Barfly (film)

Barfly is an American film drama directed by Barbet Schroeder from the year 1987. Wrote the screenplay for the film in the United States has become the cult author writer Charles Bukowski, his writing style accordingly with many autobiographical bonds. The role of his alter ego Henry Chinaski took Mickey Rourke.

Action

The alcohol- addicted and living in Los Angeles Henry Chinaski spends his days drinking and listening to sometimes write short stories or poems on the radio. In the evening he visited several bars where he gets drunk, and then usually to start a fight. In particular, he and the bartender Eddie, who stands in the foreground in his opinion, too, come together periodically.

After he is exceptionally emerged in a fight with Eddie as the winner, he gets from his buddy Jim, who has bet on him, slipped money, and he goes for a drink in another bar. There he meets the also alcoholic Wanda, which he donated a drink from his last money. But she thanks by takes him and still worried for both at the expense of their patron Wilbur at a gas station alcohol and cigars for the night. The two move in together and Henry enforced by an income tax refund for a month before the rental.

While Henry embarks on job search, Wanda happily calculated with Eddie and a bottle of bourbon. When she returns to the apartment, they quarrel and Wanda goes again, after having Henry with her handbag inflicted a head wound. From a private investigator summoned paramedics back off again when they encounter anyone except the bloodied Henry.

The private investigator has visited the poet for the magazine publisher Tully Sorenson, who wants a release of Henry's short stories. She pays him $ 500 for the publication. When he accompanies her to her house, he ends up after some whiskey in bed with her. He holds it in her golden cage not long off and returns to Wanda.

Now it is Wanda, who is jealous and pretends to be dying, whereupon Henry calls an ambulance. Again the paramedics go empty-handed when they find that Wanda is just drunk.

Tully sees Henry something special and looks for him soon again in his regular bar, where his friends Henry spends a few rounds. Wanda is palpable and there is a scuffle with Tully, in which Wanda has the upper hand. The movie ends with Eddie for the last lost fight calls for revenge and, accompanied by all the guests, goes with Henry in the yard.

Reviews

Desson Howe wrote on November 20, 1987 in the Washington Post, only one thing would prepare him to Barfly headache - it might be too much fun to look at him. ( "There 's only one worry about ' Barfly ' - it might also be too much fun. "). When Henry Chinaski was Rourke less a loser, but a new edition of Chaplin's tramp ("As Henry Chinaski, he's not so much a loser as an update of Chaplin's Tramp [ ... ]"), and Mickey Rourke, realizing his best role has found ("[ ... ] Rourke Certainly has found his best role [ ... ]") would this inspire a angeberisches pathos ("[ ... ] infuses the character with swaggering pathos" ). Even if Faye Dunaway in this film do not play their best role, so be it but their bravest ( "If This is not her best role, it's Dunaway 's gutsiest ").

Uli Pretty wrote in the tz: "A not exactly overwhelming story, but the terrific performance by Dunaway / Rourke and the tight production make this film for the summoning of drunken nights. "

Awards

The film was in competition for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Faye Dunaway was nominated for a Golden Globe, Mickey Rourke and cinematographer Robby Müller for the Independent Spirit Award.

Background

Bukowski wrote the screenplay in collaboration with Barbet Schroeder in the early 1980s. The realization then dragged on for several years, since Schroeder could at first find no backers.

According to Bukowski also had Sean Penn and Madonna great interest in the two lead roles. The two were married in the 1980s and visited Bukowski several times at his home in San Pedro. But to the cooperation it did not because they wanted to have Dennis Hopper as a director. Bukowski, however, felt towards Barbet Schroeder in the duty.

In one scene of the film, the camera pans over Faye Dunaways legs. They even insisted on this setting, which is regarded by some fans as inappropriate for little glamorous rest of the film.

Bukowski himself can be seen in the movie as an extra and plays drinkers (ie himself), sitting at a bar in a bar and Mickey Rourke looks up who passes behind him.

In the two years later published book Hollywood Bukowski tells of his experience with the film industry and how he sees himself on the big screen as a young man. The book describes in a distorted level, the production of Barfly in his view.

Two members of the team to cinematographer Robby Müller developed to illuminate a meeting held in a narrow space scene, the Kino Flo, a particularly space-saving and easy lighting option.

1987 in film Yoram Globus Film score Fritz Feld Cult (religious practice) Lyric poetry Palme d'Or Golden Globe Award Film Independent Spirit Awards 2006
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