Angst (1983)

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

More disturbing on a psychological level than in terms of actual on screen content, "Angst" is often referred to as being one of cinema's all time strongest (and greatest) shockers. Do I agree? Well, not necessarily. I mean, I've seen much worse films that disturbed me far more than this one in practically every way, but I still found this movie to be fantastic and brilliantly atmospheric. There is no doubt a shocking quality to the perverted and bizarre concepts that are explored head on in this classic, as well as a handful of graphic killings, which are made all the more terrifying thanks to the semi-deadpan voice over provided by the killer himself as he describes his own, demented childhood, the best explanation for his future desires. The film delves deep into the psychology of being a serial killer, bravely sailing the sea of a madman;s mind, fearlessly showcasing the worst of mankind. "Angst" both demonizes and sympathizes with its crazed central character, exposing him for the maniac he is but also providing the tragic reasoning's for his violence. He is not just a killer, he is also a human being, one that has been damaged and traumatized by a haunting past. "Angst" is a horror film in the truest sense of the word, for it captures TRUE horrors in a powerful way. It's scary at times, but not in the conventional "horror movie" sense, instead it shocks with a creeping atmosphere, camera-work that is both nauseating and stimulating, and a narration that is as fascinating as it is depressing and twisted. A definite accomplishment and twist on the "serial killer" horror movie subgenre.

I'd really wish to remember the last film I've seen that not only had me on the edge of my seat but also left me twisting my senses, nervous and disturbed all the way yet it allowed to compensate me with a different perspective without being extremely critical of what I was seeing. In all of its strange ways and crushing parts, "Angst" felt like an open door of which I had to enter, despite having seen similar experiences before time and again, but this one had some form of urgency and virtuosity that seemed different, offered unusual insights and made me see further to an already worn out exposed theme: the mind of a psychopath. Gerald Kargl's film is a tremendous effort that requires a certain coldness from the viewer in order to comprehend (or at least try) what goes on inside the devious and sickening acts of a cold-blooded murderer and his desperate needs to obtain satisfaction and pleasure with killing other people. Without Hollywood's stylized fashion and popular stars which always appeals to audiences, the European "Angst" feels like a vividly real experience that is hard to wash away from your mind. Everything's told from the perspective of the psychopath (brilliantly played by Erwin Leder, he was in "Das Boot"), from the moment he's released from prison after doing some time for his attempt to kill his mother, and from then on we already know that this sick man wasn't reformed while in there. He can't wait for his chance to commit more murders and that what's his journey is all about. Observing potential victims on a diner and trying his way with a taxi driver doesn't help him at first glance. Too difficult and he gets himself scared quite easily, almost as if were a beginner (the more he narrates about his past is that we realize that he's actually new to this "business" since he reveals failure after failure, and ideas he wanted to do but never accomplished). During one of those panic moments he finds a house, breaks into it and wait for his possible new victims - to his luck he finds them: an old lady, her daughter and her invalid brother. The rest isn't worth mentioning. "Angst" succeeds where all similar flicks fails because it isn't about just someone who randomly kills people and there's authorities trying to get him. Above all, this is a psychological view to a deranged state of mind, carefully elaborated by Mr. Kargl with his planned sequences filmed with a body-cam tied to the lead actor, spinning out of control and in several directions while the paranoid killer is on the loose, running away from scenarios he could easily get away if he managed to control himself or when his mind is echoing memories from the past. Most of the movie consists of those shots (brilliantly filmed and edited), edgy and dizzy but with a purpose; and Leder is a courageous and patient actor who understood exactly the frame of mind his character was going through. His character doesn't pity anyone, all he needs its the immediate relief while stabbing, torturing and killing people. The way he moves, the intensity on his eyes and acts, it's a complete feeling of delusion, insanity and at a deep level, true happiness (when he reaches his ultimate sadistic goal). But the screenplay doesn't make him much of of a bright guy as we tend to watch in many similar movies. Surely, he could fool the prison's psychiatrists with his fake dream stories but once he's out, the desperation takes over and he makes one sloppy mistake after another and you start to wonder why this guy isn't so clever like most psycho folks are. At least, this is what we hear and read in several sources that those dangerous minds are far more clever than the average joe. The egocentrism, the nihilism, the hatred, the contempt...it's all there - even the charm, evidenced at the diner sequences where he flirts with two pretty girls. He's not so cute but there's an appeal to him that some would fall for him with no problem. But it lacks a higher intelligence for this man. It's not like he's trying to commit the perfect crime, obviously, but for someone who's avoiding getting back to jail, he's too careless, not typical for serial killers. However, perhaps that's the real focus of the movie with this character: he's so inside his world and worried about doing what he needs, that he forgets about everything else, it's a whole new level of mentality. The obsession takes over, he goes along regardless of consequences and then it's all about improvising to what comes next. The experience is not for the faint of heart. It's brutal, dark, real, violent and extremely tense film but one that gives you the opportunity to see with precision and detail through variations of a disturbed personality, which makes of "Angst" a unique thrilling experiment. It's a shocking pity that the director made only this film after dealing with many budget obstacles during its making. He vowed to never return to filmmaking again, and it's a shame because Mr. Kargl had an incredible eye and talent for the job. Anyway, this is a shining moment for an one-hit wonder. 9/10

I wasn't to sure , what I was going to expect by this movie, it had a surreal plot to it.The plot played out really well, we get to know why and how he as become so insane, due to his childhood.The movie was really short, which is good a thing , as it did not get boring at all.The last scene, really gave the creeps, I found the extras a little creepy as they all were keeping a eye on him. in the dinner scene.And why would they follow him to the car, to see him feed a dog?The acting from the main lead was outstanding, he really did look insane.Short movie with surreal plot! and some things that didn't make sense to me. 6 out of 10 (only for the acting)

This is a remarkable Austrian serial killer movie, that reminds me a little of "HENRY". A man is released from prison after ten years for killing an old woman, and they think he has been rehabilitated. WRONG!!! Immediately, he searches out a home that no one seems to be there, and breaks in through a window. This movie has very little dialogue, what we hear is his own narration through his psychotic thoughts. He has a plan, where he intends to kill whoever owns the home, because that's what he does. Very very creepy, and with a Klaus Schulze soundtrack that builds the tension very very nicely. When the Mother and Daughter finally arrive at their home, he wastes little time in literally scaring the ill Mother to death, and then eventually very brutally killing the pretty daughter and then having sex with her corpse. This is after he drowns the invalid Son in the bathtub. But he is angry that all this killing did not go according to his plan, so he decides what he needs to do, is gather up all the bodies, put them in the family's car trunk, and go on another killing spree, scarring the next victims with the corpses in the trunk. This is serious stuff folks, there is no fooling around with this movie, it actually made me tense with the mounting tension created by his mental narration, the amazing music, and following his manic actions he trying to carry out an insane plan. This is a psycho thriller that has few equals in the genre, and I simply was blown away by it. The actor playing the psychopath is amazingly convincing, and I have to admit, this movie had an impact on me, I was somewhat shaken by watching it. It's not that gory, it's just flat out disturbing as hell, and one I won't soon forget. It's one of the best of it's genre I have ever seen. Brutal as hell, and convincing as hell, and what a hell of a soundtrack. Magnificent movie, catch it if you can.