Directed and written by Michael Schorr, Schultze Gets the Blues centers around Schultze (Horst Krause), a middle-aged accordionist whose lust for life is renewed after hearing a Cajun zydeco riff on the radio. Despite the fact that using his accordion for anything other than polka would be considered a sacrilege by his family -- Schultze's father was considered legendary in the polka circuit -- a newly invigorated Schultze jumps at the chance to change his musical style and takes it a step
further by learning how to cook jambalaya and saving money for a trip to the United States. Despite more than a few unseen barriers, Schultze makes the trip from Germany to America, where he takes on Texas and the Louisiana bayous with an unprecedented zest. Schultze Gets the Blues also features Harald Warmbrunn, Karl Fred Mueller, Ursula Schucht, and Hannelore Schubert. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
A genuinely endearing soul, Schultze earns our admiration not because he indulges himself in a senior citizen's lark but because his journey, like our hero himself, has depths we hadn't suspected.
In "Schultze Gets the Blues", Schultze(Horst Krause), a man of few words, has just taken early retirement from the mine in Germany where he worked; freeing up his time to hang out with his pals all day, visit his mother in the old age home and polish his garden gnomes. He is also an accomplished accordion player, and
hopes to be in the running to win a trip to attend a music festival in Texas. He performs traditional polkas but one night he has an epiphany while listening to Zydeco music on the radio... "Schultze Gets the Blues" is a wonderfully photographed bittersweet deadpan comedy about retirement and growing older. The movie has great respect for its characters and small town life.
June 21, 2006
Walter M.
Super Reviewer
Tranquility and isolation paired up with tenderness and the fascination of glimpsing into the lives of others make this my favourite arthouse movie ever. The story of a retired mineworker discovering the magic of American Blues which sends him on a personal, as well as actual journey into the heartland of America.
Amazing and mezmerizing, this movie is most definetly not for everyone, as it is a far cry from Hollywood cinema, being far too subtle, slow and simple. Don't be fooled though, behind it's lighthearted touch breeds a heavy philosophy of self-discovery and love for all things beautiful and human.
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