Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)

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Emmi, a woman truly in the second half of life falls in love with Ali, an more than ten years younger Arab guest worker.

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Directed By: Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Written By: Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Starring: Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Irm Hermann, Brigitte Mira, Barbara Valentin, El Hedi ben Salem, Lilo Pempeit, Doris Mattes, Elma Karlowa, Margit Symo, Anita Bucher, Gusti Kreissl, Katharina Herberg

Genres: Romance, Drama

AKA: Angst essen Seele auf

Country: West Germany

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Ali: Fear Eats the Soul belongs to 78 collections

1. 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (collaborative: moderated by kozan26 - 236 stars)

2. Criterion Collection (collaborative: moderated by caffe - 167 stars)

3. Roger Ebert: Great Movies (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 80 stars)

4. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2008 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 39 stars)

5. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2010 revision) (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 32 stars)

6. The Guardian's 1000 films to see before you die (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 31 stars)

7. Passed the Bechdel Test (collaborative: moderated by geohawk - 30 stars)

8. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2014 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Jehan - 27 stars)

9. Best of criticker: Top 250 (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 26 stars)

10. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2012 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 25 stars)

11. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2017 revision) (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 22 stars)

12. Criterion Collection (Blu-ray) (collaborative: moderated by epiphany - 20 stars)

13. The Story of Film: An Odyssey (collaborative: moderated by rant1229 - 20 stars)

14. They Shoot Pictures' Recommended Viewing (collaborative: moderated by Cinephile - 19 stars)

15. Best of criticker: Drama (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 18 stars)

16. Great color cinematography (collaborative: moderated by Alex Watkins - 16 stars)

17. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2013 revision) (collaborative: moderated by rant1229 - 16 stars)

18. FIPRESCI Prize (collaborative: moderated by paulofilmo - 14 stars)

19. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2011 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 14 stars)

20. Best film of top directors (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 14 stars)

21. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2020 revision) (public: djross - 14 stars)

22. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)

23. Sight and Sound 2012 (collaborative: moderated by DavidB - 13 stars)

24. TimeOut's 1000 films to change your life (collaborative: moderated by ppinocchio - 11 stars)

25. Criticker top 250 (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 11 stars)

26. International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 10 stars)

27. New German Cinema (collaborative: moderated by lucbapt - 10 stars)

28. Cinema Discusso Yearly Consensus (2008) (public: PeaceAnarchy - 10 stars)

29. Martin Scorsese's Foreign Film List (public: Hkit - 10 stars)

30. Remake (collaborative: moderated by td888 - 9 stars)

31. Sight and Sound 2002 (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 9 stars)

32. The Gentlemen's Guide To Midnight Cinema Podcast (collaborative: moderated by Coheed - 9 stars)

33. The Village Voice: 150 Groundbreaking Films (public: kevinjoseph - 9 stars)

34. Male Frontal Nudity (collaborative: moderated by bobyang - 7 stars)

35. BFI Film Classics (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 7 stars)

36. Sight & Sound 2012 Directors' Top 100 Greatest Films of All Time (public: Whyte Nite - 7 stars)

37. TSPDT Top 200 Directors: Best Film (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 6 stars)

38. Best of criticker: Romance (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 6 stars)

39. Ekşi Sinema "Alternatif" Top 250 (collaborative - 6 stars)

40. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2007 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 4 stars)

41. List: The Essential 100 by TIFF (expert panel) (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 4 stars)

42. Full Male Frontal Nudity (Yes, Dick!) (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 4 stars)

43. Average Percentile >70 (collaborative: moderated by peyrin - 4 stars)

44. The 100 Greatest Films of All Time according to BFI's Sight and Sound (2022 edition) (collaborative: moderated by Dr.N0 - 4 stars)

45. Canon Fodder by Paul Schrader ~d~ (public: 5Z5qjRCfM2 - 4 stars)

46. Cross-cultural (collaborative: moderated by paulofilmo - 3 stars)

47. Edward Copeland's Ray Memorial 100 (collaborative: moderated by theficionado - 3 stars)

48. TIFF Essential 100 (collaborative: moderated by theficionado - 3 stars)

49. Roger Ebert's 4-Star Movies (collaborative: moderated by KirkJiggler - 3 stars)

50. The 100 Greatest Films of All Time according to BFI's Sight and Sound (2022 edition, directors) (collaborative: moderated by djross - 3 stars)

51. Criterion Collection (Blu-ray and 4K) (public: PepeCamello - 3 stars)

52. Cannes - Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (collaborative: moderated by Thegoodboy - 2 stars)

53. IMDb Top of The 1970's (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 2 stars)

54. Top 100 German films (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 2 stars)

55. 501 Movie Directors (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 2 stars)

