Berlin Calling
Encyclopedia
Berlin Calling is a 2008 German tragicomedy
directed by Hannes Stöhr. The movie depicts the events following DJ and producer Ickarus' (Paul Kalkbrenner
) institutionalization for drug abuse.
DJ and producer Martin Karow (nicknamed Ickarus) is touring the techno clubs of the world with his girlfriend Mathilde while working on a new studio album that he plans to release soon. In order to be able to work and party day and night, Ickarus takes all kinds of drugs, mainly supplied by his friend Erbse at the clubs in Berlin. After consuming a PMA-containing ecstasy
tablet, Ickarus goes into a drug-induced psychosis
, eventually finding himself naked in a Berlin hotel where his antics attract the attention of the hotel staff. He is taken to a psychiatric hospital in Berlin, which puts his album and upcoming live performances in danger.
At the hospital, Ickarus gets to know the other patients, namely Crystal Pete and Goa Gebhard, and is slightly unnerved by their idiosyncrasies. The clinic's head doctor Dr. Paul recommends that Ickarus take a break from his music and touring to recover in the hospital under her care. She emphasizes that Ickarus's commitment to the hospital is purely voluntary. Although Ickarus agrees to stay at the hospital, he continues work on his album by having his laptop and recording equipment brought to the clinic. Ickarus leaves the clinic and relapses into drug use after visiting with Erbse. Alice, the head of the record label Vinyl Distortion (to which Ickarus is signed), tells Mathilde that the release of Ickarus's new album is indefinitely delayed. Upon hearing this, Ickarus visits Alice and destroys her office when she refuses to speak to him.
Upset at Ickarus's lack of progress, Mathilde moves out of their apartment and in with her lesbian co-worker Corinna. After receiving a 25,000 Euro
tax bill, Ickarus tries to visit Mathilde at Corinna's apartment, but she refuses to see him. Dr. Paul tells Ickarus that since he refuses to follow his therapy schedule and leaves the clinic without permission, he must leave the clinic. That night, after Dr. Paul has left, Ickarus convinces the clinic's intern to allow him to throw a going-away party. The party quickly gets out of hand when Ickarus brings drugs, alcohol, and prostitutes. Dr. Paul arrives at the clinic and locks Ickarus in a room.
Mathilde and Ickarus's father (a priest who also appeared earlier in the film) argue with Dr. Paul for his release. She eventually relents. After his production label re-signs him, Ickarus proposes calling his new album Titten, Techno, und Trompeten (Tits, Techno, and Trumpets). Alice says that the record company prefers a more "international" title, and decides on the name Berlin Calling. The album cover photography is done in the clinic with Ickarus still dressed as a patient.
Tragicomedy
Tragicomedy is fictional work that blends aspects of the genres of tragedy and comedy. In English literature, from Shakespeare's time to the nineteenth century, tragicomedy referred to a serious play with either a happy ending or enough jokes throughout the play to lighten the mood.-Classical...
directed by Hannes Stöhr. The movie depicts the events following DJ and producer Ickarus' (Paul Kalkbrenner
Paul Kalkbrenner
Paul Kalkbrenner is a German electronic musician and actor from Berlin.-History:As of 2010, Paul Kalkbrenner has tallied up more than 15 years of experience as a producer and live act...
) institutionalization for drug abuse.
Plot
Berlin technoTechno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
DJ and producer Martin Karow (nicknamed Ickarus) is touring the techno clubs of the world with his girlfriend Mathilde while working on a new studio album that he plans to release soon. In order to be able to work and party day and night, Ickarus takes all kinds of drugs, mainly supplied by his friend Erbse at the clubs in Berlin. After consuming a PMA-containing ecstasy
Ecstasy
Ecstasy may refer to:* Ecstasy , a trance or trance-like state in which an individual transcends normal consciousness* Religious ecstasy, a state of consciousness characterized by expanded spiritual awareness, visions or absolute euphoria...
tablet, Ickarus goes into a drug-induced psychosis
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
, eventually finding himself naked in a Berlin hotel where his antics attract the attention of the hotel staff. He is taken to a psychiatric hospital in Berlin, which puts his album and upcoming live performances in danger.
