Directed by:
Paul HaratherCinematography:
Fabian EderCast:
Christiane Hörbiger, Jan Niklas, Udo Kier, Simon Schwarz, Margarete Tiesel, Wolfgang Michael, Klaus Ofczarek, Mathias Kahler, Gen Seto, Peter Faerber (more)Plots(1)
An aging hausfrau finds hobby-murder an intoxicating sport in The Praying Mantis, an expertly played black comedy that´s beautifully lensed in widescreen and casts an ironic eye on Austria´s parochial mindset. Mantis recalls some adaptations of German novelist Ingrid Noll´s dark comedies featuring murderous women, especially Rainer Kaufmann´s The Pharmacist. Christiane Höerbiger is terrific as Trixi, a still-trim grandmother who escapes her dull home life with Siggi (Klaus Ofczarek), a model airplane enthusiast. You know the pic is not going to be your average middle-class drama when she´s spotted one day by Karli (Peter Faerber), a sleazy friend of her husband´s, and she calmly gives him oral sex to ensure he´ll keep her secret. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)
(more)Cast
Christiane Hörbiger
Austria
Best movies:
Tafelspitz (1994)
Stiller Abschied (2013) (TV movie)
Secret Hope (2015) (TV movie)
Jan Niklas
Germany
Best movies:
Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001) (TV movie)
The Life of Verdi (1982) (series)
Ansichten eines Clowns (1976)
Udo Kier
German Empire
Best movies:
The Kingdom (1994) (series)
Narcissus and Psyche (1980)
Breaking the Waves (1996)
Simon Schwarz
Austria
Best movies:
North Face (2008)
Come Sweet Death (2000)
Protector (2009)
Margarete Tiesel
Austria
Best movies:
The Collini Case (2019)
The Golden Glove (2019)
Paradise: Love (2012)
Wolfgang Michael
West Germany
Best movies:
A Hidden Life (2019)
I Was at Home, But (2019)
My Sister's Good Fortune (1995)
Klaus Ofczarek
Austria
Best movies:
North Face (2008)
Tehran Taboo (2017)
God´s mighty servant (2011) (TV movie)
Mathias Kahler
Austria
Best movies:
Bride of the Wind (2001)
Ein Hund kam in die Küche (2002) (TV movie)
Gen Seto
Best movies:
The Best Offer (2013)
Antares (2004)
All the Queen's Men (2001)
Peter Faerber
Austria
Best movies:
North Face (2008)
Uprising (2001) (TV movie)
Der Clan - Die Geschichte der Familie Wagner (2013) (TV movie)
Hakon Hirzenberger
Austria
Best movies:
Hotel (2004)
Günter Großmann
Austria
Best movies:
Tatort (1970) (series)
Gerhard Ernst
Austria
Best movies:
Come Sweet Death (2000)
Margarete Steiff (2005) (TV movie)
Tatort (1970) (series)
Rudolf Melichar
German Empire
Best movies:
Holocaust (1978) (series)
The Piano Teacher (2001)
Fantômas (1980) (series)
Peter Karolyi
Best movies:
Tatort (1970) (series)
Tanja Petrovsky
Austria
Best movies:
Models (1999)
Hagazussa: A Heathen's Curse (2017)
Paul Kreshka
Best movies:
Gebürtig (2002)
Catherine the Great (1996) (TV movie)
I Spy Returns (1994) (TV movie)
Julia von Sell
Best movies:
Gestern waren wir Fremde (2013) (TV movie)
Alois Frank
Austria
Ilene Kreshka
Best movies:
My Best Enemy (2011)
The Ring (1996) (TV movie)
I Spy Returns (1994) (TV movie)