
WithTagderIdioten(1982),Schroeterperhapsdrawsuponhisbriefstudiesofpsychology.Thefilmcentresaroundapassionatewoman,Carole(playedbythewell-knownFrenchactorCaroleBouquet)whofeelsalienatedandrepressedbythehighlyinstitutionalisedpublicandprivatespheresofWesternsociety.Unabletoextractanykindofemotionalresponsefromherreservedboyfriend,Caroleseeksattentionbyfalselydenouncingherneighboursasterrorists.WiththisdetailSchroeterbrieflytouchesuponthepanicandparanoiathatwasbroughtaboutbytheGermangovernmentcrackdownonterrorismatitsheightduring1977andCarole'ssubsequentinstitutionalisationinamentalasylumcanbeseenasanallegoryforasocietywishingtosuppressradicalactivityofanysort.InTagderIdiotenSchroeterreturnstoalesslinearnarrativestructure,morereminiscentoftheepisodicfilmsofhissecondphase.Heemploysnumeroushallucinatorysequencesinordertoconveytheprotagonist'sstateofmind.Furthermore,muchofthefilm'smeaningisdeliveredthroughCarole'sbody,facialexpressionsandgesturesratherthanthroughdialogue,andthefilm'smontageservestocreatespatialandtemporaldisorientation.SchroeteragainwontheGermanFilmPrizeforbestdirectionforthisfilm.






