regardless of your age, you’ll have a moment at some point during the running time of christiane f. where you’ll think, “am i old enough to be watching this?” harrowing and beautiful; the book it’s based on was taught in german schools to deter drug use. only the empire strikes back made more money that year in german cinemas.
this movie aches. watching a troubled family through the eyes of a ghost (not a spoiler, btw) induces longing and empathy in the viewer— we are made aware that we are not just watching a movie, but watching. the cumulative power of presence is less related to its “haunting” plot and more to how it’s designed to make the viewer quietly reckon with what death might be like. the movie’s twist ending further kinks its metaphysical game and doesn’t cop out…
a bit tedious at the start, but when it gets going, the big clock really moves to a fantastic climax. the ing cast, especially charles laughton (all but purring and snarling) and elsa lanchester as a dotty bohemian artist, shine in comic moments that are clearly director john farrow’s comfort zone— the lackluster visual storytelling bogging down the first half seems out of his reach.
