Knockin' on Heaven's Door (film)
Encyclopedia
Knockin' on Heaven's Door is a 1997 German criminal comedy, by Thomas Jahn
, starring Til Schweiger
, Moritz Bleibtreu
and Rutger Hauer. Its name derives from the Bob Dylan
song which is also on the film's soundtrack.
, Martin finds out that Rudi has never seen the ocean. Martin tells Rudi that all they talk about in Heaven
is how beautiful the ocean is.
Drunk and still in their pajamas, they steal a baby blue
Mercedes 230SL
classic roadster and go for their last mission, to see the ocean. The car belongs to a crime boss. They rob several small shops, only to find that there is a million cash in the trunk of their car.
As they progress closer to their goal police along with gangsters start the hot pursuit. Eventually, the two friends find themselves trapped in the middle of the country side road by police unit on one side and gangsters on the other side pointing their guns at each other. The standoff finally erupts into a big shoot-out while the two make a desperate escape though the corn field. After that, Martin buys a pink Cadillac of the same model as the one which Elvis Presley
presented to his mother. His wish is to make the same present to his own mother. As he fulfills the wish, they get ambushed by police near the Martin’s mother house. Martin imitates a fit of disease and falls on the ground. He is taken to the hospital in an ambulance car with Rudi sitting by his side. En route, Martin and Rudi hijack the vehicle to continue their quest. On the way to the ocean they stop by a brothel, where Rudi wants to fulfill his wish to have sex with two women at the same time. By coincidence, the brothel is owned by the boss whose money they had found in the car they have stolen at the beginning of the journey. They are being seen by the two gangsters who were after them throughout their journey. The gangsters take Rudi and Martin to their boss who asks them for money they should return. Martin says that the money was spent and sent to various people which drives the criminal boss insane. Enraged the boss points a gun at them ready to shoot, but Curtiz, the most influential criminal to whom the money was meant to be delivered, comes in. After a short talk he says “Then you better run, before you run out of time”. The cappo goes on talking about that in heaven everybody would be talking about the ocean. Curtiz spares their lives and lets them go.
The film ends as Martin and Rudi arrive at the ocean’s shore. They walk to the sandy beach and Martin falls dead on the ground. Rudi imperturbably sits down beside his friend, facing the ocean and watching the surf.
was announced to be released in February 2009 under the title Heaven's Door (director Michael Arias
, music by Plaid
). In contrast to the original, protagonists in the remake are 28-year old young man and a 14-year old girl.
Thomas Jahn
Thomas Jahn is a German Actor and Director.He was born in 1965.Credits include Knockin' on heaven's door Thomas Jahn is a German Actor and Director.He was born in 1965.Credits include Knockin' on heaven's door Thomas Jahn is a German Actor and Director.He was born in 1965.Credits include Knockin'...
, starring Til Schweiger
Til Schweiger
Tilman Valentin "Til" Schweiger is a German actor, director, and producer.He is one of Germany’s most successful filmmakers. Since 1968, when the FFA started counting, no other German actor has drawn more people to the cinemas. He runs his own production company, Barefoot Films, in Berlin.-Early...
, Moritz Bleibtreu
Moritz Bleibtreu
Moritz Bleibtreu is a German actor.Bleibtreu was born in Munich, the son of actors Monica Bleibtreu and Hans Brenner, and the great-grand-nephew of the actress Hedwig Bleibtreu.Bleibtreu grew up in Hamburg...
and Rutger Hauer. Its name derives from the Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
song which is also on the film's soundtrack.
Story
Two patients (Martin Brest and Rudi Wurlitzer) meet in a hospital, both just after learning about their untreatable disease. They start talking about their death that is to come very soon. When they find a bottle of TequilaTequila
Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....
, Martin finds out that Rudi has never seen the ocean. Martin tells Rudi that all they talk about in Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
is how beautiful the ocean is.
Drunk and still in their pajamas, they steal a baby blue
Baby blue
Baby blue is a tint of blue, one of the pastel colors.The first recorded use of baby blue as a color name in English was in 1892.-Bubbles:Bubbles is a pale tint of baby blue....
Mercedes 230SL
Mercedes-Benz W113
The Mercedes-Benz W 113 roadsters, designed by Paul Bracq, were produced from 1963 through 1971. Their distinctive "pagoda" hardtop roof, designed by Béla Barényi, gave them their contemporary nickname...
classic roadster and go for their last mission, to see the ocean. The car belongs to a crime boss. They rob several small shops, only to find that there is a million cash in the trunk of their car.
