The Raspberry Reich

The Raspberry Reich is a 2004 film by director Bruce LaBruce which explores what LaBruce calls "terrorist chic", cult dynamics, and the "innate radical potential of homosexual expression".[2] It is about a contemporary terrorist group who set out to continue the work of the Red Army Faction (RAF), also known as the Baader-Meinhof Gang. The group consists of several young men, and a female leader named Gudrun (after Gudrun Ensslin). All of the characters are named after original members of the Baader-Meinhof Gang or revolutionaries such as Che Guevara.

The Raspberry Reich
U.S. release DVD cover art
Directed byBruce LaBruce
Produced byJürgen Brüning
Written byBruce La Bruce
StarringSusanne Sachsse
Daniel Bätscher
Andreas Rupprecht
Dean Monroe
Anton Dickson
Daniel Fettig
Ulrike Schirm
Sherry Vine
CinematographyJames Carman
Kristian Petersen
Edited byJörn Hartmann
Distributed byPeccadillo Pictures (UK)
Release date
  • 2004 (2004)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryGermany/Canada
LanguageEnglish
Box office$31,211[1]

They call themselves the "Sixth Generation of the Baader-Meinhof Gang" and "The Raspberry Reich". "Reich" is a reference to communist sexologist Wilhelm Reich. In addition, the term "Raspberry Reich" was coined by RAF leader Gudrun Ensslin to refer to the oppression of consumer society.[3] An "uncut" version of the film has been released, titled The Revolution Is My Boyfriend, edited by the gay pornographic film company Cazzo Film including erotic scenes edited out in the original version.[4]

Plot

The core plot begins with the kidnapping of Patrick, the son of a wealthy industrialist. Sexual and romantic entanglements push the drama forward. At the film's climax, Gudrun delivers a soliloquy on the importance of personal life in revolution. She puts particular emphasis on the breaking of heterosexual and possessive sexual norms, urging her comrades to join "The Homosexual Intifada".

The pressure of Gudrun's controlling personality causes the group to break up. Most of the urban guerrillas escape into the night. In the dénouement, the characters are visited some time later. Several have found happiness in the homosexual relationships established during their revolutionary activities. Che has become a terrorist trainer in the Middle East. Patrick escapes with Clyde, where they embark on a spree of bank robberies. This action is reminiscent of Patty Hearst's actions with the SLA. Gudrun and Holger settle down and have a child named Ulrike (after Ulrike Meinhof), whom Gudrun believes could embody the next generation of the Red Army Faction.

Cast
  • Susanne Sachße as Gudrun (credited as Susanne Sachsse)
  • Daniel Bätscher as Holger (credited as Tim Vinzent)
  • Andreas Stich as Patrick (credited as Andreas Rupprecht)
  • Dean Monroe as Andreas (credited as Dean Stathis)
  • Anton Z. Risan as Clyde (credited as Anton)
  • Daniel Fettig as Che (credited as Damion)
  • Gerrit as Helmut
  • Joeffrey as Horst
  • Ulrike Schirm as Neighbour 1 (credited as Ulrike S.)
  • Keith Levy as Drag Queen Stage (credited as Sherry Vine)
  • Stephan Dilschneider as Neighbour 2
  • Pünktchen as Drag Queen Door
  • Sven Reinhard as Policeman
  • Genesis P-Orridge as TV Personality
  • Naushad as Muslim
  • Huseyin Gunus as Arab Terrorist 1 (credited as Huseyin Günus)
  • Alfredo Holz as Arab Terrorist 2
  • Claus Matthes as Arab Terrorist 3 / Additional Voice
  • Rafael Caba as Arab Terrorist 4
  • Mischka Kral as Diplomat
  • Marco Volk as Chauffeur / Additional Voice
  • Darius Sautter Aschkanpour as Baby
  • Christoph Glaubacker as Patrick (voice)
  • Andreas Stadler as Che (voice)
  • Ralf Grawe as Helmut (voice)
  • Mario Mentrup as Horst (voice)
  • David Arnold as Additional Voice (voice)
  • Daniel Hendricksen as Additional Voice (voice)

Style

The film's style is propagandistic. The actors are placed in rooms wallpapered with photographs of Gudrun Ensslin, Ulrike Meinhof, Andreas Baader, and Che Guevara. This symbolises the historical connection to the RAF. At several points during the film, the action pauses while the characters recite long passages from Vaneigem's The Revolution of Everyday Life, as though they are speaking from their own thoughts. Onscreen titles are also used to convey and enhance political messages.

Pornography plays a large visual role in the film. The opening sequence features a montage of sexual acts involving the two main characters, Gudrun and Andreas. There are also plot driven sex scenes involving the characters of Patrick and Clyde engaging in real explicit onscreen oral and anal sex acts with each other. Much of these scenes intentions are to not only arouse but also present themes of satire and of character development. Andreas (Dean Monroe) is a gay porn legend (working in the porn industry since 2000 and winning a Grabby Award in 2012).[5]

Slogans

Slogans are used to convey the politics of the Raspberry Reich. They are both an extension and parody of the slogans used by political organisations. Slogans used in the film include:

Satire

Humour and satire are employed to explore the gap between reality and ideals in the terrorist world. For example, some of the kidnappers—avowed vegetarians for political reasons ("meat is counter-revolutionary")—purchase burgers at a multinational corporate fast food chain drive through with their victim still in the trunk.

See also

References
  1. The Raspberry Reich - Box Office Mojo Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  2. "Synopsis of Raspberry Reich". Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved 2011-06-03.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. Aust, Stefan. Baader-Meinhof group the inside story of a phenomenon. London: Bodley Head, 1987. p. 59
  4. "The Revolution Is My Boyfriend". Les Inrockuptibles. Paris, France: Les Editions Indépendantes (661–663): 100. 2008-07-29. ISSN 0298-3788.
  5. "We Talk to Dean Monroe". Loverboy Magazine. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  6. Question originally asked at a Weather Underground conference counterposing sexuality and revolution, in the context of 'Raspberry Reich' it counterposes hetero and homosexuality.
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