(T)Raumschiff Surprise - Periode 1 (2004)

I am German and I understand the mostly excellent jokes of that movie. I know that the Americans generally have a different sense of humor, so most Americans won't like it.

There are very many jokes in there, who are very often based on some German words. I don't know in what language the user before had seen it, but i think it is more funny in German!

It is not only about gay jokes, but for some Jokes you have to have seen "Der Schuh des Manitou" the other movie of Micheal "Bully" Herbig, "The Matrix", "Star Trek" and of course "Star Wars".

I liked the Movie very much, because I have seen all the other movies you should have seen before. It is one of the best movies I have ever seen.

Fmovies: German TV gets sillier every day. You must have seen it to believe. The same goes for Periode 1. It is actually a comedy show that runs once e week. Once upon a time these comedians decided to make a movie. It was called `Der Schuh des Manitu' and it became the greatest success in cinema history in Germany. I couldn't believe that. I found it not the least bit funny nor do I find the tv series funny. But both have a huge fan base. Bully, the star of the this whole travesty isn't funny either. The only thing he does, is pretending to be gay. You see this every week in his show you saw this in `Der Schuh des Manitu' and you see it now in `Periode 1'.

I don't know what is going on in peoples minds. The can laugh a thousand times about the same old joke as long as the media tells them that the jokes are good. It reminds me somewhat of Farenheit 451Â….

Being gay is even trendy now. Thanks to the German TV. They realised to construct e extremely positive stereotype about gays. You see gay dozens of times every day in lots of shows, films and commercials etc. And they do always follow the same stereotype. For example a gay man is always sympathetic, he knows much about fashion, he is the man who understands women, he behaves a little bit over the top in every aspect. But he is always very, very sympathetic. I do not have something against gays but I have something against this stereotype. Here in Germany there are two kinds of gay reactions to the film. The superficial ones that loves the movie because they are shown as most positive, sympathetic and nice guys and who are even influenced in their behaviour by the stereotype shown in the media. And the others, more sophisticated ones, how know that they are all thrown into one an the same pot. They know that gays are individual as every other person on this planet and not only a one dimensional stereotype or a trendy appearance that will be replaced in the future from some other appearances.

After `Der Schuh des Manitu' German people were allowed to vote for a sequel. For example one could vote for another western or a star trek like sequel etc. As you see the star trek parody has won. And so it came to the slogan that this is the first democratically voted movie in history. But most of the movie plays in medieval times. Bully (the main actor and director) said in an interview that he always wanted to make a medieval movie. That said you can mention for yourselves how democratic this movie is. But that doesn't matter because `Periode 1' is on its way to be even more successful than its predecessor.

There are certainly other dim-witted personalities in this movie that are very popular and that every child knows in Germany. For example the not-so-funny Stefan Raab. He made one of the most stupid songs for this movie that will be a number one smash-hit before long.

All these factors: the beloved stereotype, the democracy, the stars and the music in combination with the commercials that you are confronted with all day through and last but not least the pride of the Germans to have created an Hollywood-like movie with special effects and gay slapstick jokes that do not have hide behind American comedies make this movie look like the greatest achievement in cinema history but if you lift the veil a little bit you see that it is only an empty husk of a movie, a wanna-be Hollywood flick and unfunny as hell. The same jokes repeat throughout the whole movie. It is so boring and even worse it is a `positive-gay-propagand

Bully, you are the best! Sorry, that was necessary...

Okay, just three hours ago I saw this film and I had pretty high hopes, I can tell you. I saw Der Schuh des Manitu and was in stitches the whole evening. I wanted to have the same experience with this new film. And yes, I definitely had. There is no other way to express this: This film is a gorgeous glimmer of hope for German film in general. It proves what nobody thought was possible. A German film with the budget of "only" 8 million euros ("only" compared to American standards, of course, pretty much money over here) looks absolutely like similar themed films from elsewhere (read: America). The FX scenes are simply marvelous, flawless, therefore pretty impressing and no doubt the best you have seen in a German film so far. Congratulations! So it IS possible to do great cinema in this country of ours after all. That's good to see.

The story of course is mad, weird, fast paced and garnished with the occasional joke below the waistline - exactly what you expect when you know Bully is involved. But even older jokes, either from the TV series or inspirations from other films don't seem old or used, but merely presented in a new costume, so to say. Playing with shadows you've seen often before (Austin Powers for example), but it doesn't matter here. Time and place is right, so it's funny.

The performances although are truly fantastic, especially Rick Kavanian's. He plays three different characters - and when I say different, I mean different. A fat, humourless doctor (Bavarian), a loverly gay version of "beam-me-up"-Scotty (with flower hat) and a baddie in black with a stiff lower lip (Saxon). In the series he was the master of every dialect, accent or language possible (absolutely convincing in both British and American English as well as in every German dialect and a sweet Greek accent). Here he scintillates with the most lasting impression that you leave with when you go home after the film. He is a great actor, one wishes to see more of him. And not only in comedy.

And what can I say about Bully. What a talent he has and is. He writes, produces, directs and acts. I admire people like him. He seems to know exactly what he wants. And gets it. He said in an interview - and there were several in the last weeks - that he would like to do something international in the future. Well, I'm sure he will manage that. With his talent, no problem. He also wants an Oscar. That still might take some time, but I'm sure even that he will get. If just some American distributor would watch this film... if someone with connections reads this, please call him, he deserves it, believe me. I wish I could be an extra in his next film...

I rated this film 9 out of 10. I wanted to give ten, but then again that would seem too good. There should always be some goal left. Bully, stay as you are and I'm looking forward to your next film! Well done, old boy!

(T)Raumschiff Surprise - Periode 1 fmovies. Three hundred years in the future, Mars is colonized by humans and their leader Regulator Rogul (Hans-Michael Rehberg) plans to conquer Earth. Queen Königin Metapha (Anja Kling) is advised to send the gays Captain Kork (Christian Tramitz), the Vulcannette Brigitte Spuck (Michael Herbig) and the engineer Schrotty (Rick Kavanian) from the Surprise to the past in an experimental time machine to destroy the spaceship that human discovered in Area 51 in 2004 and avoid their technological knowledge in spacecrafts. She summons the trio and the taxi driver Rock Fertig Aus (Til Schweiger) brings them to the meeting but Rogul attacks Earth. In the havoc, Kork, Spuck, Rock and Metapha travel to the past but they are hunted down by the evil Lord Jean Maul (Rick Kavanian). Now the only hope for the human race depends on the success of their mission.

"(T)Raumschiff Surprise - Periode 1" has a promising storyline, with a parody to the cults "Star Trek" and "Star Wars". However this sci-fi comedy is not my type of humor and is indicated only for very specific audiences. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "A Espaçonave das Loucas" ("The Spacecraft of the Crazy Gays")

After having read all postings and comments about the movie in this place up to now I simply want to tell that I love it! Surely the movie cannot be to everyone's taste especially not to the taste of those who run into cinema with a checklist about "will it be better than 'Schuh des Manitu'", "how many gay-jokes will be cracked", "does German comedy still exist" and so on. I myself was skeptical, too, whether Periode 1 will reach Schuh des Manitu but I was disappointed positively. Tonight I watched Periode 1 the second time and, like in Schuh des Manitu, I discovered gags I haven't perceived the first time because there are enough of it in there! Why do most of the commentators put emphasis on the gay-factor? Surely that was the original attention of "Unser Traumschiff" in Bullyparade but in the movie there surely is more! You remember "Men In Tights" (Helden in Strumpfhosen) by Mel Brooks, the Robin Hood-spoof? O.k., there was no gay-topic in it but it was very smug! Enjoy the details! The counselor of "William der Letzte", the rented spy, the taxi and so on - there's so much in it you can laugh about! Michael Bully Herbig surely accepts the inheritance of Monthy Pythons and Mel Brooks, in my eyes!

Simply enjoy it like me!

Yeah, so, I'm not German (though I do speak it)...

The humour is not inherently German (i.e. there is some!), but it is funny. Very, very funny. Bully started with "Der Schuh des Manitu", and that was a poor German ape of Blazing Saddles... but this is different. For a start the special effects make you wonder how Star Wars I-III managed to spend their significantly larger budget. They're good. There's something almost British about the comedic understatement and dead-pan delivery. A knowledge of colloquial German is useful though.

The "icon" of the movie, the gay trio of Kirk (Kork), Spock (Spuck) and the other one (it isn't clear which Star Trek character he's meant to be), is the weakest point of the flick, but fortunately it is a minor intrusion. There is plenty of wit, spoofing and entertainment besides. Til Schweiger is excellent - a German Bruce Willis, maybe? Perhaps, as an Auslander, I find this movie more endearing than I should, but I highly recommend it.

Mopsgeschwindigkeit!