Berlin Alexanderplatz: Part 1

Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) is a 14-part miniseries (plus an epilogue) directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, adapting Alfred Döblin’s 1929 novel. It follows Franz Biberkopf (Günter Lamprecht), who is struggling to reintegrate into Berlin’s seedy underworld after serving four years in prison. He initially vows to live an honest life but is drawn into crime through the manipulative Reinhold (Gottfried John), leading to a tragic spiral of violence, betrayal, and existential despair. Fassbinder’s adaptation is a towering work of New German Cinema, blending melodrama, surrealism, and psychological depth. Shot in muted tones with long, immersive takes, the series portrays Weimar-era Berlin as a grim, oppressive world of poverty and corruption, mirroring Biberkopf’s internal struggles. The final epilogue, an abstract, dreamlike sequence, expands the film into a metaphysical meditation on fate, love, and personal destruction. Berlin Alexanderplatz is a demanding but rewarding experience, regarded as one of Fassbinder’s greatest achievements. It transforms Döblin’s modernist novel into a deeply personal and politically charged statement on Germany’s past and Fassbinder’s own cinematic obsessions. The full 15-hour cycle of Berlin Alexanderplatz is presented across three sessions. PART ONE Episodes 1 - 5 320 mins plus intermissions Ep. 1, "The Punishment Begins" | "Die Strafe beginnt", 82 mins Ep. 2, "How Is One to Live if One Doesn’t Want to Die?" | "Wie soll man leben, wenn man nicht sterben will", 60 mins Ep. 3, "A Hammer Blow to the Head Can Injure the Soul" | "Ein Hammer auf den Kopf kann die Seele verletzen", 59 mins Ep. 4, "A Handful of People in the Depths of Silence" | "Eine Handvoll Menschen in der Tiefe der Stille", 59 mins Ep. 5, "A Reaper with the Power of Our Lord" | "Ein Schnitter mit der Gewalt vom lieben Gott", 60 mins