A quiet German miner passes time with his friends and his accordion. One night while listening to the radio he discovers zydeco, a far cry from the polka he’s always played. This sets in motion an adventure to the states and the Louisiana bayou.

CRITIQUE

This is a small, minimalist film that grows on you over time. It’s a beautifully photographed chronical of a shy retiree’s unwitting discovery of a purpose. Horst Krause, a prolific German actor, perfectly imbues Schultze with an innocence and naivety that carries the sweetness of this story. There is a bare minimum of dialogue, and most of the theme is conveyed through a filmography of the German countryside and the American gulf coast. There are so many verging-on-still images in this movie that it could almost be confused with a photo album, and first time writer/director Michael Schorr tends to overtly linger on shots he obviously has a particular affection for.

Schultze is a stranger in a strange land soon after retiring, not quite knowing what to do to interrupt his mundane everyday existence. When he stumbles into zydeco and the culture it represents – its food, its laid back style, and everything that goes along with it - it gives him a new found focus. And a unique Texas trip opportunity lands him right on the edge of zydeco’s origin, the bayous and parishes of Creole country. I must admit that reviewing this film while simultaneously watching hurricane Katrina’s misery unfold on TV was somewhat depressingly ironic.

THE VIDEO

Schultze Get the Blues is a colorful travelogue, filled with beatifully saturated images of the German countryside, people’s facial expressions, and the N’awlins way of life. It must have been gorgeous on the big screen.

THE AUDIO

The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is, like the film, minimal, but the German language (with English subtitles) loses its brusqueness and becomes somewhat melodic. The surround sound envelopes you in the atmosphere, especially the swamp country. The

THE EXTRAS

An excellent commentary by the writer/director is included. Presented in German with English subtitles. the commentary offers a rare glimpse into the making of a first film, finding locations, script additions that accommodate the location and new ideas, and other aspects of this project.

Also available are three German-language trailers and previews of other Paramount Classics titles.

FINAL THOUGHT