TOM TYKWER

If you aren't familiar with the great, distinct body of work from filmmaker Tom Tykwer, you should get to know it fast. His films, such as RUN LOLA RUN, PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER, WINTER SLEEPERS, HEAVEN, and THE PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR, are all a heady mixture of existentialism, surrealism, fantasy, and sexuality. I saw RUN LOLA RUN four times in the theater and have watched it repeatedly on DVD; I consider that to be his best film. However, do yourself a favor and rent on DVD his most recent picture, last years criminally underrated (at least in America) PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER. This film made over $150 million outside of the United States, yet only around $4 million here. Rent it and you'll see why. It's a bizzarre masterwork, and while not perfect, is so bold and audacious that I guarantee you you'll be fascinated. Maybe repulsed at times, but always engrossed. Anyways, here are a few links; one to Roger Ebert's phenomenal review of PERFUME, and the other a link to Tykwer's website:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070104/REVIEWS/701040301/1023

http://www.tomtykwer.com/05_projekte/54_buecher/index.shtml