Vincent Gallo plays a double lead in this Italian version of the legend of Kaspar Hauser, a mysterious boy who appeared in the streets of Nuremberg in 1828 and could hardly talk. His ancestry (royal, according to some) and history were never explained. In this absurdist retelling by director Davide Manuli, the tracksuit- and headphone-wearing Kaspar Hauser washes up on the beach of an almost uninhabited island, where he is found and received as the messiah by The Sheriff (Gallo) who is also a DJ. The Duchess, who rules the tiny community, feels threatened by the blond boy and sends The Pusher (also Gallo) to fix things. The brief chapters, which all consist of a single, long take and feature minimal, surreal dialogues, tell Hauser’s story. All in black-and-white against the sober background of deserted beaches and villages, supported by Vitalic’s pumping rhythms.
Film details
Country of production
Italy
Year
2012
Festival edition
IFFR 2012
Length
90'
Medium/Format
35mm
Language
English, Italian
Premiere status
World premiere
Director
Davide Manuli
Producer
Alessandro Bonifazi, Bruno Tribbioli, Davide Manuli
