''Rabbit Without Ears'' (German title: ''Keinohrhasen'', "No Ear Rabbits"), is a 2007 German
romantic comedy
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...
film, written, produced and directed by
Til Schweiger
Tilman Valentin Schweiger (; born 19 December 1963) is a German actor, voice actor and filmmaker. He runs his own production company, Barefoot Films, in Berlin.
Early life
Schweiger was born in Freiburg, West Germany, to two teachers. He grew ...
. Co-written by Anika Decker, and starring
Nora Tschirner
Nora Marie Tschirner (born 12 June 1981) is a German film actress, musician and former television and radio presenter.
Early life
Nora Tschirner was born in East Berlin (then East Germany) to the documentary film director and the radio journa ...
and Schweiger himself, the story of the film revolves around
yellow press
Yellow journalism and yellow press are American terms for journalism and associated newspapers that present little or no legitimate, well-researched news while instead using eye-catching headlines for increased sales. Techniques may include e ...
reporter Ludo and his ex-classmate Anna, who reconvene after years when he is sentenced to 300 hours of community service at her day-care facility.
Produced by Barefoot Films and
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
, the film premiered in theaters across Germany on 20 December 2007, and became a surprise box-office hit, eventually grossing $74,000,000, mostly from its domestic run. By 20 April 2008, ''Keinohrhasen'' had reached over six million viewers, ranking it sixth on the list of the most successful German films in Germany since the beginning of the audience census in 1968. Also a critical success,
the film was awarded the
Goldene Leinwand The Goldene Leinwand (Golden Screen) is an award created in 1964 by the HDF ("Hauptverband Deutscher Filmtheater e.V.", literally translated "Federal Association For Movie Theatres") and the journal ''Filmecho/Filmwoche''.
Like a Golden Record, it ...
, a
Bogey Award
The Bogey Award (officially Box Office Germany Award) is a Germany, German film List of film awards, award. It's based on the number of people seeing a film within a given time frame. The prize has been awarded by the Cinema of Germany, industry's ...
, the Deutscher Comedypreis and a
Bambi
''Bambi'' is a 1942 American animated drama film directed by David Hand (supervising a team of sequence directors), produced by Walt Disney and based on the 1923 book ''Bambi, a Life in the Woods'' by Austrian author and hunter Felix Salten. ...
and received a nomination for the Audience Award at the
European Film Awards 2008
The 21st Annual European Film Awards took place on 6 December 2008 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Winners and nominees Best European Actor
Toni Servillo – '' Gomorrah (Gomorra)'' and ''Il Divo''
* Michael Fassbender – ''Hunger''
* Thure Lindhar ...
.
A sequel, entitled ''
Rabbit Without Ears 2
''Rabbit Without Ears 2'' (German title: ''Zweiohrküken'', "Two-Eared Chick") is a 2009 German romantic comedy film, written, produced and directed by Til Schweiger. A sequel to 2007's ''Rabbit Without Ears'' (''Keinohrhasen''), it was co-writte ...
'', was released on 3 December 2009.
Plot
Ludo Decker (Schweiger) is a
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
-based
yellow press
Yellow journalism and yellow press are American terms for journalism and associated newspapers that present little or no legitimate, well-researched news while instead using eye-catching headlines for increased sales. Techniques may include e ...
reporter. With photographer Moritz, his daily routine is to spy on celebrities for the
tabloid ''Das Blatt''. He also uses his work for frequent sexual contacts with his objects of interest.
Ludo and Moritz are on scene at the
engagement party
An engagement party, also known as a betrothal party or fort, is a party held to celebrate a couple's recent engagement and to help future wedding guests to get to know one another. Traditionally, the bride's parents host the engagement party, but ...
of
heavyweight
Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling.
Boxing Professional
Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the Wo ...
boxer Boxer most commonly refers to:
* Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing
*Boxer (dog), a breed of dog
Boxer or boxers may also refer to:
Animal kingdom
* Boxer crab
* Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans
* Boxer snipe ee ...
and celebrity
Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko; an equivalent English spelling is Vladimir Klichko . His full name in uk, label=Ukrainian is, Володимир Володимирович Кличко, Volodymyr Volodymyrovych Klychko, . ( uk, Володимир Вол ...
and
Yvonne Catterfeld
Yvonne Catterfeld (born 2 December 1979) is a German singer, actress, and television personality. Born and raised in Erfurt, Thuringia, she later moved to Leipzig to pursue her career in music. In 2000, she participated in the debut season of the ...
