Rainer Erler

Rainer Erler

Birth : 1933-08-26, Munich, Germany

History

Rainer Erler is a German writer, director and film producer. Erler is considered a major maker of German science fiction films and of science fiction on television, as well as the founder of the science thriller subgenre (explosive social, political and scientific themes are presented in a suspenseful way). Erler's films often dealt with controversial social issues such as nuclear energy, nuclear waste, ethics in scientific research, genetic manipulation or organ trafficking. Many films provoked controversial reactions when they were broadcast.

Profile

Rainer Erler

Movies

Deadly Harvest
Idea
Marisa and Frank honeymoon in South Africa. A particularly favourable offer lures them to a lonely and run-down hotel. There, they are attacked by men. Frank is beaten and kidnapped, while Marisa barely escapes. She receives help from the young South African Biko, who helps her to escape the men. Marisa and Biko find out that people are abducted to be cannibalized for the trade in organs. Finally, the two try to find frank and save him.
Tricked
Writer
A teenager who does not have a good relationship with their parents, travels with them to Africa. During the flight, she notes that his father flirts with a stranger while her mother sleeps. Upon arrival she meets a handsome diving instructor for which she feels a powerful attraction and enrolls in a course to be near him. But in her first dive she suffers an assassination attempt. A surfer saves her from drowning, but when she returns to the hotel no one misses her. Her parents are having dinner with her ​​exact double ...
The Kaltenbach Papers
Writer
Three nuclear warheads, the ultimate weapon for terror, blackmailing and mass destruction, are on their way to their final destination in North Africa. Two journalists, Tom Severin and his wife Eva, together with Sharon, weapon dealer Kaltenbach’s daughter, try to stop the deadly cargo.
The Kaltenbach Papers
Director
Three nuclear warheads, the ultimate weapon for terror, blackmailing and mass destruction, are on their way to their final destination in North Africa. Two journalists, Tom Severin and his wife Eva, together with Sharon, weapon dealer Kaltenbach’s daughter, try to stop the deadly cargo.
Sugar
Writer
A science-fiction comedy by Rainer Erler.
Sugar
Director
A science-fiction comedy by Rainer Erler.
News - Bericht über eine Reise in eine strahlende Zukunft
Producer
The wife of a reporter, who turned up missing while investigating reports of illegal toxic dumping, teams up with a photographer to find her husband.
News - Bericht über eine Reise in eine strahlende Zukunft
Writer
The wife of a reporter, who turned up missing while investigating reports of illegal toxic dumping, teams up with a photographer to find her husband.
News - Bericht über eine Reise in eine strahlende Zukunft
Director
The wife of a reporter, who turned up missing while investigating reports of illegal toxic dumping, teams up with a photographer to find her husband.
Der letzte Stammtisch
Director
On the occasion of his last regulars’ table in his old neighbourhood of Schwabing, the laconic pensioner Schorsch gets paid a cab drive to his new home in Neuperlach in the outskirts of the city by his pals. But Schorsch rather wants to take one last look at his old downtown apartment which he had renovated himself after the war, and where he had lived for almost forty years until his landlord bullied him out of there as the latter wanted to use the space for expensive luxury apartments. Because Schorsch’s wife wanted to move to “the countryside”, they thereupon moved to the Neuperlach development site in the outskirts of Munich. But amongst the uniformly looking housing blocks, Schorsch can’t even find his new apartment, and so, the grumpy cabdriver Gustl becomes his companion on a nightly odyssey.
Der letzte Stammtisch
Screenplay
On the occasion of his last regulars’ table in his old neighbourhood of Schwabing, the laconic pensioner Schorsch gets paid a cab drive to his new home in Neuperlach in the outskirts of the city by his pals. But Schorsch rather wants to take one last look at his old downtown apartment which he had renovated himself after the war, and where he had lived for almost forty years until his landlord bullied him out of there as the latter wanted to use the space for expensive luxury apartments. Because Schorsch’s wife wanted to move to “the countryside”, they thereupon moved to the Neuperlach development site in the outskirts of Munich. But amongst the uniformly looking housing blocks, Schorsch can’t even find his new apartment, and so, the grumpy cabdriver Gustl becomes his companion on a nightly odyssey.
