A Guru Comes

A German satirical comedy film from 1980, directed in Germany by Rainer Erler. The plot centers on musician brothers Joachim Müller-Strehlitz (Wolfgang Reichmann) and Sebastian Müller-Strehlitz (Eric P. Caspar), who, left unemployed due to constant rain, are forced to seek any means of earning a living. A chance encounter with aggressive followers of an Indian guru leads them to a police station, where Joachim impresses both the officers and the sect members by performing Sarastro's aria from "The Magic Flute." Inspired by this, Joachim decides to create his own cult—the "Lotus Blossom Society"—seeing it as an opportunity for financial gain. He invents the persona of Guru Sarastro and convinces followers to collect money for his "arrival." The brothers rent an old castle from artist Samuel (Ron Lee Williams) and his girlfriend Cindy (Victoria Miles), transforming it into the center of the new sect. Samuel, who created the portrait of the fictitious guru and the cult's decorations, soon realizes the fraudulent nature of the enterprise and threatens exposure. Fearing disclosure, Joachim persuades one of his devoted followers, Jakdesh Singh (Jörg Pleva), to eliminate Samuel, leading to tragic consequences. The film satirically critiques the phenomenon of new religious movements and their leaders, illustrating how easily people seeking spiritual guidance can be manipulated, and how the thirst for power and money can lead to moral downfall.