. As Klitschko raises his glass to
toast
Toast most commonly refers to:
* Toast (food), bread browned with dry heat
* Toast (honor), a ritual in which a drink is taken
Toast may also refer to:
Places
* Toast, North Carolina, a census-designated place in the United States
Books
* '' ...
his fiancée, Ludo breaks through the glass dome roof and tumbles into the cake, to the great consternation of the guests. For this offense he is sentenced to three hundred hours of
community service
Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performed ...
at a local ''
Kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...
'' (
daycare
Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time, whose ages range from two weeks of age to 18 years. Although most parents spend a significant amount of time caring for their child(r ...
).
There he encounters ''Kindergarten'' director Anna Gotzlowski (Tschirner), who grew up in the same neighborhood as Ludo and frequently endured his pranks and mockery. She exacts revenge for these childhood torments by assigning him to perform humiliating tasks. With his
parole
Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
at stake, Ludo has no choice but to comply. Nevertheless, he remains interested in
one-night stand
A one-night stand or one-night sex is a single sexual encounter in which there is an expectation that there shall be no further relations between the sexual participants. It draws its name from the common practice of a one-night stand, a single ...
s and has an affair with Nina, mother of Cheyenne Blue, one of the children in his charge.
Eventually tensions between Anna and Ludo dissipate and the two become friends. When Anna's date with another man goes awry, she appears at Ludo's flat seeking comfort. The two of them end up in bed, yet Anna's hopes that this will develop into something
more serious are dashed, as Ludo sees her only as a friend. Anna subsequently meets actor
Jürgen Vogel
Jürgen Peter Vogel (; born 29 April 1968, in Hamburg) is a German actor, screenwriter, film producer and singer. One of the most successful character actors in German cinema, he first broke out in 1992 with his role in ''Little Sharks''.Jürgen ...
in a park and starts dating him. When she accompanies Vogel to the
German Film Awards
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
ceremony, Ludo reports that she is the most beautiful woman in attendance, instead of covering female celebrities his
editor-in-chief
An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies.
The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...
deems more
newsworthy
News values are "criteria that influence the selection and presentation of events as published news." These values help explain what makes something "newsworthy."
News values are not universal and can vary between different cultures. Among the ma ...
. The editor summarily
fires
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products.
At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames are pr ...
him.
Ludo comes to realize that he feels more for Anna than he had previously thought. During a children's festival at a local theatre, he crashes a performance and professes his love for her, as sits in the audience with the children. Having lost his job at the tabloid, he takes a position at the ''Kindergarten''.
Cast
*
Til Schweiger
Tilman Valentin Schweiger (; born 19 December 1963) is a German actor, voice actor and filmmaker. He runs his own production company, Barefoot Films, in Berlin.
Early life
Schweiger was born in Freiburg, West Germany, to two teachers. He grew ...
as Ludo Decker, a well-known
yellow press
Yellow journalism and yellow press are American terms for journalism and associated newspapers that present little or no legitimate, well-researched news while instead using eye-catching headlines for increased sales. Techniques may include e ...
reporter and
libertine
A libertine is a person devoid of most moral principles, a sense of responsibility, or sexual restraints, which they see as unnecessary or undesirable, and is especially someone who ignores or even spurns accepted morals and forms of behaviour ob ...
who is sentenced to three hundred hours of
community service
Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performed ...
in a local
daycare
Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time, whose ages range from two weeks of age to 18 years. Although most parents spend a significant amount of time caring for their child(r ...
facility run by his ex-classmate Anna Gotzlowski.
''Ludo'' is Latin for "I play". His character was conceptualized as a "comedic ''tour de force''" for Schweiger.
*
Nora Tschirner
Nora Marie Tschirner (born 12 June 1981) is a German film actress, musician and former television and radio presenter.
Early life
Nora Tschirner was born in East Berlin (then East Germany) to the documentary film director and the radio journa ...
as Anna Gotzlowski, Ludo's ex-classmate and head of a daycare for , who initially harbours an improbable resentment of Ludo, having not overcome his teasing over 20 years ago.
Schweiger created the role of Anna specifically with Tschirner in mind, citing her "one of the best screen actresses in Germany."
*
Matthias Schweighöfer
Matthias Schweighöfer (; born 11 March 1981) is a German actor, voice actor, film director, and producer.
Early life
Born in Anklam, Western Pomerania, Schweighöfer attended Berlin's renowned acting school Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Art ...
as Moritz, a
paparazzo
Paparazzi (, ; ; singular: masculine paparazzo or feminine paparazza) are independent photographers who take pictures of high-profile people; such as actors, musicians, athletes, politicians, and other celebrities, typically while subjects ...
and friend of Ludo
*
Alwara Höfels
Alwara Höfels (born 6 April 1982) is a German actress who works both in front of the camera and on the theater stage.
Biography
Alwara Höfels was born 6 April 1982 in Kronberg im Taunus. She is the daughter of actors Klara Höfels and Michael ...
as Miriam Steinfeld, a colleague and friend of Anna
*
Barbara Rudnik
Barbara Rudnik (; 27 July 1958 – 23 May 2009) was a German actress.
Selected filmography
External links
*
1958 births
2009 deaths
German film actresses
German television actresses
20th-century German actresses
21st-century Ge ...
as Lilli Decker, Ludo's elder
* Paul Maximilian Schüller as Lollo, Lilli's
*
Emma Schweiger
Emma Tiger Schweiger (born 26 October 2002) is a German-American actress. She is known for playing the role of Cheyenne Blue in the 2007 film ''Keinohrhasen'' and its 2009 sequel ''Zweiohrküken'' and the role of Magdalena in ''Kokowääh'' and ...
as Cheyenne-Blue, a child at the daycare facility
* Brigitte Zeh as Nina, Cheyenne-Blue's mother
*
Lilli Camille Schweiger as Sacha, another child at the daycare facility
*
Luna Marie Schweiger as young Anna
*
Valentin Florian Schweiger as young Ludo
*
Rick Kavanian
Richard "Rick" Horatio Kavanian (born 26 January 1971) is a German actor, comedian, author and voice actor and dubber. He is famous for his cooperation with Michael Herbig, which led to many popular movie comedies and parodies, e.g. '' Manitou's S ...
, as the choleric chief editor of the
tabloid ''
Das Blatt''
*
Jürgen Vogel
Jürgen Peter Vogel (; born 29 April 1968, in Hamburg) is a German actor, screenwriter, film producer and singer. One of the most successful character actors in German cinema, he first broke out in 1992 with his role in ''Little Sharks''.Jürgen ...
as himself
*
Christian Tramitz
Christian Tramitz (born 29 July 1955) is a German actor and comedian.
Early life
Born in Munich, Bavaria, Tramitz is the grandson of Austrian actor Paul Hörbiger and first cousin once removed of actress Christiane Hörbiger. His parents are f ...
as Anna's date
*
Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko; an equivalent English spelling is Vladimir Klichko . His full name in uk, label=Ukrainian is, Володимир Володимирович Кличко, Volodymyr Volodymyrovych Klychko, . ( uk, Володимир Вол ...
as himself
*
Yvonne Catterfeld
Yvonne Catterfeld (born 2 December 1979) is a German singer, actress, and television personality. Born and raised in Erfurt, Thuringia, she later moved to Leipzig to pursue her career in music. In 2000, she participated in the debut season of the ...
as herself
*
Wolfgang Stumph
Wolfgang Stumph (born 31 January 1946) is a German actor and cabaret artist.
Early life
Stumph was born in Wünschelburg, Lower Silesia (Poland) in 1946 to German parents. He was expelled from his hometown and grew up without a father in Dre ...
as a
taxi driver
''Taxi Driver'' is a 1976 American film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul Schrader, and starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle, Leonard Harris, and Albert Brooks. Set in a decaying and ...
*
Armin Rohde
Armin Rohde (born 4 April 1955) is a German actor and voice actor.
He was born in Gladbeck.
