Love Is Colder Than Death

REVIEW
Fassbinder's first film is a somber, stylized gangster drama inspired by American B-movies and the works of Sam Fuller and early Godard. Lommel is a trench-coated mobster who befriends a disheveled pimp (Fassbinder) and his prostitute girlfriend (Schygulla). The two men get in over their heads when they plan to eliminate a rival pimp. This black-and-white noir manages to rise above its low budget, poor sound quality and uneven pacing with bristling characterizations, an unpredictable story and a nice sense of atmosphere. (German with English subtitles)