the merchant of four season be rainer werner fassbinder first shoot at mainstream acceptance . in a turbulent career of just fifteen year and he manage to create an astound body of work in film and theater and both a a performer and a creative producer and actor and and director . although this movie might not appeal to many viewer and the film have much to offer . the storyline be fairly straightforward . a man be ostracize from his upper middle class family due to emotional and economic problem and and prove unable to control his downward spiral . the merchant of four season be shot with a slavish devotion to elegant detail and and each set be very carefully design and construct . every object on set seem painstakingly arrange so a to provoke layer of emotional texture . many religious painting and icon decorate the wall of the various room and seem to speak to hans desperate quest for spiritual meaning or direction in his life . much thought be give to how lighting and color be employ to contrast and enhance the drama . several time during the film and i freeze the frame to marvel at the beauty of the shot composition . i stream this film and and the print be nearly flawless and second to none . fassbinder employ his actor in an almost vehement anti natural style . he do everything possible to prevent the actor from react in a normal or colloquial manner and and this create a rather stilted effect . however and by do so and he inject an almost hyper reality to the narrative . rather than the presentation of a mundane melodrama and the actor almost militant lack of affectation force the viewer to confront the film in a different manner . fassbinder film intentionally prevent the viewer from easily connect with the character trial and tribulation . you be constantly on the outside and look in . this will be a disconcerting experience for many and but i find it to be a unique and satisfying artistic adventure .