KELLER – TEENAGE WASTELAND

Austria, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Elisabetta Rocchetti, Ludwig Trepte, Sergej Moya, Georg Friedrich, Birgit Doll.
Directed by Eva Urthaler.

Keller is subtitled Teenage Wasteland. This is what this film is about. Written by a young woman in her twenties, the film focuses on two bored sixteen-year-olds, Sebastian and Paul. They drink, steal, even though they attend a private school. The film shows the lack of moral values, the wasteland that is Austria, parents, schools – especially being ineffectual in having some kind of restraining influence on the young teenagers.

While well acted and well made, the film is both grim and pessimistic.

1. The film as written and directed by a woman in her twenties? Her perspective on male adolescence? Problems? The film as her first film? The competence and craft, the authority with which she has made the film?

2. The Austrian city settings, the streets, transport, shops, apartments? The old factory, the basement? The musical score and atmosphere? The contemporary music background?

3. The title, the focus on the factory, the cellar, basement? The added English title, the focus on teenagers, the comment on it being a wasteland – figuratively, literally?

4. The structure of the film, the focus on Paul, his loneliness, his reaching out to Sebastian? Their being together, the growing bonds, the mutual dependence, the weaker and the stronger, the leader and the follower? The experience with Sonia? The abduction, the consequences, the imprisonment? Their own relationships, family? Georg and the dog, the final intervention, the violence? The consequences for Sebastian, Paul and his identity, Sonia as a catalyst? How credible?

5. The director’s comment on sixteen-year-old males in contemporary society, the boy with his alcoholic mother, absent father, his inability to communicate well with his mother though his care and love for her? Her inability to be a parent for her son? The contrast with the affluent boy, the absent parents, the audience never seeing his family? Whether he was telling the truth or not? The life of the teenagers, at school, out of school? Activity, boredom, taking risks? The lack of a moral compass and guidance? The shoplifting, the honest boy, the dishonest? The confrontation with Sonia, following her, stalking, eavesdropping? The sudden abduction and the consequences? Their moving towards a kind of moral depravity, violence, sexual ambiguity? It inevitably leading to some kind of violence?

6. The character of Paul, age, his mother, at home, the pharmacy? His being out and virtually unaccountable to her? The fact that we saw his mother and the scenes at home? His speaking to Sebastian? Sebastian’s response? Sebastian showing him the factory, the basement? Their hanging out together? The pornographic magazines and the posters on the wall? Indications of adolescent sexuality? Paul and his being honest in the supermarket, the confrontation with Sonia? Seeing Sonia afterwards, following her? His compliance with Sebastian taking her? The violent attitudes? His not knowing what to do, unable to make the moral decisions that he knew were right? The boys together, on the tree trunk, Sebastian in the water, the Spin the Bottle, the exchange of T-shirts? Sebastian visiting him at home, his being ashamed, Sebastian’s good manners especially towards his mother? Going back, trying to help the girl, yet being cruel at the same time? The sexual issue, the masturbation? His indecision, deciding to help? Believing Sonia, going to the apartment with the key, Georg and the pursuit by the dog? His being caught, not knowing what to do, Sebastian and the gun, the shooting? His freeing Sonia, stopping Sebastian assaulting her? The sexual experience, its meaning for his identity, sexual curiosity? His going off – where?

7. The contrast with Sebastian, isolated and lonely, needing a friend, his response to Paul’s outreach? Showing off with the shoplifting? Challenging Paul’s values? The pornography magazines, the explanation of his father and the boat? His father selling companies? His being a leader, dominating Paul, Paul wanting to be liked? The confrontation with Sonia in the supermarket, following her, his hitting her, tying her up? His cruelty, begrudging her the water and Paul giving her the water? Her urinating and his comments? Paul giving her the blanket, Sebastian taking it away? His time with Sebastian, the relationship, imagining Paul sexually? The homosexual attraction? His frustration, the Spin-the-bottle, the T-shirt, with the T-shirt in his bed at home? His jealousy of Paul, the masturbation and his being upset? His violence, finding the dog, shooting it, the confrontation with the man, his shooting him after the man challenging him and Sonia shouting? His intention of violent assault? Paul pushing him away – and his last being seen helpless, tied up on the ground?

8. Sonia, her age, working in the shop, dropping the bottle, her confrontation with Sebastian, the stolen bottle, his replacing it? The relationship with the boyfriend, the rough sexual violence, her going to the laundry, the abduction, her being imprisoned, not screaming, pleading, unable to help herself, thirsty, cold, urinating? Her persuading them to take her outside – and her attempted escape? Persuading Paul to go to the apartment? Chris, his being violent towards her, her shouting about shooting him? Her reaction to his death? The sexual encounter with Paul?

9. Chris, relationship with Sonia, going home, the rough sexuality, his violence, ousting her? Looking for her with the workmate? Finding Paul, the dog, the chase, his being hit, tied up, the shooting of the dog, his taunting Sebastian, especially about sexuality? His being shot?

10. The mother, helpless, alcoholic, dependent, loving her son, his care for her, her welcoming Sebastian, her courtesy? Ineffective?

11. A pessimistic picture, gloom? Real and surreal? The symbolism of sexuality at the end – strong enough for the themes of Paul finding himself? A comment on contemporary youth?