The Baden Meinhoff Complex

 

So I finally got round to watching this. I have always been interested in RAF I have been meaning to do so for years. I did watch it compressed which no doubt took some of the energy out of the experience

Yeah it is quite intense. I think it is maybe two hours too long. I wonder if things are bowdlerized for movie audiences. 

Well, as one of the characters notes -Shooting and Fu king are the same thing. It is a loot into the intense world of the Rose Armee Faction. It is fascinating how middle class they are- The Berlin dinner parties, The Undertakers in 18 century costume, the Pastor as a parent. _ In contrast to the violence. The shooting of a very middle aged German judge, in his home- The gang winding up there handler in Rome, trying to get him to steal a purse so he steals their car instead

The riot in which the Shah of Iran's bodyguards' attack the crowd is very well done. The Film looks great- As I say it is a period piece. Everyone is smoking constantly 

The Ugly Germans in the Middle East, hanging out naked- Which would have dismayed Brits and Poles, 

The borstal boy who has skipped out on bail  being manipulated by sex . Is something that made me take notice. A grown woman interested in a teen boy  can have a sinister end Also the denial of motherhood 

The internationalism of the gang. The training camp in the Middle East .They gang flee to Rome- They go to Scilly, they have allies across the middle east. It is almost a modern story-rather then a period piece The authorities respond to the RAF by trying to computerize everything and squeeze the RAF out of the shadows. The events of a hijacking followed on crystal sets rather then online-but people still huddled and cocooned

The poison of the group. You are the dagger in the back of the RAF. One member is driven to suicide, the use of sex, and violence to control people

No mention of KGB involvement as far I could tell 

Quite an experience