderness of the Wolves" treats the viewer to a few weeks in the company of a killer. Baby-faced and shaven-headed, in a manner that recalls both M and F.W. Murnau’s "Nosferatu," Haarmann is a fascinating, repulsive figure. Using his status as a police informant to procure his victims, he dismembers their bodies after death and sells the flesh to restaurants, dumping the remainder out of sight. This isn’t an easy film to watch, but it certainly gets under the skin…
Produced by Rainer Werner Fassbinder (who also supplies a shifty cameo), Tenderness of the Wolves provided two of his regular actors with a means of expanding their careers. Ulli Lommel, later responsible for the infamous video nasty "The Boogeyman," made his directorial debut, while Kurt Raab wrote the screenplay as well as delivering an astonishing performance as Haarmann.
This film is most definitely not for everyone. It has some strong subject matter and a fair bit of male frontal nudity, for those wondering. As director of photography Jürgen Jürges mentions in his interview included on this Blu-ray about the film being very simple and clear and focused due to its tiny budget, I think that is why the film works as well as it does and what I like about it. Sometimes it's not so much what Fritz says with his words, but what he says with his eyes and expressions. "Tenderness of the Wolves" was beautifully filmed by Jürgen Jürges, whether it is interior or exterior shots. The blood effects in the film had a realistic look to them and in one instance, I believe the first victim shown, the practical effect looked perfect with the blood pumping from the open wound.
AUDIO - [ 4 / 5 ]:
"Tenderness of the Wolves" comes with a German LPCM Mono audio track. Optional English subtitles are also included. I thought the audio track sounded excellent. The dialogue was crisp and clear. The score, sound effects and dialogue were well balanced throughout the film. I did not detect any problems with the audio in the form of hissing, pops or dropouts.
VIDEO - [ 4.5 / 5 ]:
"Tenderness of the Wolves" comes to Blu-ray thanks to Arrow Video in a dual Region A and B release. The film has received a brand new high definition transfer and is presented in 1080p with a 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio. First things first, the video quality is terrific. The film has a sort of drab look when it comes to colors, which perfectly fits for the time that the film takes place. I love the use of black and white in the film and the contrast on the Blu-ray makes the difference even more striking. Also, the subdued colors seem to stand out more in the film since they are often surrounded by so much black, white and gray whether it be the characters clothing or the dreary background. To me, it all looks great. I thought the black levels looked incredible as well and really stood out in our villains clothing among other things. Skin tones looked fine, even Fritz with his pale complexion. There was a fair amount of fine detail present and there was a thin layer of grain throughout with it only becoming mildly heavier in some of the darker scenes.
SPECIAL FEATURES - [ 4.5 / 5 ]:
Introduction by director Ulli Lommel - You have the option when playing the film, to first watch a brief introduction by the director.
Audio Commentary - This track features director Ulli Lommel and moderator Uwe Huber. Mr. Lommel does a good job of both describing what is happening on the screen and providing behind the scenes information. Members of the cast and crew are discussed with a fair amount of time being spent on writer and star Kurt Raab and also producer and star Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The killer that this film is based upon is also discussed in this commentary. This was both informative and interesting, so if you enjoyed the film and would to learn more about those involved with the film or just the story itself, I would suggest listening to this track.
The Tender Wolf (25:05) - Director Ulli Lommel discusses making the film as well as how the movie was received by those that watched it. Mr. Lommel covers a range of topics from how the film came to be, filming locations and his other films like "The Boogey Man." Ulli Lommel provides a significant amount of information in this interview.
Photographing Fritz (24:24) - Director of photography Jürgen Jürges discusses working on "Tenderness of the Wolves" and the love-hate relationship of Kurt Raab and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. A good glimpse of the tension behind the scenes. Mr. Jürges speaks about the shooting locations including how they tried to avoid moving around in order to save time and money so they tried their best to find several locations in close proximity. (In German with English subtitles)
Haarmann's Victim Talks (16:07) - An interview with actor Rainer Will (Opfer) who discusses working with Kurt Raab, Ulli Lommel and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. He talks about working with Ulli Lommel again in a no budget film, "Wachtmeister Rahn." Mr. Will speaks fondly of his experiences working with Ulli Lommel. He also talks about how later in his career he worked with Fassbinder on a number of films. (In German with English subtitles)
An Appreciation by Stephen Thrower (41:14) - Film historian Stephen Thrower discusses a number of areas regarding "Tenderness of the Wolves" including cast and crew members Ulli Lommel, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Margit Carstensen. He also covers the relationship between the characters of Fritz and his boyfriend in the film as well as their real life counterparts. A very thorough interview that should answer most questions you may still have regarding the film. One odd thing of note is around the five minute mark, the section where you would tie a tie, has what seems to be green screen bleeding through a bit. It becomes more obvious later on but thankfully it doesn't go beyond that or ruin the interview.
Stills Gallery
Theatrical Trailer (3:05)
IN CONCLUSION:
Again, "Tenderness of the Wolves" is not a film for everyone and isn't even an acquired taste. The subject matter is sure to keep some from giving it a chance and of course, to each their own. This was my first time viewing the movie and I found it to be a good film. I really liked the look of the film. The Blu-ray is loaded with almost two hours of interviews plus other extras. The film looks amazing and sounds excellent as well. Whether you enjoy the film or not is up to you, but the Blu-ray is definitely another high quality release by Arrow Video.
OVERALL: [ 4 / 5 ]