Stroszek

Werner Herzog film about street musician Bruno Stroszek and his friends. Bruno, Scheitz and Eva are down on their luck. They move to Wisconsin to escape Eva's abusive pimps. Unfortunately, they aren't quite able to make it in America.


 * All Devouring Black Hole Loan Sharks: Actually, ordinary bank workers just doing their jobs.
 * Amateur Cast
 * Author Appeal: Inverted. The ending makes a little bit more sense if you know that director Werner Herzog has a crippling fear of chickens.
 * Bottle Fairy: Bruno's alcoholism is the source of many of his problems.
 * Cloudcuckoolander: Scheitz and Bruno. But especially Scheitz.
 * Eagle Land: Ultimately averted. The Power Trio's relationships with America as a place and Americans as a people are complicated.
 * Foregone Conclusion: Turns out Wisconsin sucks.
 * Gainax Ending: After being a slow drama for an entire film, the ending centers on a chicken dancing to Sonny Terry.
 * Hooker with a Heart of Gold: Eva.
 * Lyrical Dissonance: The playful melody of the song Bruno sings is at odds with the often downbeat lyrics.
 * Non-Actor Vehicle: There are few professional actors in the movie.
 * Nostalgic Music Box: An actual one, and the sounds of them.
 * Power Trio: Superego: Scheitz, Ego: Bruno, Id: Eva.
 * Regional Riff: Chet Atkins starts playing as the Power Trio gets used to America.
 * Rummage Sale Reject: Bruno, probably literally.
 * Suspiciously Apropos Music: Not so bad as some films, but it isn't accidental that the alcoholic Bruno sings a song about a woman who is exploited by an alcoholic.
 * Talent Double: Averted since Bruno was an accomplished street musician by the time.
 * Third Person Person: Bruno.