Filmography
Audiobooks
* 1999: Roger Graf: Philip Maloney – ''Auf der Flucht'', ''Die Armbanduhr'' and ''Der Mörderhai'', publisher: Tandem Verl ...
as Bello
*
Fahri Ogün Yardım Fahri is the Turkish spelling of the Arabic name Fakhri, (Arabic: فَخْري ''fakh·riy'', ''fakh·rī'', ''fakh·ry'') in the possessive form meaning "honorary, titulary", both used as a name or surname.
It may refer to:
Given name
* Fahri ...
as Mucki
* Kai Lentrodt as a taxi driver
* Sonsee Neu as a judge
*
Pasquale Aleardi
Pasquale Aleardi (born 1 June 1971) is a Swiss actor. He is known for playing the role of 'J.D. Salinas' in ''Resident Evil''. He also starred as Billy Flynn in the Broadway production of ''Chicago''.
In 2016, Aleardi starred in the lead role ...
as Ludo's attorney
*
Paul van Dyk
Matthias Paul (; born 16 December 1971), known professionally as Paul van Dyk () is a German DJ, record producer and musician. One of the first true renowned DJs, van Dyk was the first artist to receive a Grammy Award nomination in the newly a ...
as DJ Paul van Dyk
* Elena Uhlig as a hotel worker
* Gregor Bloéb as Michi Nußbaumer, a
folk music
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
ian
*
Nina Proll
Nina Proll (born 12 January 1974) is an Austrian actress. She has appeared in more than 50 films and television shows since 1995. She starred in the film ''September'', which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2003 Cannes Film ...
as Daniela Berg, Michi's
* Anne-Sophie Briest as Mandy, a headline-making "Ministerluder"
Soundtrack
''Music from the Motion Picture'' album
Track listing
# "
Mr. Brightside
"Mr. Brightside" is the debut single of American rock band the Killers. It is taken from their debut studio album, '' Hot Fuss'' (2004). Written by band members Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning, it was one of the first songs the Killers ever w ...
" (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Mix)
(The Killers
The Killers are an American rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingd ...
) – 8:48
# "
Deepest Blue
Deepest Blue are a British electronic music duo comprising Matt Schwartz and Joel Edwards. They are best known for their UK Top 10 hit singles, "Deepest Blue" (2003) and " Give It Away" (2004).
History
Deepest Blue consists of Joel Edwar ...
"
(Deepest Blue
Deepest Blue are a British electronic music duo comprising Matt Schwartz and Joel Edwards. They are best known for their UK Top 10 hit singles, "Deepest Blue" (2003) and " Give It Away" (2004).
History
Deepest Blue consists of Joel Edwar ...
) – 3:24
# "Is It Love"
(Stefan Hansen, Dirk Reichardt
Dirk Reichardt (born September 9, 1964) is a German composer, sound designer and jingle producer.
Early life
Dirk Reichardt discovered his love of the piano at a very early age. After many years of private instruction, teaching himself the drum ...
, Mirko Schaffer) – 2:18
# "Anna & Ludo – Hold Me Now"
(Rea Garvey
Raymond Michael Garvey (born 3 May 1973) is an Irish singer, songwriter and guitarist now residing in Germany. In 1998, he formed the band Reamonn. Over the 11 years that Garvey was their frontman, they saw chart-topping success in Europe, with ...
) – 1:47
# "Springtimes"
(Stefan Hansen, Dirk Reichardt, Mirko Schaffer) – 2:56
# "Lifeline"
(Angels & Airwaves
Angels & Airwaves (also written as Angels and Airwaves; stylized and abbreviated as ΛVΛ) is an American rock band, comprising Tom DeLonge (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards), David Kennedy (guitars, keyboards), Ilan Rubin (drums, keyboards, b ...
) – 4:16
# "Autumn Leaves"
(Stefan Hansen, Dirk Reichardt, Mirko Schaffer) – 1:42
# "
Everybody's Changing
"Everybody's Changing" is a song performed by English alternative rock band Keane. It was released as the second single from their debut studio album, ''Hopes and Fears'' (2004). After a single release on Fierce Panda in May 2003, which peaked ...
"
( Keane) – 3:35
# "Looking for Atlantis"
(Prefab Sprout
Prefab Sprout are an English pop band from Witton Gilbert, County Durham who rose to fame during the 1980s. Formed in 1978 by brothers Paddy and Martin McAloon and joined by vocalist, guitarist and keyboard player Wendy Smith in 1982, they r ...
