Strange Black Forest "Tatort" - A Film Like a Loony Tune
Video resembling an artificial intelligence production
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First-time director and screenwriter Christine Ebelt aimed to reflect the uneasy world climate in her "Tatort" debut. However, her approach veered off in a weird direction compared to the traditional "Tatort" fare, even for its questionable standard.
The uncanny valley feeling experts describe when humanoid robots and AI make humans uncomfortable is replicated in the new Black Forest "Tatort." It's when everything seems alright initially, but there's a sense that something isn't quite right. Case in point: Inspector Tobler (Eva Löbau) chases a suspicious doctor in the dead of the night to a cabin in the woods. Instead of reacting to a midnight visit, the doctor simply opens the door, allowing Tobler to ask, "Hello, may I use your toilet?" A bit peculiar, wouldn't you say? In typical "Tatort" fashion, the doctor welcomes Tobler inside without asking any questions. Tobler proceeds to pour drain cleaner into the toilet, only to discover that the doctor had not used it earlier. Nonplussed, they discuss their next move as if it's completely normal.
"The Great Fear" is overflowing with scenes like this, even more so: The film is a 90-minute sequence of bewildering continuity errors, plot holes, and laughable script instructions that seem to be a desperate attempt to veer as far away from reality as possible. If this were intentional, it might have a certain perverse appeal. However, much suggests that Christine Ebelt took her "Tatort" debut seriously and sought to expose the tense and anxious mood of the modern world.
The Bizarre Truth
Regrettably, her methods are unsubtle, akin to hitting someone over the head with a sledgehammer. To illustrate the heating up of society, Ebelt uses excessive heat in the Black Forest as a symbol. As it's supposedly very hot, each scene must incorporate a character drinking copious amounts of water. Even during gunshot wounds hardware store raids, it helps to stay hydrated, apparently.
Characters who are fearful and on edge argue loudly and often out of the blue. And not just with each other, but even with inanimate objects, like the trees. Calm characters, on the other hand, should run around like headless chickens to express their tension, making no sense whatsoever. Inspector Tobler suffers from this condition more than others.
Dialogues must make no sense and should be taken out of context to emphasize the consequences of echo chambers. Additionally, an angry mob is essential for any story.
If this list continues indefinitely, it's not journalistic exaggeration but the cold, hard truth. The result is a film that leaves viewers with only two options—either shaking their heads in disbelief and adding the ARD Sunday thriller to the list of signs of civilization's decline or grabbing their favorite beverage and betting on the next absurd twist the script will take.
Source: ntv.de
- TV
- ARD
- Tatort
- Crime
- Comedy (Unintentional, of course!)
- In an intentional attempt to challenge the uneasy world climate, the following shall be added to the traditional "Tatort" format: scenes of bizarre continuity errors, unconventional character behaviors, and absurd dialogues that resemble a comedy of errors, mirroring the feeling of uncanniness as described in the uncanny valley theory.
- The new "Tatort" film, "The Great Fear", can be likened to a sledgehammer approach, with stubborn character behaviors, senseless arguments, and nonsensical dialogues, creating an unusual continuity that might leave viewers questioning the state of contemporary entertainment.
- Christine Ebelt's "Tatort" debut differs radically from the norm, achieving a level of absurdity that could be deemed comical by some, as if the script were carelessly written with a disregard for continuity and context, creating a sense of plot disarray reminiscent of a NTV program titled 'Tatort' - a perfect example of unintended humor in the realm of crime drama.
