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Anywhere in the world, a changing of the guard is coupled with so much ritual that it provokes more mirth that the awe intended. The military, with their decorative, but useless turning and juggling of weapons look more like macho drum majorettes or dressed up Chippendales. And yet, these absurd performances are much in demand as tourist attractions. After all, even in countries that don't have May Day parades, the tax payers want to see where their money is being squandered. In a suitably strictly edited montage, Hulverscheidt tries to fathom the attraction of tatoos and fleet reviews. He then turns his attention to old instruction films about marching and mountain climbing, a hobby practiced barefoot by Leni Riefenstahl. Hulverscheidt illustrates what can happen under these conditions if you are no superman; incurably frost bitten toes which can better be amputated on the spot. Weak stomached recruits are hereby warned. Hulverscheidt who earlier studied the conquest of gravity in 'Leichterdings' (1992), was given enough cooperation from not only the Bundeswehr, but also the British, American, Russian and French military units, despite his critical view of cadaver discipline: the Fab Four, according to the video maker, who lives in Berlin. All this to music, not just by the real Fab Four (after all, the uniform crazy Michael Jackson owns the rights for the Beatles songs) but also by Strauss, Kraftwerk, The Residents and, of course, James Brown. After all, the expression 'This is a man's world' applies here more than any where.
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André Nientied
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Editing: Manfred Hulverscheidt, Maria Zastrow, Sound: Carl Hulverscheidt, Music selected by: Schenck, Maria Zastrow, Manfred Hulverscheidt, Research: Ulli Giersch, Production: Manfred Hulverscheidt, Doris Hepp, ZDF, Arte
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