"Brother of Sleep" or "Schlafes Bruder"

[Mark7]

This is an oldie, (but perhaps a goodie), I rented a copy of the Brother of Sleep in the late 90's. It is one of the few films I would like to see twice, but it is hard to find here in the states and expensive to buy on Amazon. The movie is a visual feast at times, with breathtakingly beautiful scenes contrasted by depictions of the stark and boring reality of 19th century Austrian village life. It is a story of musical genius and unrequited love:

In the beginning of the 19th century, Johannes Elias Alder is born in a small village in the Austrian mountains. While growing up he is considered strange by the other villagers and discovers his love to music, especially to playing the organ at the local church. After experiencing an "acoustic wonder", his eye color changes and he can hear even the most subtle sounds. Elias falls in platonic love with Elsbeth, the sister of Peter, a neighbor's son, who has loving feelings towards Elias ever since. After Elsbeth marries someone else, Elias (aged 22) decides to end his life by not sleeping anymore.

I was wondering if any other forum members have seen the movie. The novel the movie is based on - "Schafes Bruder" by Robert Schnieder, sounds interesting and I may try reading it between my current Gurdjieff readings:

Johann Elias Alder, the illegitimate son of the parish priest and a peasant woman in the mountains of western Austria in the early 19th century, was perhaps the greatest musical genius of all time. This absorbing novel tells of the mystical experiences that lead to his great gift, his obsessive love for his cousin, and his self-willed death from lack of sleep. At least as interesting as the protagonist's fate are the colorful tales of the villagers, whom the narrator describes as being ruled by ignorance and superstition while practicing adultery, incest, and brutal acts of cruelty as a matter of routine, and the meticulous descriptions of the peculiarities of climate and geography that shaped their lives. Ultimately, the novel is a rumination on the nature of love and, perhaps, an exploration of the roots that lead to the twisted humanity of Nazi Germany. Novelist/playwright Schneider won the Robert Musil Prize of the City of Vienna for this work. Recommended for general fiction as well as German literature collections.

The movie is not without it's flaws, something of a soap-opera even, but it's a movie that I have had difficulty forgetting.

A couple of scenes: _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfeEQ9mneg4

 

[wanderingthomas]

Incoming newbie!

Hi everyone!

My name is Domagoj, i'm 18 years old and I come from Croatia.

I have found your work through a Crotian website that hosts materials like the Cassiopaean Experiment, the pledian transmisions, Ra etc. approprietely named Val.hr (Val = Wave)! I think it was about 4 years ago.
I am enormuously gratefull to all of you for your great work! I would have been literaly lost without it as well as would many others.

I hope to learn more as I join this forum and to contribute however slightly to the awekening of humanity. ;D

 

[naorma]

This is an oldie, (but perhaps a goodie), I rented a copy of the Brother of Sleep in the late 90's. It is one of the few films I would like to see twice, but it is hard to find here in the states and expensive to buy on Amazon. The movie is a visual feast at times, with breathtakingly beautiful scenes contrasted by depictions of the stark and boring reality of 19th century Austrian village life. It is a story of musical genius and unrequited love:

In the beginning of the 19th century, Johannes Elias Alder is born in a small village in the Austrian mountains. While growing up he is considered strange by the other villagers and discovers his love to music, especially to playing the organ at the local church. After experiencing an "acoustic wonder", his eye color changes and he can hear even the most subtle sounds. Elias falls in platonic love with Elsbeth, the sister of Peter, a neighbor's son, who has loving feelings towards Elias ever since. After Elsbeth marries someone else, Elias (aged 22) decides to end his life by not sleeping anymore.

I was wondering if any other forum members have seen the movie. The novel the movie is based on - "Schafes Bruder" by Robert Schnieder, sounds interesting and I may try reading it between my current Gurdjieff readings:

Johann Elias Alder, the illegitimate son of the parish priest and a peasant woman in the mountains of western Austria in the early 19th century, was perhaps the greatest musical genius of all time. This absorbing novel tells of the mystical experiences that lead to his great gift, his obsessive love for his cousin, and his self-willed death from lack of sleep. At least as interesting as the protagonist's fate are the colorful tales of the villagers, whom the narrator describes as being ruled by ignorance and superstition while practicing adultery, incest, and brutal acts of cruelty as a matter of routine, and the meticulous descriptions of the peculiarities of climate and geography that shaped their lives. Ultimately, the novel is a rumination on the nature of love and, perhaps, an exploration of the roots that lead to the twisted humanity of Nazi Germany. Novelist/playwright Schneider won the Robert Musil Prize of the City of Vienna for this work. Recommended for general fiction as well as German literature collections.

The movie is not without it's flaws, something of a soap-opera even, but it's a movie that I have had difficulty forgetting.

A couple of scenes: _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfeEQ9mneg4

Hi Mark,
I saw this film a long time ago and was also very impressed and kept it in mind for a long time.
One of the reason might be that I was at the official presentation and knew some of the producers and all was a little bit exciting, too.

But the most important thing in this film was a really "bing!!!" scene for me:

When the musician has to leave the village and his love, he tells her when she asks, why he has to leave: "Frag nicht, es ist so." (Dont ask!, it is like it is)
That was a very important statement for me. It brought me from my always asking "but why, why, why?" (and in this getting despaired and not able to act) - to just accept facts, i.e. realizing that the world is like she is today - without illusions and mourning but the possibility to act.

This sentence was important for me for a very long time - - -

 

[naorma]

I think you can watch the english version here, if you register and download a certain program.

[Link to streaming site removed]

- the german Version is available at YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz09mJNP6vw