Ludwig – Requiem für einen jungfräulichen König (Ludwig - Requiem for a Virgin King)

Hans-Jürgen Syberberg was one of the key figures of the Neue Deutsche Welle in the 1970s. Unlike Fassbinder, Herzog, and Wenders, who made 'realistic' films, Syberberg's approach is anti-naturalistic and anti-psychological. In a combination of theatrical tableaus, trick photography, and background projection, Syberberg discovered a cinematic blend ideal for his exploration of German history. In Ludwig he conjures the figure of the last king of Bavaria in 28 scenes. His stately film falls somewhere between an artificial history lesson and a detached opera. Ludwig, whose life was dedicated to the pursuit of beauty, built dream castles, financed Wagner's expensive operas, and steadily descended into madness, which Syberberg did not dramatise but stylised into a grotesque revue.

"The slow pace and ultra-mannered staging compel either fascination or outright rejection. Those fascinated are rewarded with constant surprises and delights, because it’s one of the most beautiful and defiantly original movies of the 70's." - Time Out Film Guide