In 2007, Jörg Buttgereit (Nekromantik) wrote, produced and directed a stage show – and Thilo Gosejohann filmed it, adding comic book optical effects, some snippets from an early Buttgereit short in which he played local superhero Captain Berlin, and a few other bells and whistles (like a thrumming ‘Captain Berlin’ theme soing). But this is basically a filmed theatre piece, put on in what looks like a large circus tent, with audible audience reactions – it’s conceptually way out there, but also surprisingly suitable for children. And it’s a Dracula movie.
She hopes to secure the aid of Graf Dracula (Assor) but after she’s pulled the stake out of his heart discovers that he’s a dedicated communist – and more interested in putting the bite on pretty girl Maria (Sandra Steffl) than politics anyway. Maria’s boyfriend is reporter Fritz Neumann (Jürg Plüss), secret identity of anti-Nazi German superhero Captain Berlin, who has been waiting for a rematch with der führer since the War. Ilse also whips up a bandaged skull-faced monster called Germanicus. Characters rant at the audience, some quite impressive theatrical effects are trundled out, and Berlin poses a lot before we get something like a happy outcome.
