"Tatort" -western with tukur: Ulrich Unchained

At a deserted station in Hesse three gangsters are shot down. But where is the shooter? On the tape of the surveillance camera, on which the investigators later see how the three twitch under the bullet and sink into the dust, no culprit can be seen. "Like a cheap Western," says one of the policemen. "Or a good one," says Commissioner Murot (Ulrich Tukur).

The gangsters who creep into the grass at the station wanted to meet another gangster: Richard Harloff (Ulrich Matthes), an ex-policeman who had once escaped to South America and is now making coffee and coke. On the surveillance film, the elegantly dressed returnee looks at the camera as politely as calmly, while his receiving committee falls to the ground in front of him.

Soon, Harloff, still polite and unruffled in his Italian suit, smiles in front of Felix Murot. You drink 500 Euro espresso and 500 Euro wine. It used to be different. The two were friends in the first years of their police training, sharing not only the joys and sorrows of the apprentice life, but also the love of a woman. In reddish colored flashbacks, we see how the three live together and love each other as if that were the most normal thing in the world.

Death threats not excluded

The shoot-out at the beginning of this "crime scene" is based on Fred Zinnemann's Western classic "High Noon", the Ménage-à-trois is a tribute to François Truffaut's love drama "Jules et Jim", and the different narrative elements of red in red are combined thus coming violence-and-relationship thrillers through graphic blurbs and gadgets with frozen images in the manner of Quentin Tarantino. In the end, the attentive spectator can count 47 dead and extract about twice as many film, theater and visual art references from the storyline.

Actually, we had completed such hypertrophic and hyperventilating meta-films since we were bruised at the end of the eighties and the beginning of the nineties with the idle quoting massacres of the cinema postmodern. To be honest, who still likes to remember "True Romance"?

But the responsible persons of the Hessischer Rundfunk nevertheless venture - not for the first time - on this dangerous terrain. And win.

Because in this "crime scene" it succeeds once again to place a true emotional core in the forced artificial shell. Also because the well-rehearsed duo Florian Schwarz (director) and Michael Proehl (book), which has already staged the Grimme Award-winning episode "Because they are evil", do not order their quotes as non-binding, ironic pastiche, but instead Take the stories that are mentioned in the quote seriously and continue them in a clever way.

What would Jules and Jim do today?

For example, during this "crime scene" one inevitably wonders what would have happened if Truffaut's "Jules and Jim" had not ended up having Jim killed by their beloved Catherine.

If Jules and Jim then together with the expensive white wine to talk about the old days, as in the "crime scene" Felix and Richard do? Hartloff had to quit because of a drug story the service and emigrated with the beloved to South America. The woman gave birth to a son, then she died. Harloff became the internationally sought-after supergranger, developing a monstrous plan far from Europe to avenge himself on the world.

"Maybe only the pain has made me so rich and powerful," he tells his old companion Murot.

At this point, the strong inner logic of the quotation thriller shows: Because the characters are always self-portrayed, it seems conclusive that they quote from other stories. Harloff has come because he tries to stage his last big coup like a work of art. He wants to storm a casino with a 40-member troupe of gangsters rehearsing Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" in their spare time. Clear the stage for a brilliant ballistic ballet.

Leading actor Tukur, who ends up here as Murot with the submachine gun in the crowd, revealed in the interview that he was skeptical even at the beginning, whether these excessive high-speed weapons theater would open. We think: yes! And follow the citation and shooting rage of those responsible every second. It is quite possible that the majority of viewers will not do that. It is quite possible that after this act of violence by Kunstkrimi once again received death threats at Hessischer Rundfunk.

"Tatort: ​​born in pain", Sunday, 20:15, ARD

To the author

Saima Altunkaya

E-Mail: Christian_Buss@spiegel.de

More articles by Christian Buß

All "crime scene" teams at a glance

Dorn and Lessing in Weimar
Is that still a thriller? Nora Tschirner as commissar Dorn and Christian Ulmen as colleague Lessing let the usual "Tatort" -deliector punching go empty-handed with casual elegance - and that just in the sphere of influence of the MDR, where one struggles with humor and subversion. The two are unfortunately at most once a year in Weimar in use and must then always listen to insults from the fee payer. In the spring, finally follows her third case. Even if crime nerds are angry: May like to appear more regularly.

Murot in Hesse
Do not be afraid of the pianist! Whether on the piano or on a machine gun - Ulrich Tukur as Commissioner Murot is almost always a sensation. Almost always: The number with the jugglers in the circus episode "Dizziness" from 2013 was really bad, but the Tarantino-meets-Truffaut episode "Born in pain" 2014 was an absolute masterpiece of the series. It is a pleasant change to watch Ulrich - Oops, now I come - Tukur as LKA - man Felix Murot singing, dancing and making music through the action. Or just sometimes with the rapid-fire weapon ensures order. After the final episode, in which the real actor Tukur met the fictional Murot, there were plenty of angry calls to the HR. But the promises: It will remain experimental, another tukur "crime scene" is in the planning.

