Drunken Germans

First, a program note. I'll be in the U.S. visiting friends and doing the conference thing until April 12th. Posting will be spotty.

And now for something completely different. An excerpt from the 1962 documentary Mondo Cane, showing us the Reeperbahn in all its glory (h/t MG):

"More," the yearning melody that underpins these scenes and forms the red thread throughout the whole movie, sounds like a standard that's been around forever. Yet it was actually written for this sleazily* ingenious B-movie! As we Texans like to say, "Well, I'll be dipped in shit!"

* The spellchecker doesn't think 'sleazily' is a word. Pity the spellchecker.

Comments

[M. Möhling]

"dipped in shit" were those poor creatures of the night, their own, only topped by the film's makers. While I enjoy heartfelt cynicism, the moralist in me expects at least a hint of redeeming intentions.

[Junger Gott]

Contemporary visitors of the Reeperbahn will appreciate what a long way it has come in terms of desleazification (yet another sorely missed word) and civilized behavior of its patrons. Give me the punks that hang around the gas station there any time over those drunken morons in suit and shirt.

[cohu]

Further proof for the old Bavarian assumption: drinking Astra makes you ugly.

[Ney]

At least, most young people were decently dressed back then.

[headbang8]

From a Bavarian point of view, the beers are too small.

--this little bit of film is a superb find. Please forgive me if I repost it and hat-tip you!