Vintage German Film Tip
The super entertaining Taxi Zum Klo is an often-forgotten cinematographic gem from 1980, by Frank Ripploh. Telling the story of a schoolteacher’s contrasting public and private life, it’s quite pornographic, with pretty much all the major homosexual fetishes being touched upon, and the actors doing their own sucking and fucking. It’s also like a debased John Waters film, with some ‘no-they-didn’t!’ gross-out moments and a series of funny cameos by a cast of eccentric West Berlinites.
But it’s Frank’s politics and his position as a grade teacher, that makes it the German equivalent of an ABC After School Special for gay men, if there was such a thing. Ripploh directed, produced and starred as himself in Taxi Zum Klo, but I couldn’t help my attention being focused on Bernd Broaderup (also playing himself) as Ripploh’s sweetheart. Bernd is definitely the cuter of the two, and Bernd proves himself the perfectly shy foil to Frank’s ugly rascal. For me, it’s all about: Bernd soapy and wet in Frank’s bath; Bernd getting rimmed; Bernd calling the rape helpline when a strung out neighbor interrupts their first hot session; Bernd’s wish to move to Hitzacker and start a farm; Bernd as the house husband balancing the checkbook; Bernd’s voyeuristic watching of Frank and one of his tricks; Bernd’s serving coffee and cake to their tranny guest; Bernd doing a puzzle; Bernd trying to act his way through an awkward hospital visit; Bernd’s angrily slamming the chicken down on Frank’s plate after a domestic dispute; Bernd, dressed in a sailor’s outfit, trying to have fun at the annual Queen’s Ball; Bernd storming out of the Queen’s Ball as Frank makes out with a newfound stable boy; Bernd petting a baby lamb.
This weekend, 9 April, Taxi Zum Klo shows at the Rio Cinema in London as part of the Fringe Film Fest; it then goes into wider (but limited) screenings throughout the UK from 22 April. Do yourself a favor and see it on the big screen with a group of screaming homosexuals, otherwise get it on DVD, or if you’re skint, just download it. It’s should be required viewing for every living gay guy.