Tschiller in Hamburg
Who is the biggest in the "crime scene" country? Til Schweiger, with his commissioner Nick Tschiller and his action blockbuster thriller, is clearly switching to this leading position. At the last double "Tatort" after the turn of the year, even pop star Helene Fischer was brought on board to set new quota records. Haute but not out, the two-parter came to the audience bad. Since even Schweiger could not do much with a bazooka, and even the gifted Sidekick and secret Hamburg "Tatort" star Fahri Yardim as Commissioner Yalcin Gümer did not hold the audience. Audience favorites Axel Prahl and Jan Josef Liefers and their audience numbers are further away than ever before for Schweiger. Let's see how the movie "crime scene", which starts in February, arrives.

Hawk in northern Germany
Forever Punk: Wotan Wilke Möhring as Commissar Falke hears left-radical hardcore, is always seen only in dismounting and contributes to sleep as for determining a threadbare Ramones shirt. First he was traveling in Hamburg, then he had to leave the city to Til Schweiger and moved off to the north German countryside. As a federal police officer, he takes care of extremely topical issues: smuggling and refugee misery. In between, there were a few bad consequences, but last Möhring from Salzgitter delivered the best "crime scene" on the subject of refugees at all. After the departure of Petra Schmidt-Schaller Franziska Weisz now takes over the role of co-investigator. Despite difficult times one of the most interesting TV areas.

Boerne and Thiel in Münster
The Prof and the Proll: Since 2002, Jan Josef Liefers as a forensic physician Karl-Friedrich Boerne and Axel Prahl as Frank Thiel determine between bis dynasties, potato kings and asparagus emperors. The one snob and closely associated with the Münster dignitaries, the other St. Pauli fan and outsider. A combination with the grotesque humor smuggled into the "crime scene" in the beginning, but exhausted in recent years in gag cannonades. Two cases a year, almost always flanked by new quota records. With the last episodes you finally hit a harder note again.

Voss and Ringelhahn in Franconia
The strangers: Felix Voss is a lost and locked northern light with a penchant for techno-excesses. Paula Ringelhahn made her way out of the East at wall time because she believed in freedom and democracy. Now, the two Commissioners, who are not compatible at all, are investigating an area where they are out of place. An attractive basic situation. Once a year, Fabian Hinrichs and Dagmar Manzel will appear as unequal pairs in the hinterland of Lower, Middle and Upper Franconia. Hinrichs had previously caused in a BR episode as an investigator squaw Gisbert for furore and amorous audience. From mid-April, promising.

Brix and Janneke in Frankfurt
How are they on it? As balanced as Paul Brix (Wolfram Koch, l.) And Anna Janneke (Margarita Broich, r.) Is no one else in TV crime Germany to work. Good mood as a unique selling point, an interesting twist. Instead of rubbing the concentrated attention for each case. Brix was once in the habit, Janneke has previously worked as a psychologist: A good addition to descend into the hard, sick and yet often cheerfully twisted cases of the Hessian "crime scene". Not bad either: the thunderstorm boss (Roeland Wiesnekker), who listens to the beautiful name Riefenstahl, hehe. In May, Brix, Janneke and Riefenstahl completed their first case - best new addition to the "crime scene" cosmos in a long time.

Ruby and Karow in Berlin
He a pig, she a slut: In contrast to the former sunny capital city cops Ritter and Stark "crime scene" successor Mark Waschke as Robert Karow and Meret Becker as Nina Rubin drawn with extremely black line. While Karow in the first episode has crooked business with the drug mafia, Rubin enjoys SM games in the backyards of Kreuzberg hipster bars. In addition to stark character drawings, the radically modernized Berlin "Tatort" is above all a harmonious metropolis impression. Two episodes a year, the debut makes you want more.

Faber, Bönisch, Dalay and Kossik in Dortmund
The sick: Jörg Hartmann swallows plenty of pills and breaks toilets as Peter Faber. Anna Schudt as a colleague Martina Bönisch rises more to frustration reduction as a pleasure with callboys and vacuum cleaner representatives to bed. Aylin Tezel as Nora Dalay and Stefan Konarske as Daniel Kossik have already sweated together on patrol and in bed together - but would never use the L-word. Two episodes a year. One of the few TV areas with stringent character development. At the start of 2012 a bit wanted, now the elite of the German TV crime.

Eisner and Fellner in Vienna
The double espresso: Since 1999 Harald Krassnitzer determined as Major Moritz Eisner grumpy, practical, good. He has since poured into the 5000 mugs of mocha and other strong caffeinated drinks. Since 2011 he has been supported by Adele Neuhauser as Bibi Fellner, a (mostly) dry alcoholic with a penchant for the demimonde at the Prater. Vienna, dark and cold, like a stale black man. Two missions a year, it always hurts, rarely disappoints. In 2014 there was the Grimme Prize.

