TOM ATKINS BLUES

Germany, 2010, 80 minutes, Colour.
Alex Ross, Stefan Lochau, Megan Gay.
Directed by Alex Ross.

Tom Atkins Blues is a short film which combines a documentary look at a neighbourhood in Berlin as well as a fiction about Tom Atkins who works at the shop and has made living there, working there and meeting the people his full life.

The film was made on high definition video in eleven days with Alex Ross directing as well as responsible for the screenplay and as Tom Atkins himself. Watching the film and seeing Ross’s enthusiastic and empathetic performance, it is clear that only he could play the role to satisfy the director, himself. It is a heartfelt performance – genial and enthusiastic as well as rueful (as the film is itself).

While the film focuses mainly on the shop, Tom’s life there, the range of people that he meets, it also focuses on his rather idle friend, Kalle (Stefan Lochau who had appeared in Alex Ross’s other films). Lochau is a smaller, younger version of somebody who could pass in looks and voice as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s brother.

The film has a mixture of British and German actors, captures the atmosphere of the neighbourhood – which is changing, becoming gentrified, the smaller shops being things of the past, memories of Berlin as it was during the Cold War times.

The film has a lot to entertain as well as to remind people about the nature of change, its irrevocability, and the need for people to find the courage and the ways to move on.

1. An entertaining film? The documentary aspects? The fiction? The comment on Berlin and the passing of the years and change?

2. Alex Ross as writer and director, as actor, his zest in the film, genial, communicating his character and his message?

3. Berlin, Germany post the fall of the war, memories of East and West, change? The old neighbourhood, the people there, moving away, becoming more impersonal, the supermarket and its opening till midnight, the film’s attitude towards this change?

4. The production, filmed in eleven days, high definition, the locations, streets, interiors of the shop, the wide sequences in Berlin itself? Performances, scripted and improvised? The feel of the story and characters?

5. The title, Tom Atkins himself, his experience, his blues? The voice-over and his tones?

6. Tom Atkins and his history, his background in Britain, moving away, unable to move back because this England had gone? Finding his place in the shop, an ideal way of life, easy, the days’ routines, the cup of coffee, reading, selling things, meeting the people? His relationship with Jess and her moving out and her criticisms of him? Kalle and his presence, irritating Tom yet Tom tolerating him, the cup of coffee from Nora, the men outside drinking and their having grown up from Coca-Cola? to beer, Frank and his being drunk, Tom refusing him credit? Walter, the accountant, his breakdown? Viktor, working in the abattoirs, drinking and his memories, nostalgia? The odd couple, Korean and Spanish? Their fights, Tom making peace? Kalle’s wife coming for the payments? The obnoxious customer?

7. The interviews on the step, the couple and their finding the shop, their liking it and coming to it? The two women and the definitions of happiness? The family who had come to the neighbourhood but had moved on, coming back to the shop?

8. The start, Jess moving out, Tom not having hung the picture, their argument, Tom and his comfort zone, Jess’s return, the talk, her friend coming to see Tom and size him up? Her urging Tom to move on?

9. Kalle, from jail, the tattoos, idle, drinking, eating, reading? Chatting? His flirting with all the women, especially the potential buyer? His wife coming, threatening to take him to court, his not paying the maintenance?

10. The couple, Korea, Spain? The Spaniard and his memories of shops like this? Their arguing, the DVDs, the pizza, Tom giving them the wine? Their later return? Friendship with Tom?

11. Walter, his age, his cigarettes, accountancy, his breakdown?

12. Viktor, the drinking, the eighteen years, his description of his work at abattoir, the sausage, offering them to Tom? Tom as a vegetarian?

13. The woman wanting to buy the shop, looking around, Kalle pretending he was the proprietor, her motivations, tourism? The shop as an antique? Tom and his negative reaction?

14. Kalle’s wife, Tom’s friendship, her desperation, the money, Kalle not paying?

15. The obnoxious customer, the criticism of the goods, insulting to Tom – and his return, being Jess’s boyfriend? Jess and the boyfriend arguing and talking things over in the car? Tom knowing what Jess liked?

16. The couple not coming into the shop, Tom’s insulting them, the yuppy accusation, their coming in and demanding an apology? Tom saying that this was not what he was usually like?

17. Tom’s moods, the explanation, the arguments, his friend and their memories about how well the shop had worked? The need for change?

18. Tom’s future – would he find something that satisfied him in Berlin?