“B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989” is a compelling documentary that delves into the dynamic subculture and pop culture of West Berlin during the 1980s. Directed by Jörg A. Hoppe, Heiko Lange, and Klaus Maeck, the film offers a glimpse into a unique period in history when the city garnered the spotlight, attracting international musicians and nurturing its vibrant music scene.

Through interviews and found footage, and experiences of its narrator “B-Movie” skillfully captures the spirit of this bygone era, where risk, passion, madness, and excess intertwined with the music and culture of the city. At the heart of this documentary is Mark Reeder, an Englishman who relocated to West Berlin in the late 1970s, drawn by the city’s burgeoning music scene and acted as a manager for various bands in Berlin. Yet, B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West Berlin” is also a string of famous people: Gudrun Gut, Annette Humpe, Blixa Bargeld, Nena, Nick Cave, Westbam, Zazie de Paris, Die Toten Hosen, Einstürzende Neubauten, Die Ärzte, Die Unbekannten, Malaria!, Notorische Reflexe, Christiane F.

The documentary also sheds light on the squatting movement in the city, a defining aspect of the subculture. It provides a unique perspective on West Berlin as a creative melting pot, where everything seemed possible, and where individuals like Gudrun Gut created spaces that became hubs for the artistic community. It mentions the influence of American culture on Berlin’s music scene, including the impact of the classic American rock attitude by also encapsulating the chaotic and ever-evolving nature of the city, emphasizing its distinction from the rest of Germany.

The best way to grasp this distinction is by listening to Blixa Bargeld’s own words:

I asked myself: What is my authentic situation in life? What is my personal environment, for me as a West Berliner, without an ID card, without an address, without a job, without any income, without qualifications? Then I was in one band after another and one of them was Einstürzende Neubauten. Then we went off on expeditions. We set off into the industrial landscapes and began to make music with nothing. We played in secret, forgotten places, hollow spaces in motorway bridges or under railways, places that have something magical about them and have incredible acoustic qualities. If you’re sitting in a 1.5-meter-high space inside a steel girder that’s maybe 40 metres long and you can hear the trucks whizzing along above you, it’s difficult to develop something connected to the peace movement. We didn’t just work in the hollow spaces inside motorway bridges, we worked with absolutely everything imaginable, and especially with things that were completely unimaginable.

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