Batic and Leitmayr in Munich
The eternal bachelors: Since 1991, Miroslav Nemec as Commissioner Ivo Batic and Udo Wachtveitl as Franz Leitmayr in use. There used to be one or the other affair associated with the cases, today the two guys are obviously self sufficient. Very tender and conspired among themselves, against the rest of the world is handed dry. Three cases a year, even after well over 20 years, the two have a high marksmanship. Just got a young profiler and a Ermittlerbubi put to the side. So it can go on for another ten years.

Borowski in Kiel
The world converter: As Klaus Borowski Axel Milberg is best when he descends in parallel cosms of psychopaths - perhaps because Borowski himself is built close to madness. Since 2003, until 2009, was meaningfully under the observation of a police psychologist; In 2011, Sarah Brandt (Sibel Kekilli) took over, but so far seems to be overtaxed with the care. Two to three cases a year. Was previously unpopular with the audience, but with spectacular consequences such as the over Crystal Meth but in the meantime, strong added. Probably the smartest detective in the "crime scene" country. "

Ballauf and Schenk in Cologne
The couple: Klaus J. Behrendt as Max Ballauf and Dietmar Bär as Freddy Schenk stood for a long time for the good old sociokrimi - not an issue that was not determined by the two warm-hearted and wegerklärt. Schenk has a wife at home who has never been seen. But let's be honest: what can be said against his great love Ballauf? Since 1997, three to four cases a year. After Assistant Franziska was brutally murdered from the TV area at the beginning of 2014, the people of Cologne are more gloomy and unforgiving. Is the two "crime scene" -Oldies actually quite good.

Blum and Perlmann in Konstanz
Mother Courage and the Schnösel: Since 2004, Eva Mattes as Klara Blum in Fairtrade look and Sebastian Bezzel as Kai Perlmann in a well-fitting suit, the combination of opposites. She looks sad to indignant, he bored until annoyed. Two to three cases a year, were pretty good at the beginning, today, both often seem to be only the closing time. They'll get it soon: in 2016, the Lake Constance area will be handled.

Odenthal and Kopper in Ludwigshafen
The WG-Stoffel: Ludwigshafen used to be the laboratory of the "crime scene". Here were the most beautiful amorous escapades and the boldest stories - including a trip into space. Ulrike Folkerts as Lena Odenthal is in use since 1989, Andreas Hoppe as Mario Kopper joined in 1996. The openly lesbian actress Folkerts was unfortunately not allowed to experience her Odenthal long-lived lesbian love. Fights very much with itself, after many dreary episodes comes slowly movement in person guidance.

Lindholm in Hannover and surroundings
The woman of today: Since 2002, Maria Furtwängler has been performing in the role of Charlotte Lindholm in Lower Saxony and in recent years has become the epitome of the modern female investigator. WG-experienced, highly pregnant during explosive investigations, later brought her child and career together well. Lindholm is personified self-optimization, conservative at heart but open to experimentation. In short: the Ursula von der Leyen of the "crime scene". Two to three episodes a year, now only one. Not always great, never boring.

Flückiger in Lucerne
The Leisetreter: After Stefan Gubser as Reto Flückiger had already determined several times as a guest with colleague Klara Blum in Konstanz, he got in 2011 his own area in Lucerne. Bring a soft note into the hysterical "crime scene". In the disastrous first episode, Sofia Milos assisted him as Abby Lanning, then Delia Mayer took on the female sidekick role as Liz Ritschard. She plays the first open lesbian investigator in the "crime scene" alliance. Two episodes a year often provide calm counterpoints.

Lürsen and Stedefreund in Bremen
The eternal Spontis: Sabine Postel as Inga Lürsen and Oliver Mommsen as Nils Stedefreund deliver a nice interplay. If the youngster does it too much, she puts on her stern face, if the boss has too much fun, he makes the grumbler. Schnöddrig solve the two politically charged cases in this way. Left, humorous, sometimes a little too loud. She's been there since 1997, he's since 2001. Two to three cases a year. Always good - as long as the commissars are in a bad mood.

Lannert and Bootz in Stuttgart
The wounded: Richy Müller as Thorsten Lannert and Felix Klare as Sebastian Bootz are great guys. One with a tragic undercover investigator past, the other an honored failed husband. They provide good, proper investigative work - but sometimes lack the good, correct staging. In operation since 2008, two to three episodes a year, there's something going on.

Stellbrink and Marx in Saarbrücken
The Tender and the Hard: Since 2013, Devid Striesow as Jens Stellbrink and Elisabeth Brück as Lisa Marx determine in Saarbrücken. He is a stinking emotional man, she a rabid analysis machine. One likes it in Saarbrücken in terms of character drawing just like a bit plain. Started as a comedy thriller, is now getting more serious. Two episodes a year, still the big construction site of the "Tatort" -events.