Jonny_Numb Given his current output of grade-Z, direct-to-video schlock, it's pretty easy to be taken aback by Ulli Lommel's "Tenderness of the Wolves," a 1973 effort that, dare I say, shows all the signs of a competent--even promising--filmmaker. That being said, this effort isn't perfect. The story (apparently inspired by Fritz Lang's "M") is spare and nihilistic, and functions more as a vague exploration of one man's madness: Fritz Haarman (Kurt Raab) is a black-market butcher in economically impoverished 1920s Germany; due to his links to low-level criminals (his best 'friend'/lover is an unfaithful, zoot-suited pimp), the police agree to ignore his transgressions if he goes undercover to deliver the dirt on his fellow degenerates. But as irony would have it, Fritz is the most degenerate of all--a child murderer who cannibalizes his victims (and sells hocks of meat to a nearby restaurant) under the guise of helping transient youth. Lommel's stylistic approach is one of dreary subtlety--he evokes a downtrodden, pre-World War II Germany so convincingly that it is suggested (but never claimed or condoned) that serial murder and loose sex may be the only way of curbing one's madness. Yet while Lommel's direction is adept at revealing the unspoken nuances of Haarman, Raab's script ultimately left me wishing he had given us a few more insights into the character. Still, the film runs an economical 82 minutes and will provide viewers with a disturbing, yet surprisingly compelling experience. Those who think Lommel hasn't directed a decent film would be wise to check out "Tenderness of the Wolves."6.5 out of 10

Flixer1957 Years before he came to America to delight us with THE DEVONSVILLE TERROR and THE BOOGEYMAN, Herr Lommel teamed up with the Fassbinder troupe to give us this beaut. It's based on the true story of Fritz Haarmann who prospered in post-World War I Germany by way of theft and murder. A police informer posing as a detective, he lures young lads from the train station to his apartment where they're drugged, raped and finally murdered by having their throats chewed open. Then they're hacked up and their flesh sold as beef or pork. Haarmann's neighbors complain about the noise he makes–if they only knew. Much of his activity is left to the imagination but what's shown is truly disturbing and was considered mean stuff at the time. Shaven-headed and pointy-eared, Kurt Raab looks suitably predatory in the lead role. Jurgen Prochnow's name appears in the main credits but so far I haven't been able to spot him. This movie claims that Haarmann was hanged in 1925 but other sources say he was beheaded. His execution should have been shown; I really wanted to see this dirt-bag get it before the film's end. TENDERNESS...is all the more disturbing because it's so well made, possessing a grim, bleak atmosphere lacking in Lommel's later, more commercial work. Not for the squeamish, the homophobic or anyone expecting a normal motion picture.

HumanoidOfFlesh Fritz Haarman-the infamous "Butcher of Hanover" was one of the worst serial killers in the recent history.During five years(1919-1924)with the help of his homosexual partner Hans Grans he butchered nearly fifty youths.Their method was always the same:they enticed a youth from railway station back to Haarman's room,Haarman killed him(according to his account by biting his throat)and the boy's body was dismembered and sold as meat.His clothes were sold,and the useless(i.e. uneatable)body parts were thrown into the river Leine.Haarman was sentenced to death,Grans to twelve years in jail.Ulli Lommel's "The Tenderness of Wolves" is a realistic portrayal of this notorious killer.It's brilliantly acted,psychologically disturbing and almost completely non-violent.Definitely a must-see!

bcptn This film brilliantly captures the decay, both physical and moral, of post-WWI Germany. The movie explores 2 key questions - Why did Fritz Haarman brutally murder young men, and perhaps more importantly, why was he allowed to get away with it for so long?Kurt Raab is terrific is Haarman, but deserves praise as well for his set decoration. The movie is filled with rich colors and textures and often breath-taking locations. Director Ulli Lommel creates a creepy atmosphere that's hard to look away from.