(Drivebycuriosity) - In the recent days I have been binge watching the TV series "Babylon Berlin" on Netflix ( in German with English subtitles). I really enjoyed it. The ambitious German production can easily compete with HBO series. The plot is set in Berlin in the year 1929 - the late roaring twenties - as the metropolis was wild, flamboyant, kinky & dangerous. It tells an alternate history, a fictional past where a young police officer arrives from Cologne to investigate a blackmail case in the porn scene, but the story evolves soon into something much bigger (this is a spoiler free blog. You can find more here wikipedia ).
The directors, Tom Twyker, known from "Lola Runs", Hendrik Handloegten & Achim von Borries, who also wrote the script, created a complex but enthralling plot (loosely based on a novel by Volker Kutscher faz.net). The investigation gets drawn into a vortex of crime & politics caused by the fragile situation in Germany. In these days the fledgling post-war democracy was challenged from left & right - a fertile soil for lots of criminal activities.
"Babylon Berlin" mixes an intelligent political plot with superb entertainment and blends decadence, bohemian culture, violence, romance and much more into an amusing cocktail. The Babylon Berlin team took a lot of efforts and money to reconstruct the Berlin of 1929 - a rough but fascinating world - and choreogrpahing action scenes. The series was shot at 300 different locations with a lot of elaborated actions scenes including a trainjack. The amazing soundtrack (curated by Bryan Ferry who also wrote some of the songs) enhance the pleasure considerably.
The best pieces are the decadent night club scenes, especially when Severija Janušauskaitė inspires her audience with her song "Zu Asche, zu Staub". The Lithuanian multi-talent (wiki ) plays an important role as a Russian immigrant who has a strong influence on the case. I also enjoyed Liv Lisa Fries`performance as an ambitious and easy going girl. Her character is fearlessly working on her social rise and has another major part in the investigation. Volker Bruch as the war-traumatized but zealous investigator impressed as well.
"Babylon Berlin" is gripping, sexy, kinky and highly entertaining. Watch it!
PS On top of the post you can see an image by the German illustrator Kat Menschik.
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