Lou Reed's Berlin (2008)

OTHER POSTERS

TRIVIA

The doc got its premiere at the Venice and Toronto film fest.

COMMUNITY RATING

SPECS

• Project Phase: 
• Release Date: 2008-07-18 - NY and/or LA
• Distributor(s): Third Rail Releasing (The Weinstein Co.)
• Film Genre(s): Documentary
• Country: United States
• 

SYNOPSIS

Filmed at Reed’s December 2006 performances of his rock opera, Berlin, at Brooklyn’s St. Ann’s Warehouse. A Brechtian tale of junkies in love, Berlin was a commercial failure when it was first released in 1973; Reed did not perform it again for 33 years. Here he is backed up by a 35-piece ensemble that includes guitarist Steve Hunter, who performed on the original album, and vocalist Antony, front man for Antony and the Johnsons, who sings a sublime version of “Candy Says,” one of three non-Berlin songs in the film. Schnabel sets this live performance against stage sets of his own design and complements Reed’s romantic, doom-laden lyrics with dreamy, evocative filmed visuals by his daughter Lola Schnabel, starring French actress Emmanuelle Seigner as the songs’ heroine, Caroline. Veteran cinematographer Ellen Kuras gives the film a gritty, intimate look that matches Reed’s in-your-face persona and hard-as-nails voice.

RELATED NEWS

Rock snobs, rejoice. Lou Reed's Berlin, Julian Sch : 2008-07-09

 Variety reports that Fortissimo Films has picked up international sales rights to the project. : 2007-08-28