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Herbert Achternbusch

Herbert Achternbusch

Actor, director, writer, producer and cinematographer · Died January 10, 2022, aged 83 · Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Writer, actor, and German filmmaker born in Munich in 1938. He spent his childhood and youth in Bavaria, region which remains until today its major source of artistic inspiration. Their activity is very diverse: he has composed pieces for theater and radio scripts, translator, painter and sculptor. As different as his artistic activities is his work, and therefore difficult to classify. In the world of cinema, his career fits approaches independent, mostly defined by a position too personalistic, provocative, that has left a deep imprint on works eminently conceptual and avant-garde, as well as suggesting in criticism of the subjects addressed (religion, society, geographical framework in which wandering people, etc.). His films just transcend the commercial sector; It is one of the most followed by seekers of original, stories of passes in areas interested in film culture. His anarchist surrealistic films are not known to a wide audience in Germany, although one of them, Das Gespenst (The Ghost), caused a scandal in 1983 because of its alleged blasphemous content. Werner Herzog, a director of the New German Cinema, based his film Heart of Glass on a story by Achternbusch.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 23, 1938
Died
January 10, 2022 (aged 83)
From
Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Works as
Actor, director, writer, producer and cinematographer
Titles
6 on MovieCove · 33 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 7% in 30 days

What are Herbert Achternbusch's films like?

Across their 5 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Genres

Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
57%
Self
31%
Survival
11%
Isolation2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 5 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 0 · Dark 2

Heightened: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their heightened movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 0 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 0

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 3 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 1 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 3 of 4 analyzed roles.

Hero
3 of 4
Trickster
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
4
Melancholic
4
Dread
1
Contemplative
1
Joyful
1

How their films linger

Thought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Herbert Achternbusch's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 2 of their 6 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Herbert Achternbusch's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

33 credits, 6 with a MovieCove page; 6 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Das Klatschen der einen Hand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer · Actor

  • Neue Freiheit - Keine Jobs Schönes München: Stillstand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director · as Hick

  • Picasso in Munich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Writer · as Picasso

  • Hades (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · as Hades

  • Ab nach Tibet! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director · as Hick

  • Ich bin da, ich bin da (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director · as Hick

  • Niemandsland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Director · Producer · Writer · Actor

  • Hick's Last Stand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer · Actor

  • Mixwix (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Mixwix

  • I Know the Way to the Hofbrauhaus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer · as Hick

  • Wohin? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Director · as Herbert

  • Punch Drunk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Production Manager · Writer · Actor

  • Heilt Hitler!(1986)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer · Actor

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Die Föhnforscher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Herbert

  • Blaue Blumen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Special Effects · Writer · as Narrator (voice)

  • Wanderkrebs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director

  • Rita Ritter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Passenger

  • The Olympic Champion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Adi

  • Das Gespenst(1982)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Ober

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Der Depp (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Writer · as Der Depp

  • The Last Hole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director · as Der Nil

  • Der Neger Erwin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director · as Der Neger Erwin

  • Der Komantsche(1979)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Komantsche Koyotendreck

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Der junge Mönch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Director · Producer · Writer · Actor

  • Bye-bye Bavaria!(1978)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Dichter und Wilddieb

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Beer Chase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Herbert, Polizist

  • Heart of Glass(1976)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Atlantic Swimmers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Herbert

  • Das Andechser Gefühl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director · Writer · as Teacher

  • The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser(1974)

    as country boy #1

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Stayover in Tirol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Lehrer

  • 6. Dezember 1971 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer

  • Das Kind ist tot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer · Actor

Career shape

A full career of 33 titles from 1971 to 2002.

Biggest box office

Heart of Glass (1976)

$3.8K worldwide

Highest rated

Heart of Glass (1976)

Midcredits 76th

Most popular right now

Das Gespenst (1982)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting30 of 33: 2 only acting, 28 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thDirecting30 of 33: 1 only directing, 29 with another roleWriting23 of 33: 1 only writing, 22 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thProducing18 of 33: 0 only producing, 18 with another roleCinematography8 of 33: 0 only cinematography, 8 with another roleOther crew2 of 33: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

33 titles, 29 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 28 of them.

By decade

1970s11 · 9 acting · 9 crew1980s14 · 13 acting · 14 crew1990s7 · 7 acting · 7 crew2000s1 · 1 acting · 1 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Herbert Achternbusch's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 58th percentile, the median of all 6; across their 5 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 43rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Reach · how many have seen their films

24thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Midcredits score across 6 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th2

Shape of the crowd

3 of their 6 titles are Cult Classics.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser1

Most divisive · actor, director, writer, producer

Der Komantsche (1979)

91st percentile spread · 32% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974)

Midcredits 94th · 83% liked

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Herbert Achternbusch work with?

People who share at least 2 of Herbert Achternbusch's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Josef Bierbichler shares the most, 5.

Actors

Cinematographers and editors