Gods of the Plague Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Gods of the Plague Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman November 17, 2023

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Arrow's The Rainer Werner Fassbinder Collection: Volume 3.

Arrow has been curating interesting collections of Rainer Werner Fassbinder films courtesy of both The Rainer Werner Fassbinder Collection: Volume 1 and The Rainer Werner Fassbinder Collection: Volume 2, and now with this latest third volume. The first two editions offered some of Fassbinder's better known efforts like The Marriage of Maria Braun and The Merchant of Four Seasons, and while this third collection offers titles that will no doubt be known by Fassbinder aficionados, it might present more "cult"-ish productions.

Some of the supplements in this third volume of Fassbinder films mention his love of American gangster films, and that interest certainly suffuses this early effort, which finds an ex-con named Franz Walsch (Harry Baer) matriculating back into criminal activity in Munich. There's a ménage à trois of sorts courtesy of Walsch's relationships with Joanna Reiher (Fassbinder muse Hanna Schygulla) and Margarethe (Margarethe von Trotta). Walsch's troubles aren't relegated only to his love life, as he finds himself entangled in a murder, and a planned robbery with his cohort Günther (Günther Kaufmann) may also not be accomplished due to those oft quoted "loose lips". Several of Fassbinder's "obsessions" are explored in this interesting but probably not completely realized effort, including a rather substantial dose of homoeroticism. Interestingly, Fassbinder addressed some of the same plot points and even somewhat the same characters in 1970's The American Soldier, also included in this third volume of Fassbinder offerings.

Gods of the Plague Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Gods of the Plague is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.37:1. Arrow's insert booklet groups the films together in its informational verbiage about the restorations, as follows:

All films are presented in their original aspect ratios of 1.37:1* with mono sound. The restorations for The American Soldier, Gods of the Plague, Mother Kusters Goes to Heaven and Satan's Brew were produced and provided by the Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation from original 35mm camera negatives scanned on an Arriscan film scanner at Arri Media GmbH in Munich. The Niklahausen Journey, Rio das Mortes and Fear of Fear were originally made for television, with restorations produced and provided by the Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation from original 16mm camera negatives, and are presented in standard definition.

*See individual reviews, since not all aspect ratios are actually 1.37:1.

This is a very healthy and organic looking presentation, with the evocative black and white cinematography bolstered by generally secure contrast and nicely modulated gray scale. That said, blacks arguably could have been a bit deeper, and there's a very slight gray quality at times to the darkest tones on display. Detail levels are commendable throughout on everything from facial features to some of the kind of bizarre costumes. Minimal age related wear and tear can be detected, but nothing of any major import.

Gods of the Plague Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Gods of the Plague features LPCM 2.0 Mono audio in the original German. This early effort isn't big on "showy" sound design, and in fact there's almost a verité approach to both the visuals and soundtrack, though Schygulla does get to "do" her version of Marlene Dietrich singing here. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Gods of the Plague Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Arrow has packaged Gods of the Plague and Rio das Mortes together on one disc, with the following supplements:

• Alter Ego (HD; 40:52) offers Harry Baer discussing Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Subtitled in English.


• Taking Off (HD; 26:02) features Michael König discussing Rio das Mortes. Subtitled in English.


• Gods of the Plague Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:53)


• Image Gallery (HD)

Gods of the Plague Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is a film probably best appreciated by Fassbinder completists, or at least those already familiar with some of his later, arguably more fully realized, pieces, but Gods of the Plague has a certain feral intensity and also a rather wacky sense of humor despite the smarminess of the characters and situations. Technical merits are solid and the supplements very appealing.