) – 4:03
# "Rain"
(Stefan Hansen, Dirk Reichardt, Mirko Schaffer) – 1:18
# "
I Still Remember
"I Still Remember" is a song by English rock band Bloc Party. It was released as a single from their second studio album, ''A Weekend in the City''., being the first U.S. single and second UK single from the album. The single was released in Br ...
"
(Bloc Party
Bloc Party are an English Rock music, rock band, composed of Kele Okereke (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, sampler), Russell Lissack (lead guitar, keyboards), Justin Harris (bass guitar, keyboards, saxophones, backing vocals) and Loui ...
) – 4:20
# "Liquid"
(Stefan Hansen, Dirk Reichardt, Mirko Schaffer) – 1:43
# "Everything's Magic"
(Angels & Airwaves) – 3:51
# "Some Time"
(Stefan Hansen, Dirk Reichardt, Mirko Schaffer) – 1:59
# "Sad Song"
(Au Revoir Simone
Au Revoir Simone is an American indie pop band from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2003. The group is composed of Erika Forster (vocals/keyboard), Annie Hart (vocals/keyboard/bass) and Heather D'Angelo (vocals/drum machine/keyboard ...
) – 4:07
# "
Apologize (Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
presents OneRepublic
OneRepublic is an American pop rock band formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2002. It consists of lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Tedder, lead guitarist and violist Zach Filkins, rhythm guitarist Drew Brown, bassist and cellis ...
) – 3:04
# "A Rainy Day in Vancouver"
(Stefan Hansen, Dirk Reichardt, Mirko Schaffer) – 1:38
# "Rocket Brothers"
(Kashmir
Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...
) – 5:27
# "Perfect Circle"
(Stefan Hansen, Dirk Reichardt, Mirko Schaffer) – 2:57
# "Cheyenne Blue"
(Stefan Hansen, Dirk Reichardt, Mirko Schaffer) – 1:40
# "Der Zauberlehrling"
(Junge Dichter & Denker) – 3:54
Charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
The title
While doing handicraft at the daycare centre, Ludo sews a stuffed rabbit without ears. As Anna criticises him for it, he points at the fact that another rabbit made by the child ''Cheyenne-Blue'' has no ears as well. Anna thereupon claims that it is a ''Keinohrhase'', a no-ears rabbit, which is able to hear through its nose. This scene was also used for the first
teaser trailer
A teaser (or more specifically teaser trailer) is a mini- trailer and a form of teaser campaign advertising that focuses on film and television programming. It is a videography pre-release move or television show advertisement. Short in length, te ...
.
A rare earless rabbit born in February 2012 at a zoo in
Limbach-Oberfrohna
Limbach-Oberfrohna is a town in the district of Zwickau (district), Zwickau in Saxony, Germany.
Main sights
* ''Schloss '' (Castle) Wolkenburg
* Protestant church in Oberfrohna
* ''Wasserturm '' ("Water Tower")
* Limbach Municipal Church
Town h ...
, Saxony was named "
Til", in reference to this film's title and its director. The baby rabbit was accidentally crushed when a television cameraman stepped on him, an event that was briefly the subject of international media coverage.
American remake
In January 2010, Schweiger sold the rights for the US remake of ''Keinohrhasen'' to Newmarket Entertainment; as he stated he hopes to direct the film and to engage
Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Volpi Cup.
Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educationa ...
as leading man.
Awards
* 2008: Goldene Leinwand mit Stern for more than 6 million viewers
* 2008:
Bogey Awards
The Bogey Award (officially Box Office Germany Award) is a German film award. It's based on the number of people seeing a film within a given time frame. The prize has been awarded by the industry's trade journal ''Blickpunkt: Film'' since 1997. ...
in gold for 3 million viewers within 30 days
* 2008: Ernst Lubitsch Prize
* 2010: Bronze Palm Award at the
Mexico International Film Festival
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
German romantic comedy films
2007 films
2000s German-language films
Warner Bros. films
Films set in Berlin
2007 romantic comedy films
Films directed by Til Schweiger
2000s German films