Menu Total is a 1985 film directed by German filmmaker Christoph Schlingensief, and explores the themes of trauma, abuse, revenge, and the legacy of Nazism in Germany. The film centers around a young man named Christoph, who is repeatedly abused by his father and has developed a fixation on Adolf Hitler as a figure of ultimate power and revenge.
The film is structured in a non-linear fashion, with scenes often repeating or jumping back and forth in time. The audience is often left unsure of what is real and what is imagined in Christoph's mind. His fantasies include imagining himself as Hitler, giving speeches and leading rallies, as well as violent revenge fantasies against his abusers and the society he feels has let him down.
Schlingensief's film was highly controversial upon its release, with some critics accusing him of glorifying or even propagating fascist ideology. However, Schlingensief's intention was to provoke discussion about the way Germany was dealing with its Nazi past. In his view, it was not enough to simply condemn the atrocities of the past and move on - the country needed to delve deeper into its own complicity and guilt in order to move forward with a healthier society.
Despite the controversy, Menu Total has been recognized as a significant piece of German cinema and a bold exploration of difficult themes.