Bruno S. "Mamatschi."

I had no idea. Accompanied by what may well be the perfect online viewing tip for this Christmas, Michael Kimmelman's portrait of Bruno Schleinstein is a haunting heart-warmer. Or is it a tender admonishment?

During the 1970s Bruno was the star in two remarkable Werner Herzog films, The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser and Stroszek, in which he occupied the roles of damaged characters so completely and genuinely, so uncannily, that it was never quite clear how much he actually understood about what use was being made of him by the director. His performances were riveting, but he was obviously not well mentally, and even as he came across in his own way as knowing, he was at the same time simply being himself, and the question hovered: How much was fiction, how much reality?

Then he dropped down the memory chute.

Not after this piece, appearing, after all, in the New York Times. Bruno S now performs in Berlin at "the Stadtklause, a cozy wood-paneled dive near the remains of the Anhalter Bahnhof, the grand railway station torn down after the war." And today: "'He will take his accordion and his bells and go around the houses, and one of the songs for sure will be "Mamatschi,"' Bruno announced. 'Because this will touch people.'"

Posted by dwhudson at December 25, 2008 3:13 AM