Das schöne Ende dieser Welt
Writer
Chemist Michael Brandt travels to Western Australia on behalf of a great German company. Pretending to be a private investor he purchases industrial real estate for a pesticide factory - chemicals which have long been on the forbidden list in Europe and in the U.S. but make huge profit on sales in Third World Countries.
Das schöne Ende dieser Welt
Producer
Chemist Michael Brandt travels to Western Australia on behalf of a great German company. Pretending to be a private investor he purchases industrial real estate for a pesticide factory - chemicals which have long been on the forbidden list in Europe and in the U.S. but make huge profit on sales in Third World Countries.
Das schöne Ende dieser Welt
Director
Chemist Michael Brandt travels to Western Australia on behalf of a great German company. Pretending to be a private investor he purchases industrial real estate for a pesticide factory - chemicals which have long been on the forbidden list in Europe and in the U.S. but make huge profit on sales in Third World Countries.
Der Spot oder Fast eine Karriere
Producer
This bizarre comedy demonstrates - as a convincing example - how TV-commercials may be produced, sacrificing extensive amounts of money, bottomless creativity and even human life without any respect right to the finish.
Der Spot oder Fast eine Karriere
Writer
This bizarre comedy demonstrates - as a convincing example - how TV-commercials may be produced, sacrificing extensive amounts of money, bottomless creativity and even human life without any respect right to the finish.
Der Spot oder Fast eine Karriere
Director
This bizarre comedy demonstrates - as a convincing example - how TV-commercials may be produced, sacrificing extensive amounts of money, bottomless creativity and even human life without any respect right to the finish.
Mein Freund der Scheich
Writer
Mein Freund der Scheich
Producer
Mein Freund der Scheich
Director
Ein Guru kommt
Director
"A Guru Comes" - A failed opera singer rises to the leader of a new religious community. Satirical film about the new religious movements of the 1970s and 1980s.
Spare Parts
Writer
Honeymooning couple Monica and Mike check into a motel in New Mexico. All seems normal until an ambulance pulls up and abducts Mike. Monica narrowly escapes and, with the help of truck driver Bill, discovers the awful secret of the motel and the ambulance service.
Spare Parts
Producer
Honeymooning couple Monica and Mike check into a motel in New Mexico. All seems normal until an ambulance pulls up and abducts Mike. Monica narrowly escapes and, with the help of truck driver Bill, discovers the awful secret of the motel and the ambulance service.
Spare Parts
Director
Honeymooning couple Monica and Mike check into a motel in New Mexico. All seems normal until an ambulance pulls up and abducts Mike. Monica narrowly escapes and, with the help of truck driver Bill, discovers the awful secret of the motel and the ambulance service.
Die Quelle
Writer
Die Quelle
Producer
Die Quelle
Director
Plutonium
Director
Camouflaged as a political suspense documentary, Plutonium demonstrates the theft of highly enriched nuclear material from a Third World Country nuclear power plant - enough for five bombs of the Hiroshima type. Is this material now in the hands of terrorists – or in the possession of a brutal and inhuman dictatorship?
Plutonium
Writer
Camouflaged as a political suspense documentary, Plutonium demonstrates the theft of highly enriched nuclear material from a Third World Country nuclear power plant - enough for five bombs of the Hiroshima type. Is this material now in the hands of terrorists – or in the possession of a brutal and inhuman dictatorship?
Plutonium
Producer
Camouflaged as a political suspense documentary, Plutonium demonstrates the theft of highly enriched nuclear material from a Third World Country nuclear power plant - enough for five bombs of the Hiroshima type. Is this material now in the hands of terrorists – or in the possession of a brutal and inhuman dictatorship?
Operation Ganymed
Writer
A spaceship returns to Earth after several years of space exploration and finds it desolate. Landing in what they believe is Mexico, the crew decides to travel north, and try to find out what happened to Earth during the years they were gone.
