In Danger and Dire Distress the Middle of the Road Leads to Death

In Danger and Dire Distress the Middle of the Road Leads to Death

1974 · 86 min · ★ 5.0 · Drama

Combining fictional and documentary modes, the film takes a critical stance toward Frankfurt's public sphere and urban redevelopment. Despite the serious formal and political concerns of the film, Kluge's heightened sense of the absurd safeguards a reserve of utopian optimism.

Directed by Alexander Kluge · Written by Alexander Kluge

Your Rating

Cast

Make it a double feature

3h 29m together

In Danger and Dire Distress the Middle of the Road Leads to Death

Germany in Autumn

Both from Alexander Kluge.

More from Alexander KlugeSee all →

Frau Blackburn, geb. 5. Jan. 1872, wird gefilmtFrau Blackburn, geb. 5. Jan. 1872, wird gefilmt · 1967
Frau Blackburn, geb. 5. Jan. 1872, wird gefilmt
7.51967
Movie
Mrs. Blackburn, born in 1872, i.e. before the history of cinema began, is Alexander Kluge's grandmother. Portrait of this lady.
The Patriotic WomanThe Patriotic Woman · 1979
The Patriotic Woman
7.11979
MovieDrama
Gabi Teichert, a history teacher, is unhappy with the way history is portrayed in textbooks and is looking for an alternative, more practical approach to 'uncovering' the past, quite literally digging with the spade and dissecting books with hammers and drills.
The Big MessThe Big Mess · 1971
The Big Mess
7.01971
MovieScience FictionComedy
Outer space in 2034 is run by greedy corporations in a rundown bureaucracy. Two astronauts, who are not very smart, make their way with shady dealings, smuggling and spaceship wrecking.
Yesterday GirlYesterday Girl · 1967
Yesterday Girl
6.51967
MovieDrama
A young German woman searches for happiness, liberation, and independence in the illusive wake of a transformative national recovery.
The Assault of the Present on the Rest of TimeThe Assault of the Present on the Rest of Time · 1985
The Assault of the Present on the Rest of Time
6.41985
MovieDocumentary
A poignant film essay about 'superfluous people' facing up to a moment of crisis in their lives.
Germany in AutumnGermany in Autumn · 1978
Germany in Autumn
6.41978
MovieDocumentaryDrama
Nine fictitious documentaries and films reflect the mood of late 1970s Germany, particularly the two-month period in 1977 when a businessman was kidnapped by the RAF (Red Army Faction). The kidnap had been made to orchestrate the release of the original leaders of the RAF, aka the Baader-Meinhof.
The Tiger of EschnapurThe Tiger of Eschnapur · 1959
The Tiger of Eschnapur
6.31959
MovieAdventureDrama
In Eschnapur, a German architect saves the life of the Maharajah's favorite temple dancer and becomes Maharajah's friend but their friendship is tested when the architect and the dancer fall in-love, triggering the Maharajah's vengeful ire.
The Indian TombThe Indian Tomb · 1959
The Indian Tomb
6.11959
MovieAdventureDrama
Seetha and Harold Berger are rescued from the desert by a caravan and brought to a small village. However, the greedy owner of the house where they are lodged betrays the law of hospitality and reveals their location to Prince Ramigani. The couple tries to escape but is hunted and captured by Ramigani and his men. Meanwhile Irene Rhode and her husband Walter Rhode suspect that Maharaja Chandra is not telling the truth about Harold's destiny. The conspirator Ramigani forces Seetha to accept to get married with Chandra to provoke the wrath of the priests and get the alliance of Prince Padhu and his army. In the meantime, Harold succeeds in escaping from the dungeon and seeks out Seetha to save her.
Strongman FerdinandStrongman Ferdinand · 1976
Strongman Ferdinand
6.01976
MovieDrama
The clownish security chief of a West German business is obsessed with protecting his factory from fancied and real breaches, especially from groups such as The Red Army Faction. Ferdinand's paranoia and methods can't be contained by his company. The sympathetically-drawn Ferdinand's ludicrous actions recall those of the cynical, disastrous axis between fascism and big business in 1930's Europe: satire of the rise of private security.
The CandidateThe Candidate · 1980
The Candidate
6.01980
MovieDocumentary
Made with an eye to the autumn of 1980 when the German parliamentary elections took place, The Candidate examines Germany’s history past and present and Franz Josef Strauß, the man who, as the CDU/CSU candidate, aspires to be elected to the most important political office in the land.
Artists Under the Big Top: PerplexedArtists Under the Big Top: Perplexed · 1968
Artists Under the Big Top: Perplexed
5.91968
MovieDrama
A young circus director ends up going into television after her father, a trapeze performer, dies in a circus accident.
Part-Time Work of a Domestic SlavePart-Time Work of a Domestic Slave · 1973
Part-Time Work of a Domestic Slave
5.91973
MovieDrama
Roswitha runs an illegal abortion clinic in Frankfurt to support her student husband and children. When she is forced to close her practice she delves into political and social activism.
Willi Tobler and the Decline of the 6th FleetWilli Tobler and the Decline of the 6th Fleet · 1972
Willi Tobler and the Decline of the 6th Fleet
5.91972
MovieComedyScience Fiction
Willi endeavors to survive in a world where annihilistic galactic battles rage, by taking a job at the centre of power. But it's the wrong side that he takes in this civil war...
The Journey to ViennaThe Journey to Vienna · 1973
The Journey to Vienna
5.21973
MovieDramaComedy
Two women during WW2 living in a Hunsrück village embark on a trip to Vienna.
The Power of EmotionThe Power of Emotion · 1983
The Power of Emotion
4.81983
MovieDocumentaryDrama
Emotions and feelings should not be confused with sentimentality. Emotion is ancient and more powerful than any artistic expression. The film observes young couples facing difficulties while trying to move their love experiences towards clear decision making. A film full of ideas, details and associations, fictional scenes, documentary footage, archival materials and opera music.
War and PeaceWar and Peace · 1982
War and Peace
4.51982
MovieDocumentary
The third episodic film, after Deutschland im Herbst and Der Kandidat, in which notable German filmmakers reflect on the state of their country. A collage of documentary and dramatised sequences dealing with such topics as overkill, peace demonstrations, NATO arms policy, and life after the next war.

More Like This

Couldn't load this row right now.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter