Der Brandner Kaspar und das ewig' Leben" is both a classic and a cult movie in Bavaria, shown religiously every during All Saint's Day. The tale of a poacher who achieves 20 years of extra life by making Death drunk and then cheating him over a game of cards. However, Kaspar has gained more than he bargained for, having to witness the death of his loved ones while bringing disarray into the heavenly bureaucracy by cheating the Grim Reaper. Eventually he's tricked into visiting heaven, where he decides to stay, since there's no Prussians in heaven but no end to the white sausages and beer.
As a Bavarian, I don't only consider a remake in itself a slap in the face but more so, the fact that Bully Herbig was cast in one of the centre roles, blasphemous. See, like many Bavarians I'm not fond of Herbig or his type of slapstick-humour, often referred to as "Grimassenschneiderei" (or grimacing). Pulling faces, jumping around spastically and speaking in squeaky voices isn't everybody's mug of beer when it comes to comedy. The pinnacle of the original Brandner Kaspar was the role of Death (in Bavaria lovingly referred to as "Boandlkramer" or Bone-Dealer), originally played by actor Toni Berger with great humour but also a great deal of humanity. Very little of this is left in the interpretation of Herbig, and what is left has been copied one-on-one from Bergers performance.
Acting-wise, the film has two highlights: for one, the performance of Franz-Xaver Kroetz, whom many Bavarian viewers will fondly remember as "Baby Schimmerlos" in the cult-series "Kir Royal". Kroetz cannot help but embody the typical Bavarian (or, as the Bavarian will tend to see himself). The second spark in the darkness is actor Jörg Hube, likewise a veteran of Bavarian-TV, who sadly passed away shortly after completing this film.
If the story intrigues you or if you're interested in Bavarian folktales and folklore, I can only recommend the Original from 1975. The remake I cannot recommend for anybody just alone on the grounds that Herbigs performance is obnoxious, to say the least. I'm tempted to think that he may be a Prussian who mimics the Bavarian accent.
As a Bavarian, I don't only consider a remake in itself a slap in the face but more so, the fact that Bully Herbig was cast in one of the centre roles, blasphemous. See, like many Bavarians I'm not fond of Herbig or his type of slapstick-humour, often referred to as "Grimassenschneiderei" (or grimacing). Pulling faces, jumping around spastically and speaking in squeaky voices isn't everybody's mug of beer when it comes to comedy. The pinnacle of the original Brandner Kaspar was the role of Death (in Bavaria lovingly referred to as "Boandlkramer" or Bone-Dealer), originally played by actor Toni Berger with great humour but also a great deal of humanity. Very little of this is left in the interpretation of Herbig, and what is left has been copied one-on-one from Bergers performance.
Acting-wise, the film has two highlights: for one, the performance of Franz-Xaver Kroetz, whom many Bavarian viewers will fondly remember as "Baby Schimmerlos" in the cult-series "Kir Royal". Kroetz cannot help but embody the typical Bavarian (or, as the Bavarian will tend to see himself). The second spark in the darkness is actor Jörg Hube, likewise a veteran of Bavarian-TV, who sadly passed away shortly after completing this film.
If the story intrigues you or if you're interested in Bavarian folktales and folklore, I can only recommend the Original from 1975. The remake I cannot recommend for anybody just alone on the grounds that Herbigs performance is obnoxious, to say the least. I'm tempted to think that he may be a Prussian who mimics the Bavarian accent.