Operation Ganymed
Producer
A spaceship returns to Earth after several years of space exploration and finds it desolate. Landing in what they believe is Mexico, the crew decides to travel north, and try to find out what happened to Earth during the years they were gone.
Operation Ganymed
Director
A spaceship returns to Earth after several years of space exploration and finds it desolate. Landing in what they believe is Mexico, the crew decides to travel north, and try to find out what happened to Earth during the years they were gone.
The Last Holidays
Writer
A young woman is going on holiday with her parents. She narrowly escapes when her holiday fling tries to kill her, only to find out that this nasty encounter was not quite as accidental as it first seemed.
The Last Holidays
Producer
A young woman is going on holiday with her parents. She narrowly escapes when her holiday fling tries to kill her, only to find out that this nasty encounter was not quite as accidental as it first seemed.
The Last Holidays
Director
A young woman is going on holiday with her parents. She narrowly escapes when her holiday fling tries to kill her, only to find out that this nasty encounter was not quite as accidental as it first seemed.
Die Halde
Writer
Die Halde
Producer
Die Halde
Director
Sieben Tage
Writer
Sieben Tage
Producer
Sieben Tage
Director
Der Amateur
Writer
Der Amateur
Director
The Delegation
Producer
Journalist Will Roczinsky is dead. He was investigating UFO sightings. A TV broadcast summarizes the events up to his death. When broadcast at the time, viewers believed to be watching a documentary instead of a teleplay.
The Delegation
Screenplay
Journalist Will Roczinsky is dead. He was investigating UFO sightings. A TV broadcast summarizes the events up to his death. When broadcast at the time, viewers believed to be watching a documentary instead of a teleplay.
The Delegation
Director
Journalist Will Roczinsky is dead. He was investigating UFO sightings. A TV broadcast summarizes the events up to his death. When broadcast at the time, viewers believed to be watching a documentary instead of a teleplay.
Der Attentäter
Director
Herr Wolff hat seine Krise
Director
Bahnübergang
Director
TV-Movie from Reiner Erler
Professor Columbus
Director
An old librarian, Professor Columbus, wants to go to the sea once in his lifetime. So he buys a big ship and takes a boat trip across the North Sea to London, accompanied by a bunch of stoned hippies, and chased by the police. (IMDb)
Almost a Hero
Writer
Towards the end of World War II, the fictitious French mountain village of Molinette is occupied by German troops. Because of sleep aid, served by his French girlfriend Hélène, the German corporal Karl Küppers misses the departure of his company to Russia. With the help of the purposeful Frenchwoman he becomes Ortskommandant.
Almost a Hero
Director
Towards the end of World War II, the fictitious French mountain village of Molinette is occupied by German troops. Because of sleep aid, served by his French girlfriend Hélène, the German corporal Karl Küppers misses the departure of his company to Russia. With the help of the purposeful Frenchwoman he becomes Ortskommandant.
Der Dreispitz
Director
Das Bohrloch oder Bayern ist nicht Texas
Writer
Das Bohrloch oder Bayern ist nicht Texas
Director
Endkampf
Writer
Endkampf
Director
Der doppelte Nikolaus
Director
a tv-movie by Rainer Erler
Der Seitensprung
Director
Lydia muss sterben
Teleplay
Lydia muss sterben
Director
Die Gardine
Director
Lady Lobsters Bräutigam
Writer
Lady Lobsters Bräutigam
Director
Winterquartier
Director
Orden für die Wunderkinder
Teleplay
Orden für die Wunderkinder
Director
The Mysterious Magician
Director
The sister of a famous, but as yet uncaught, criminal named The Hexer is murdered. Inspector Higgins of Scotland Yard believes that The Hexer will surface to take his revenge on his sister's killers, and plans to set a trap to finally capture him. However, soon bodies start piling up, and it looks as if The Hexer may get away yet again.
Sonderurlaub
Director
TV-Movie from Rainer Erler
Der jähzornige junge Mann
Director
Seelenwanderung
Director
Die Rache
Director
TV-Movie by Rainer Erler
Marke Lohengrin
Writer
a tv-movie by Rainer Erler
Marke Lohengrin
Director
a tv-movie by Rainer Erler
Die Kuh
Writer
Die Kuh
Director
The Haunted Castle
Assistant Director
The ghosts of thieves help a beautiful young countess save her inherited castle from modern developers in this comic horror/musical.
Hotel Allotria
Assistant Director