56. Decent Remakes (collaborative: moderated by DavidB - 2 stars)

57. Mark Kermode: 50 films every film fan should watch (collaborative: moderated by MacSwell - 2 stars)

58. The Criterion Channel (public: caffe - 2 stars)

59. Cannes 1974 Official Selection (collaborative - 1 star)

60. A Year of Essential Cinema (collaborative: moderated by Ibetolis1 - 1 star)

61. age-gap relationship (collaborative: moderated by livelove - 1 star)

62. gork movies to get (public: gork - 1 star)

63. Woman Protagonist (public: shalev - 1 star)

64. Pickpocket inaccurate PSI (public: Pickpocket - 1 star)

65. List: The Essential 100 by TIFF (public: KasperL - 1 star)

66. Fassbinder's top ten of his own films, ca. 1981. (public: karamazov. - 1 star)

67. The 250 Greatest Films of All Time according to BFI's Sight and Sound (2022 edition) (collaborative: moderated by djross)

68. 1974: Year in Review (public: polanski28)

69. My DVD Collection (public: balseiros)

70. Filmspotting Ratings Project: Week 13 (public: PeaceAnarchy)

71. Vicky (public: escarta)

72. Tom's Movies (public: tomwalsh)

73. Djross German feature films I've seen (public: djross)

74. Sight and Sound 2012 - Combined list - Part II (public: Ariaz)

75. seen (public: gamzeknc)

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77. My ratings (public: tpbradbury)

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Order by:

TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
6	Suture Self	10 _96th
An interior view of jealousy, hatred, and prejudice. The irony in the movie is that prejudice isn't overcome through a change of heart, but through self-serving necessity: Emmi's racist son needing his child watched; or a racist store clerk needing Emmi's business; or gossipy neighbors needing Ali's help with heavy-lifting. While the movie's heart is always front and center, it would be too glib to call it simple. It's powerful, loving, complex, compositionally astounding, and a joy to watch.
5	hehejaja	85 _84th
Uncovered and spellbinding. Lingering close-ups of the protagonists' faces ask for painstaking empathy and meditative long shots evoke existential reflection. Dramatic in a low-voiced manner. Elegant, but rough.
4	doctor7	95 _98th
Excellent use of mise en scene. Packed with visual imagery and emotional truth. The unusual bond between Ali and Emmi unfolds in an uncomfortable but touching fashion. Brilliant film.
3	MartinTeller	90 _94th
Fassbinder borrows from Sirk's film, but makes it his own. He boils it down a pure essence. As a result, this unconventional romance is as genuine and touching as any other on film. Much of the credit here belongs to Mira and Salem, who create such sympathetic characters. The handling of racial issues is perhaps simplistic, and yet that contributes to the film's power, the message of hope in the face of adversity. Also some wonderful cinematography, with vivid colors and striking use of space.
3	KlausGlenski	85 _89th
Most likely this is one of the best German movies ever made. When one watches this might sound exaggerated since this movie doesnt come along like art in any way. It appears pretty real and unsettling and nothing else. And the actors really push this feeling of 70s reality with their emotional work. Besides, its very impressing that Fassbinder wrote this, directed it, produced it, was responsible for the music and acted as a perfect German asshole in this movie.
2	Moribunny	98 _99th
So powerful! Everything that happens or is uttered in this movie is unnaturaly concise, and the photography with its loud colors and picturesque compositions is just as unreal. Fassbinder does such things elsewhere but here they are at their sharpest and most iconoclastic. The Fassbinderian form of a cooled-down, minimalist melodrama complements this story perfectly and lends it a poetic quality.
2	Pickpocket	3 _28th
For a movie that is known for its subtlety it really beats you to death with its obvious and boredom inducing message. The acting is possibly the worst I've ever seen in my life and this is coming from someone who's seen multiple Rob Schneider movies. It would've been comical if they weren't so damn serious but Fassbinder clearly thinks this is really some deep shit but I "got" it within 15 minutes and it just becomes an exercise in masturbation. Not 100% terrible but way too overpraised.
2	Alex Watkins	4 _70th
The racial themes are a bit heavy handed at times (though they become more complex later in the film), but the romance is subtle and touching in a way that few other films can compare to. Sad without being overbearing and not without a sense of hope. And the photography is absolutely beautiful; Sirk's influence shows in every shot.
2	PeaceAnarchy	85 _81st
A thoughtful insightful film about an unconventional relationship. Fassbinder shows some real insight into his characters and presents some flawed but very real people. I felt it kind of lost it's way in the last half hour, but it was still very good.
2	roujin	80 _92nd
Incredibly touching. True to life and filled with melodrama in the best sense of the word.
2	amerigo	80 _69th
It's unusual and brilliantly constructed, but there is something ultimately hollow about the emotional humanity uncovered here. Maybe that's the point, maybe I just don't like New German Cinema for that reason, but while structurally and conceptually sound, the film is not compelling for me. (Extra points added for the film being ahead of its time in terms of the thematics addressed here. )
2	Shmendrek	5 _96th
With Ali, Fassbinder handles a myriad of difficult subjects with grace and humanity. The chemistry between Mira and Salem is unparalleled and it makes for one of the better love stories I've ever seen.
2	Dean Franz	14 _13th
So... tolerance is a good thing? Way to blow me away, Fassbinder. This was the first movie of his that I saw, and probable the reason why I can't seem to find the motivation to really sink my teeth into his filmography.
2	Noblet	85 _84th
Sometimes lacking in any subtlety in its portrayal of racism, but really great in every other way.
2	FlipWhitman	85 _80th
I swear vengeance on the coward that told me this was about Muhammad Ali!
2	loc42	100 _99th
I didn't watch anything more sincere than this movie about the loneliness, and at the same time the movie keeps its distance from the characters with a great aesthetic endeavor.
2	JSchlansky	80 _77th
Finally a movie that depicts the dark reality of people purchasing drinks and then not drinking them.
1	DuaneNeitzel	100 _98th
One of the saddest and strangest love stories ever. Rainer Werner Fassbinder at his very best.
1	CCLZA	90 _95th
Heartbreaking in the depiction of human's darkest sides thoughout simple, subtle scenes that leave you thinking about the meaning of society in one's life.
1	djross	70 _76th
It's true that this is a compassionate film employing economical storytelling, a restrained but meaningful use of the camera, a reserved approach to characterisation and good performances. It is also true that a significant amount of the running time is spent on the revelation that bitchy women and selfish grownup children rarely concede their own flaws. Nevertheless, the subtlety and complexity of the filmmaker's approach gradually develops a certain amount of poetic power. Those Germans!
1	TheDiceman	70 _82nd
Very good.
1	Nathan S	3 _45th
Its themes are simple and pretty overt, but Fassbinder brings weight with two original, sympathetic characters. It is an unconventional, yet strangely touching romance.
1	AFlickering	4 _57th
social stuff is as heavy-handed as haynes' (including the ironic switch to opportunistic pandering), but the final act is richer: love that ali isn't a saintly subversion of stereotypes, and he's objectified/exoticised not only by the camera but emmi herself, who like germany is trying to be better but talks about der führer with a lil too much nostalgia. they're basically tender and sincere people, the other stuff flaring up now and again like an ulcer--it's the stress and the fear, y'see.
1	JooJoo	7 _99th
I can't imagine Fassbinder outdoing the visual awareness he portrays here - it is essential to the story. A slow-burning masterpiece and probably the best introduction anyone could have to Fassbinder's world.
1	Enthusiast	75 _67th
Strange mixture of beautifully realized shots with astoundingly obvious shots, set against one of the most expansive and well-defined palettes of muted colors that I can ever recall. The story is naive as fuck, and towards the end stops trying entirely, but the ponderous photography will have you totally convinced there's something profound lurking below.
1	Detox	86 _84th
I don't see why this film should be more subtle with its way it shows racism.
1	wetwillies	90 _80th
It's the photography that seals the deal for me: framing the characters through doorways, or hiding them among a sea of yellow tables. I love the way it takes All That Heaven Allows and updates it to fit a completely different culture. The performances are great.
1	waddayanuts	42 _3rd
Fassbinder's exaggerated style with heavy-handed symbolism and stiff acting undermines the purposed satire. The racist society depicted here is too extreme to relate to and the lack of proper character motivation makes the love story unbelievable. A more subtle style would have worked much better. As is, it's ultimately a rather dull and irrelevant film.
1	Noam Raz	70 _70th
Simplistic, like all the Germans, maybe life too.
1	rickicker	85 _67th
Probably one of the most earnest films I've ever seen.
1	deep_green	85 _94th
Among Fassbinder's most visually attractive films, and yet the sparseness that occupies every shot (extending to the script) is a great device for establishing open spaces that you can feel. I'm sure this is all very conducive to analysis, but analysis is not the first thing I feel like conducting so shortly after having seen it. The fact is, it is a very simple film, and much of its' power comes from not beating around the bush.

Average Percentile 74.62% from 1413 Ratings