Knockin' on Heaven's Door (1997)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Thomas Jahn

Writers:

Thomas Jahn (story)
Thomas Jahn (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

20 February 1997 (Germany)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Ein schnelles Auto, 1 Million Mark im Kofferraum und nur noch eine Woche zu leben

Plot:

Two young men, Martin and Rudi, both suffering from terminal cancer, get to know each other in a hospital room...

Plot Keywords:

Convertible | Hospital | Tequila | Gangster | Cancer

Awards:

7 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Til Schweiger	...	Martin Brest
Jan Josef Liefers	...	Rudi Wurlitzer
Thierry van Werveke	...	Henk - der Belgier
Moritz Bleibtreu	...	Abdul - der Araber
Huub Stapel	...	Frankie 'Boy' Beluga
Leonard Lansink	...	Kommissar Schneider
Ralph Herforth	...	Assistent Keller
Cornelia Froboess	...	Frau Brest - Martins Mutter
Rutger Hauer	...	Curtiz
Christiane Paul	...	Verkäuferin in der Boutique
Hannes Jaenicke	...	Motorradpolizist
Willi Thomczyk	...	Autoverkäufer (as Willy Thomczyk)
Vladimir Weigl	...	Harald Rohwitz
Jenny Elvers	...	Schwester Labor A
Corinna Harfouch	...	Schwester Labor B

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

Germany | Belgium

Language:

German | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | South Korea:18 | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Cologne, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany

Company:

Mr. Brown Entertainment

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: You can spot a cameraman at the screen bottom in a mass police deployment scene after Rudi and Martin barely make it out of the apothecary.

Quotes:

[Own translation since the movie is not available in English]
Patient im Fahrstuhl: [waking up] What's happened? Am I in Heaven?
Henk - der Belgier: Sure. I am Sweet God and this
[points to Abdul]
Henk - der Belgier: is Saint Peter.
Abdul - der Araber: [St. Peter] Salam aleikum.

Movie Connections:

References The Terminator (1984)

Soundtrack:

TEQUILA LOVE

One of the best German films of the nineties

"Knocking On Heaven's Door" has been a big German box office hit in the winter of 1996/97 and is still considered one of the best German movies of that decade next to the international success "Lola rennt". This is a breath-taking comedy about two losers (Til Schweiger and Jan-Josef Liefers) dying of cancer and getting anything they want during their last days on earth. They are robbing a bank and nicking a car containing a gangster's suitcase with a million marks in it. Of course the gangsters and the police hunting the guys who just want to reach the sea to die somewhere at the shore.

Although this road-movie story itself isn't very new and has been filmed many times in Hollywood movies, it stands on its own. The story has dozens of quotes and references from American movies and film genres, but it also knows how to add a local, German and European style to it. You see two henchmen, a Turk and a Belgian, dressed in black suits and with sunglasses like taken from a Tarantino film. You see Hannes Jaenicke dressed as a fatally-looking leather cop U.S.A. style, drinking Jaegermeister (a popular German spice liquor). You see popular fifties girlie actress Conny Froboess playing Til Schweiger's mum, an Elvis Presley adoring fan.

There are plenty of funny scenes in this movie, many witty dialogues, absurd situations and brilliant performances by all actors featuring Corinna Harfouch as a doctor, "Sexluder" Jenny Elvers as a nurse, Dutch movie stars Huub Stapel and Rutger Hauer as gangster bosses, Ralf Herforth as dumb police officer, etc. Schweiger and Liefers are giving the best performances of their career, adding pain, sadness and tragedy to the all-action-comedy style. The photography, editing and the surf-rock-like sound track by Selig are also outstanding. Take a look at this example of best German nineties cinema!!!