Jazzclub - Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm (2004)

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

As this film is only available in German, most of the interested people will already know that Helge Schneider isn't only an actor or producer, but also a greatly gifted jazz musician. He is touring all-around the German language area with his combined jazz/comedy shows. In this movie the element of jazz plays an essential role concerning the story and in the background music. With Jazzclub, you have quite a good access to the artist as a whole and not "only" to the comedian. On the other side, this is probably the reason why the film is somewhat disputed by a lot of people who liked his movies so far. But in my opinion, there is no reason for that. Even if you don't like jazz, it is still one of the funniest Helge Schneider movies. As always, you love it or you hate it. I, for my part, love it.

I think this film is schneiders worst. Of course, this depends on what you expect of a Helge movie. As a Helge fanatic for years i am used to the kind of humor of the preceding movies - loving the sometimes senseless, sometimes daffy but mostly with a subliminal critical and ironical undertone between the lines style of this intelligent musician and comedian. But this one is really different.I was really looking forward to see the movie. When i went out the cinema, i was really deranged and couldn't really believe what i saw. There might be the thin storyline of the club, Helge and his fellows playing jazz at, being closed and Helge is forced to ensure his subsistence and so on. But in my opinion this is not enough even for this relative short movie of 84 minutes. The only thing happening is the band jamming at their jazz club, Helge selling fish and Helge carrying out newspapers. Additionally visiting the bum under the bridge and bearing his wife.I think Helge just didn't want to miss the chance making a movie with his temporary band mates Jimmy Wood and Pete York but without really having an substantial idea of a story - so this really boring movie came out.Nevertheless the music being played at the movie is still of high quality as we are used to from Helge. Furthermore there are indeed some funny scenes like Helge trying to get the newspapers under control in the hurricane or the alien-scene at the end of the movie.

I love the older films of Helge Schneider, but I think this one is the best. Although it is still low-budget, there are some excellent takes (like one closeup of his face where you see his hands playing piano mirrored in his sunglasses). To all who already love Helge, don't worry, he refers to his earlier films (for example there is a man bouncing a basketball ;)In this film Helge Schneider really shows that he is a genius concerning jazz. The gags of course are excellent as well.The film is a very strange and different mixture of "Monty Python" and "Bluesbrothers". If you like one of both the film is a must-see.

i think this film is schneiders best. it is not just silly German comedy like the earlier movies (texas, 00Schneider or Praxis Dr.Haselbein). The first time schneider ads critical and dramatic peaces to his work and there is also for the first time a real story which is also timed properly.an other interesting point is that the female parts are played by real women and not in the Monty python-way by men and fat transsexuals. this picture is also photographed much better then the earlier pics. to make it short: the first real masterpiece of mr.helge schneider. he brings really new parts and sights into the new German cinema and of course in the kind of German humor which was not always a very good one. i am wondering what will come next.