As they progress closer to their goal police along with gangsters start the hot pursuit. Eventually, the two friends find themselves trapped in the middle of the country side road by police unit on one side and gangsters on the other side pointing their guns at each other. The standoff finally erupts into a big shoot-out while the two make a desperate escape though the corn field. After that, Martin buys a pink Cadillac of the same model as the one which Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
presented to his mother. His wish is to make the same present to his own mother. As he fulfills the wish, they get ambushed by police near the Martin’s mother house. Martin imitates a fit of disease and falls on the ground. He is taken to the hospital in an ambulance car with Rudi sitting by his side. En route, Martin and Rudi hijack the vehicle to continue their quest. On the way to the ocean they stop by a brothel, where Rudi wants to fulfill his wish to have sex with two women at the same time. By coincidence, the brothel is owned by the boss whose money they had found in the car they have stolen at the beginning of the journey. They are being seen by the two gangsters who were after them throughout their journey. The gangsters take Rudi and Martin to their boss who asks them for money they should return. Martin says that the money was spent and sent to various people which drives the criminal boss insane. Enraged the boss points a gun at them ready to shoot, but Curtiz, the most influential criminal to whom the money was meant to be delivered, comes in. After a short talk he says “Then you better run, before you run out of time”. The cappo goes on talking about that in heaven everybody would be talking about the ocean. Curtiz spares their lives and lets them go.
The film ends as Martin and Rudi arrive at the ocean’s shore. They walk to the sandy beach and Martin falls dead on the ground. Rudi imperturbably sits down beside his friend, facing the ocean and watching the surf.
Cast
- Til SchweigerTil SchweigerTilman Valentin "Til" Schweiger is a German actor, director, and producer.He is one of Germany’s most successful filmmakers. Since 1968, when the FFA started counting, no other German actor has drawn more people to the cinemas. He runs his own production company, Barefoot Films, in Berlin.-Early...
... Martin Brest - Jan Josef LiefersJan Josef LiefersJan Josef Liefers, is a German actor and musician. He was born on August 8, 1964 in Dresden.-Life:Liefers is the son of director Karlheinz Liefers and actress Brigitte Liefers-Wähner. After his apprenticeship he studied at the Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch in Berlin...
... Rudi Wurlitzer - Thierry Van WervekeThierry Van WervekeThierry Van Werveke was a Luxembourgian actor. He appeared in over 60 films and television shows between 1988 and 2009...
... Henk - The Belgian - Moritz BleibtreuMoritz BleibtreuMoritz Bleibtreu is a German actor.Bleibtreu was born in Munich, the son of actors Monica Bleibtreu and Hans Brenner, and the great-grand-nephew of the actress Hedwig Bleibtreu.Bleibtreu grew up in Hamburg...
... Abdul - The Turk - Huub StapelHuub StapelHubertus Wijnandus Jozef Marie Stapel is a Dutch actor. He is especially known from the films De Lift , Flodder and Amsterdamned by Dick Maas. He also appeared in the Golden Earring video When the Lady Smiles.- External links :* at the New York Times Movies & TV...
... Frankie 'Boy' Beluga - Leonard Lansink ... Kommissar Schneider
- Ralph Herforth ... Assistant Keller
- Cornelia FroboessCornelia FroboessCornelia Froboess is a German actress and a teen idol of the 1950s and early 1960s. During that time, Froboess appeared in many musical films, especially after the rock and roll wave had hit Germany...
... Frau Brest - Martins Mother - Rutger Hauer ... Curtiz
- Christiane PaulChristiane PaulChristiane Paul is a German film, television and stage actress.Paul first worked as a model for magazines such as Bravo. She was 17 when she obtained her first leading role in the film Deutschfieber...
... Shop assistant in a Boutique
Remake
A Japanese remakeRemake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
was announced to be released in February 2009 under the title Heaven's Door (director Michael Arias
Michael Arias
Michael Arias is an American-born filmmaker active primarily in Japan.Though Arias has worked variously as visual effects artist, animation software developer, and producer, he is best known for his directorial debut, the anime feature Tekkonkinkreet, which established him as the first...
, music by Plaid
Plaid (band)
Plaid is a London-based British electronic music duo comprising Andy Turner and Ed Handley. They are former members of The Black Dog and used many other names, such as Atypic and Balil , before settling on Plaid...
). In contrast to the original, protagonists in the remake are 28-year old young man and a 14-year old girl.