Movie spotlight
Das Stacheltier - Endstation Kanal
Children's book illustrator Müller-Olbernhau has a secure livelihood in East Berlin. He and his wife Brigitte, who is very impressed by the "western glamor", are visited by Uncle Rüdiger Lorenz from the Rhine. Under their influence, he moves to West Germany, also annoyed by the publishing house and because, according to his wife, he lacks "pizzazz". There he was asked to illustrate comics with violent and cruel depictions for a Frankfurt publisher. He witnesses arguments between three other graphic artists and the publishing house manager. When he asks one of them, Hertwig, who is no longer "playing along", what he is doing now, he is told that he is going to a "real children's book publisher" in East Berlin. Brigitte is astonished: "Isn't that where we just came from?" As she looks at Leo in surprise, he writes on her forehead in lipstick: "That's it."
Insights
Plot Summary
This short East German comedy follows a man who dreams of being a famous diver, only to find his aspirations thwarted by his own clumsiness and the realities of the situation. Despite his grand ambitions, he ends up in a more mundane and less glamorous role.
Critical Reception
As a short propaganda comedy from the GDR, 'Endstation Kanal' was likely intended for domestic audiences and its critical reception outside of its intended context is not widely documented. It's viewed today as a historical artifact of early East German cinema.
What Reviewers Say
Humorous and light-hearted for its time.
Reflects early GDR cinematic attempts at social commentary through comedy.
A brief glimpse into the style of East German short films.
Google audience: Information regarding Google user reviews for this specific short film from 1956 is not available.
Fun Fact
This short film features a young Manfred Krug, who would later become a prominent actor in both East and West Germany.
AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources