Hannah Shigulla, a German dramatic film actress, was born December 25, 1943 in the town of Königshütte, Upper Silesia. My father was engaged in logging, my mother kept a household. Hannah Shigulla began acting in films after meeting in 1967 with a new wave director Rainer Fassbinder. They were united by a common understanding of cinema art of that time. Hannah Shigulla became the director's muse, an integral part of it. Thanks to the young, aspiring actress, Fassbinder seemed to have gained wings. It was a happy time for him - several years of creative take-off.
Creative Alliance
The first general motion picture of Fassbinder and Shigullah, entitled "Love is colder than death," was shot in 1969. The creative tandem of the actress and director lasted from 1969 to 1974. Then they met again in 1978 to create a series of new paintings and worked together for another two years, until 1980. In total, Fassbinder along with Shigullah created 21 films. Being one of the most prominent representatives of the new German cinema, the director shot complex evolutionary films, which often did not find understanding among moral censorship.
Nevertheless, films featuring Shigullah never went unnoticed. Of course, the relations of Fassbinder and Hannah went far beyond mere cooperation, they did not hide their intimate relationship. And the easier it was for the director to sculpt images from pliable material, which was Hannah. Each new film carried something unusual in itself, each time there remained a certain potential for further creativity. But Fassbinder preferred to leave a certain understatement, and the film went out for rent as if a little unfinished.
New movie techniques
Directing technologies, if I may say so, Rainer exploited mercilessly, he turned everything inside out, did the impossible and always knew that his muse was nearby, performed his next role in the style of a new movie, slightly improvising, but still adhering to the plot with a meticulous German pedantry.
The director liked to flaunt the beauty of the actress, her rare femininity and harmony. After that, he crowned his creation with a “cherry on the cake” - a simple sexual temptation that came from Hannah in huge numbers. As a result, Fassbinder turned out such a “confectionery product” that the entire film crew blushed, and Hannah Shigulla first of all.
The true discovery of Shigullah happened in the film "Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant", filmed in 1972. The picture tells of how a morally injured, mentally mutilated creature can be hidden behind the outwardly prosperous appearance of a feminine contemplative.
After finishing work on the film Effie Brist Fontane, Shigulla leaves Fassbinder, making it clear that she is tired of experiments.
Fassbinder's Best Movie
However, they meet again five years later to create the director’s best film, Marriage of Mary Brown, where a balance was finally reached between the frantic Fassbinder and the artistic name Shigulla. As critics aptly remarked, "Maria Brown performed by Hannah Shigullah is Germany itself." It was not even a praise, but simply the highest praise for the actress. Film “Marriage of Mary Brown” did not go away from the pages of newspapers and magazines for a long time, it was discussed as a new word in art.
The same plan was the movie "Lily Marlene", created in 1980. The image of Wilka’s little song was interpreted in a strange mixture of components, soullessness and emotional participation, melodrama in half with alienation. And all this was shrouded in the familiar veil of sexual magnetism emanating from Hannah Shigullah.
A stunning series called "Berlin. Alexanderplatz" was shot in 1979 with the same set: a seductress and at the same time a female look from inside Fassbinder-director himself. Hannah Shigulla is the Sphinx, the embodiment of femininity, constantly remembering her universal Pygmalion. In this vein, she appears in several films at once: “Passion”, “False Movement”, “History of Pierre”, “Antonietta”, “The Adventures of Catherine K.”, “The Future is a Woman”. Most of the roles are wonderful, but still they are playing up some kind of cinematic myth invented by Fassbinder.
Milestones
- In 1961, Hannah spent one year in Paris.
- In 1964, she settled in Munich, intending to study Germanism and Romance languages in depth to become a teacher.
- In 1966-67, she studied acting at the studio of Leonhard Friedl.
- In 1967, the fateful acquaintance with Rainer Fassbinder, with whom the actress was separated only by the death of the director in 1982.
- In the years 1967-69 - participation in the productions of Rainer.
- In 1968, he made his film debut in Straub's film "The Groom, the Pimp and the Comedian."
Filmography of the 80-90s
After the death of Rainer Fassbinder in 1982, he is rarely shot, only in dramatic films. The most famous roles of this period:
- "Love in Germany" (1983), character of Pauline Kropp;
- "Pure Madness" (1983), the role of Olga;
- "Squad" Delta "(1986), the role of flight attendant Inga;
- "Casanova" (1987), the character of the mother of Giacomo Casanova;
- "Die Again" (1991), the role of Inga.
Hannah Shigulla: personal life
The actress did not gravitate to personal life in the usual sense of the word. She did not get married, did not have children. The dynamics of the film industry does not always leave enough time to create a full-fledged family. In addition, Hannah Shigulla was a professional singer, recorded several albums. Not all discs were successful, but some singles were liked by fans of German national music.
Hannah Shigulla, whose filmography contains more than sixty films, is currently completely retired and is not removed even in episodes.