Review of Love Is Colder Than Death (1970) by Lauren T — 30 Mar 2008

Despite its sparse dialogue and long static takes, this film never came across to me as pretentious or stylized. The shots, though carefully and beautifully composed, never seemed staged. I think this is due mainly to the unforced, intense performances given by the actors, as well as Fassbinder's ability to shift effortlessly from the abrupt and shocking to the poetic and hypnotizing.

His use of sound is also impressive; he seems to know well that silence and understatement are often the best producers of tension and violent reactions. For its window into time and place, as well as for being an excellent example of a first film by an already unique and perfectly competent director, this movie is memorable and fascinating.