Dreams on Wheels - Orient Express
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Dreams on Wheels - Orient Express |
| Country of production | Germany |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 2000 |
| length | 75 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director |
Hannelore Conradsen , Dieter Köster |
| script | Hannelore Conradsen, Dieter Köster |
| production | Hannelore Conradsen |
| camera |
Hans Evert Vennegeerts , Dieter Köster |
| cut |
Matthias Remski , Dieter Köster |
The film Dreams on Wheels - Orient-Express is a German documentary showing the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express during its journey from Boulogne-sur-Mer to Venice , from Venice to Prague and back to Paris . The film deals with the train from the perspective of the workers in and around it and a traveler.
action
When asked whether he knew which train he was pulling with his electric locomotive, the engine driver had no right answer. For him it is a special train like many others.
Before the restored Venice Simplon-Orient-Express starts its journey through Europe again, it will be prepared in Boulogne (on the French Channel coast). A swarm of cleaners attack him with cleaning supplies and a pressure jet blower. It's about bringing the appearance of a “special train” to a high gloss. It's also about business, emphasizes the head of the German representation in the plush saloon car, who markets the legendary “King of Trains” or “Train of Kings”, while the cleaners work around him as if in a piece.
In an assembly trip, the Orient Express (in the film) moves via Paris and Innsbruck to Venice, to the central repair shop. Exotic fruits, fish and delicacies are loaded. The famous cars, described by numerous writers, are completely overhauled here, and one car is lifted onto brand new chassis. And so the Italian head of the cleaning department, who makes sure that everything appears as the passenger dreams it, appears in front of the camera, as if cast for a dream film. It explains the function and structure of the spare parts store and shows how stolen parts are exchanged. When asked about their origin, it becomes clear that for them this is just a “job like many others, just around the corner”, as it is for the Italian steward Bruno, who traditionally heats his car 51 with paper, wood and coal.
On the platform in Venice it becomes apparent that this is not an individual trip. Colorfully dressed tourists wait patiently behind the stylish cord that holds them back in front of the provided train. The maitre of the train agrees lists with the steward. Then access is granted to the guests and a real hunt begins, as if there were no reserved compartments. In the splendid single compartment (price for the 22-hour journey from Venice to Prague: 6200 marks), the German traveler as the protagonist cannot escape her amazement. After the prologue, the train starts whistling and the service machine starts up.
The theme of the film is the realization of a dream, and how it affects the employees in the everyday life of a luxury trip, as well as the (in this case) travelers, Dannenberg, who are employed in the German public service for 22 hours "Want to forget". Every minute is important to her, "because it is bought at a high price". She enjoys the inlays by René Prou , especially the feeling of no longer having to be herself here, in the midst of people from the IT industry , a railroad fan, the couple who run a pension in Austria , like the lady who regularly travels the train with her mother. Numerous chefs work in the background in a very confined space for you, and the star chef provides information about the background of his art and that you are not allowed to work with fat on the train for safety reasons.
The blue-beige Venice Simplon-Orient-Express travels through the night. Not much happens during this trip. The seven-course dinner reminds the public service lady of her favorite department store in Berlin . A piano player is playing in the bar car, and the traveler learns from business people that they are always under stress at work and have received the trip as a reward from their employer. The steward reveals that the train has to wait two hours in Carinthia so that it reaches its destination on time the next day. On the one hand there is well-kept boredom on the train, on the other hand, drinks and pastries are served (even at night) so that a feeling does not turn into real boredom.
In Prague, the steward Bruno said goodbye to Dannenberg, a perfectly shaped person, as if there were only them on the train. Then he goes through the new list with the maitre to find out which guests in Prague are getting on to Paris. A Bohemian band plays to say goodbye and welcome. The accompanied traveler from the public service gets lost in the catacombs of the Wilhelminian-era train station. The final picture shows the journey home to Germany in a contrasting 2nd class car. The last frame of the film: an empty train traveling through Europe.
criticism
“The main attraction of the film is to keep breaking this opulent staging of luxury. However, the late '68 protest stance cannot be overlooked. As if Conradsen and Köster don't really want to allow themselves and the audience the aristocratic pleasure of this exquisite trip. They complain about the festive cloakroom of the guests, and at the festive dinner the bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, shown in close-up, appears like the epitome of decadence. Although the filming in the narrow train compartments is a technical feat, the impression always arises as if the view from the camera did not feel comfortable in the midst of finely chiseled Art Nouveau lamps and artistically arranged wooden robes. But this ambiguity gets the film. "
"The film takes away fear of the threshold."