At the hospital, Ickarus gets to know the other patients, namely Crystal Pete and Goa Gebhard, and is slightly unnerved by their idiosyncrasies. The clinic's head doctor Dr. Paul recommends that Ickarus take a break from his music and touring to recover in the hospital under her care. She emphasizes that Ickarus's commitment to the hospital is purely voluntary. Although Ickarus agrees to stay at the hospital, he continues work on his album by having his laptop and recording equipment brought to the clinic. Ickarus leaves the clinic and relapses into drug use after visiting with Erbse. Alice, the head of the record label Vinyl Distortion (to which Ickarus is signed), tells Mathilde that the release of Ickarus's new album is indefinitely delayed. Upon hearing this, Ickarus visits Alice and destroys her office when she refuses to speak to him.
Upset at Ickarus's lack of progress, Mathilde moves out of their apartment and in with her lesbian co-worker Corinna. After receiving a 25,000 Euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
tax bill, Ickarus tries to visit Mathilde at Corinna's apartment, but she refuses to see him. Dr. Paul tells Ickarus that since he refuses to follow his therapy schedule and leaves the clinic without permission, he must leave the clinic. That night, after Dr. Paul has left, Ickarus convinces the clinic's intern to allow him to throw a going-away party. The party quickly gets out of hand when Ickarus brings drugs, alcohol, and prostitutes. Dr. Paul arrives at the clinic and locks Ickarus in a room.
Mathilde and Ickarus's father (a priest who also appeared earlier in the film) argue with Dr. Paul for his release. She eventually relents. After his production label re-signs him, Ickarus proposes calling his new album Titten, Techno, und Trompeten (Tits, Techno, and Trumpets). Alice says that the record company prefers a more "international" title, and decides on the name Berlin Calling. The album cover photography is done in the clinic with Ickarus still dressed as a patient.
Cast and Characters
As listed on the film's official website, the cast of Berlin Calling included:- Paul KalkbrennerPaul KalkbrennerPaul Kalkbrenner is a German electronic musician and actor from Berlin.-History:As of 2010, Paul Kalkbrenner has tallied up more than 15 years of experience as a producer and live act...
(Martin "Ickarus" Karow, an up-and-coming DJ) - Rita Lengyel (Ickarus's girlfriend and manager, Mathilde)
- Corinna Harfouch (Professor Doctor Petra Paul, the head of the clinic)
- Araba WaltonAraba WaltonNinckname " The Coffee Bean": is an Afro-German actress and singer.She completed a three-year course at the School of Acting, The Arts Educational Schools in London after studying theater studies in Munich, Germany.Walton played in several West End and Off West End productions before moving end...
(Mathilde's lesbian friend) - Peter Schneider (Crystal Pete, a patient at the clinic)
- RP Kahl (Ickarus's friend and drug-supplier Erbse)
- Henriette Müller (Ickarus's friend Jenny)
- Udo Kroschwald (Ickarus's father, a priest)
- Megan GayMegan GayMegan Gay is an actress from New Zealand.From 1986 to 1988, she studied English and German at the University of Auckland before getting her education as an actress at the City Literary Institute in London from 1988 to 1993....
(Alice, Head of Vinyl productions) - Maximilian Mauff (Alex, the clinic intern)
- Peter Moltzen (Ickarus's brother, no name given)
- Dirk Borchardt (Club boss Tom)
- Erdal Yildiz (Hotel worker)
- Ernest Allan Hausmann (Ernesto)
- André Hoffmann (Franz)
- Caspar Bódy (Goa Gebhard, a patient at the clinic)
- Paul PreussPaul PreussPaul Preuss is an American writer of science fiction and science articles and is a science consultant for film companies. He is perhaps best known for the novels in Arthur C...
(BMW-Michi) - Mehdi NebbouMehdi NebbouMehdi Nebbou is a French actor born in Bayonne, France to a German mother and an Algerian father.-Career:Mehdi Nebbou started his career by playing in the movie My Sweet Home, directed by Filipos Tsitos....
(Jamal) - Sascha Funke (as himself)
- Housemeister (as himself)
- Onze (as himself)
- Fritz KalkbrennerFritz KalkbrennerFritz Kalkbrenner is a German DJ and producer.Since 2002, Kalkbrenner has worked as a culture and music journalist for TV stations including MDR, MTV and Deutsche Welle....
(as himself) - Peggy Laubinger (as herself)
- Frank Künster (Frank the bouncer)
- Nico Bäthgeh (Nico)