Review of Effi Briest (2009) by Liam P — 24 Aug 2009

A literary adaptation unlike any other. Fassbinders wonderful film is fully self aware of it's source text and a films ability to only physically show so much but say all. Action and plot progression is glazed over with voice over or titles cards with words I can only assume are taken directly from the novel. The focus here is not on plot but character development, how the title character goes from an innocent, carefree child to a fallen woman.

Fassbinder's camera probes Effi's development by extensively framing her using carefully selected objects amongst the impeccably realised period set design. Shrouded by net curtains or extensively reflected in mirrors, (about a third of the shots we see of Effi are through the reflection of a mirror) the black and white photography is full of subtle yet rich subtext.

This film is so visually dense, a book could be writen about the cinematography alone.

Another Fassbinder masterpiece.