"Martha"
1973
Directed by Rainer W. Fassbinder

Fassbinder paints a portrait of a hollow, loveless German bourgeois in this extravagantly baroque look at a self-centered, wealthy woman, Martha (Margit Carstensen), who is slowly destroyed psychologically by her sadistic new husband, Helmut (Karlheinz Bohm). Fassbinder masterfully charts Helmut's abuse and Martha's ambivalence through shrewd and bold visual touches and superb direction. "...a treasure amongst treasures: the most pure, most exaltant of Fassbinder's melodramas." (Eithne O'Neill, Positif). Includes the documentary, Fassbinder in Hollywood, featuring interviews with Hanna Schygulla, Ulli Lommel, Michael Ballhaus and Wim Wenders. German with optional English subtitles.  115 minutes.