The New York Times Book Review, Tim Hilchey
Thomas Elsaesser, who teaches film at the University of Amsterdam, attempts to examine the political and historical forces that shaped Fassbinder's work, which often focused on the West German postwar pursuit of prosperity in "a society 'on the make' but not 'on the move.'" Along the way themes like Nazism, fascism, anti-Semitism, homophobia and the Germanic nature are explored--both in general terms and as they may have informed Fassbinder's life and films.
