Knife in the Head is a 1978 German drama film directed by Wolfgang Petersen. The film stars Bruno Ganz as Hoffmann, a successful physician whose life is turned upside down after a traumatic event leaves him with brain trauma and memory loss.
The film opens with Hoffmann searching for his estranged wife, Lisa, who works at a youth center that is being raided by the police. In the chaos that ensues, Hoffmann is shot in the head by a police officer and left for dead. He awakens in the hospital with a partially paralyzed body and a shattered memory. The police accuse him of stabbing one of their own, while the radicals at the youth center claim that he was an innocent victim of police brutality.
As Hoffmann struggles to piece together his life, he becomes increasingly isolated from those around him. His wife, Lisa, is distant and unresponsive, and his former colleagues are hesitant to help him due to the controversy surrounding his case. Hoffmann's only source of comfort is the nurse assigned to his care, who strives to help him regain his memory.
Throughout the film, flashbacks and dream sequences reveal fragments of Hoffmann's past, including his involvement with a radical political group and his troubled relationship with Lisa. As his memory slowly returns, Hoffmann begins to uncover the truth about the events of that fateful night at the youth center.
Knife in the Head is a powerful and thought-provoking film that explores themes of memory, trauma, and political extremism. It is widely regarded as one of Petersen's most accomplished works, and remains a compelling example of German New Wave cinema.
