Bar25 - Days Out of Time - DVD

Movie: It was a simple but ingenious idea: on a fallow site on the north bank of the Spree, Christoph, Steffi Lotta, Danny and Juval build with their own hands (and those of some talented friends) a real paradise beyond all conventions of the Berlin urban jungle. The centerpiece on the premises is a wooden shed in the style of American saloons, the Bar25, which was soon to become a club known far beyond the borders of Berlin. But Bar25 was much more than just this club. The premises also had music stages for live bands, a fireplace, a hostel, a sauna area with a pool, and the private accommodations of the staff who not only worked here but also lived there. It was a place where adults could live out all their dreams, where they could be a kid again and not have to submit to societal constraints. The club itself, the back of which was later turned into an exclusive restaurant, even attracted celebrities like Quentin Tarantino during the summer months when it was open.

But a party lasting several days was too much of a good thing. There was trouble with the police and with the public order office and finally the lease for the property was cancelled. But of course the makers of the Bar25 didn't want to give up that fast. They fought to keep their club, which was to make way for modern office buildings as part of the Mediaspree development plan. Again and again the closure could be averted, but in 2010 the club and the whole area finally had to close its doors and be demolished.

In Bar25 - Days Out of Time Britta Mischer and Nana Yuriko document the short but intense history of the club, from its construction to its demolition, with the fight against the closure and the last days of Bar25 being the focus of the documentary. Apart from some rather staged moments showing the original party ideas and the colourful fantasy world of the Bar25 universe, it is especially the footage of the construction of the premises, of the joie de vivre that prevailed there among everyone involved, but also the very wistful last moments of Bar25 that make this film so worth watching. Accompanied by a soundtrack that reflects the musical soul of the club and filled with sometimes very humorous, but then also very thoughtful or melancholic moments, the documentary is much more than just a portrait of a cultural institution of Berlin.

The film makes clear how important it is for a city and its inhabitants that places like Bar25 exist, that they are worth fighting for and that the lust for life that has unfolded in this project must not be lost even if the fight is lost. In this respect, Bar25 - Days Out of Time is a film that works beyond the borders of the capital and is also absolutely worth watching for fans of engaging documentaries!

Image + Sound: Some of the older footage of the construction of the Bar25 area has an obvious home video level to it, where blurring or minor smudges are not uncommon. Otherwise, however, the documentary's picture is clean, with image sharpness at a good level at most moments, and colouration is also absolutely convincing. The Dolby Digital mix allows the interviews to ring out with good clarity, and the music provides a little movement in the surrounds here and there with its rich bass. For a documentary perfectly adequate, so here is a deserved: good!

Extras: The DVD has just under 25 minutes of bonus material to offer. It kicks off with a nearly 4 minute clip from the film's premiere, followed by some brief making of snippets (approx. 4 min.). Four cut scenes (approx. 13 min.) and the trailer for the film round out the additional offerings.

Conclusion: Bar25 - Days Out of Time is a very interesting testimony to a place that was far more than just an extremely popular club, but also a small paradise for its creators in the midst of the urban jungle and a symbolization of a very unique attitude towards life. The documentary follows the club's short but intense history, from its establishment to its early successes to its fight against closure and its final days until its final demolition. Although some rather staged sequences seem a bit very special, the interviews and the observations of everyday life on the premises make this film absolutely worth watching, not only for Berliners!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp