A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
Some substances you can mix without anything happening.
And then there are substances that really react when they clash.
After chemical synthesis, it is impossible to extract the substances
in their original state through physical methods.
"...nothing to do with the sexual abilities of a man.
There are men with huge penises, who are very bad lovers, while others
can satisfy a woman perfectly with a small penis."
Turn over.
Read... this about the clitoris.
"Stimulating the clitoris. How?
Alexander, 15, 'I want to stimulate my girlfriend's clitoris.
- but I don't know how it works.'" - How does it work?
"Dear Alexander, the clitoris is located below the pubis.
- It can be very nice for a girl if you..." - I know how this works.
Dude, no peeking.
Synthesis is the mixing of things that do not belonging together
into something completely new.
Creation.
Synthesis is the nature of love.
What would perfume be without synthesis?
PERFUME
SYNTHESIS
What is it about that mutt?
Holy fucking shit! Are these the same cuts the victim had?
First the dog...
then possibly the boy and now a woman.
Twenty years later?
Why the long break?
If it wasn't one of the five,
it might have been someone who was locked up for a time.
Manslaughter, aggravated rape or such.
Or there are other victims we don't know about.
We need a list of all released offenders
who were incarcerated in the '90s.
In this state and beyond.
Nadja?
You were right this time, but behave yourself.
What do you think they'll say
if I just let you get away with all your solo actions?
They'll think we're having an affair.
It would weaken my position.
At work or at home?
Just a few years until the kids are old enough.
We need to hang on until then.
What if she gets pregnant again?
Hey.
Roman! It was my mistake.
Do you understand that someone like you would never get custody of Magda?
Yes.
Good.
...a shocking crime.
Police have still not confirmed whether the killer was someone close to her.
A search is being conducted with helicopters and a large number of police
in a wide area between Kleve, Nijmegen and Goch.
A spokeswoman said they were currently questioning possible contact persons
and following leads from the public.
There are currently no concrete leads, but the investigation is still ongoing.
I say the shame will go away Now go and get undressed
Start admitting to what you want And what you secretly need
Go to extremes, live in ecstasy But don't babble on
I know the fear will go away
Once you're bleeding
Forget about the boundaries
No scruples will remain
So jump and fail Don't let the ground force the feet
Don't despair Overturn the boundaries and become
Katharina kept coming to the boarding school.
Not that I paid her much attention. I never talked to her.
I came spontaneously to the funeral when I heard about it.
The pretty girl I remembered, and now this brutal death.
You have something there.
The cat.
- Here you go. - Thank you.
Pregnant cats become tigresses.
- I'll take it. - Thanks.
Did you have any contact with Katharina Läufer later?
I'm a married man,
I'm heading a Catholic boarding school... Why should I?
Yeah, why?
Do you remember the student Merten Brodmann?
Yes, of course. It was a terrible thing.
It nearly cost me my career.
But then they were gracious.
Why?
Because of my illness. Cancer.
I had ten years of relapses,
but then they gave me my post back.
And now you're fully recovered?
Yes. I've felt fine in the last few years.
What a lovely dog.
Yeah, I only ever have this breed.
Did any of your dogs ever disappear?
Yes. How do you know?
Hey.
What are you doing here?
Leave me alone, asshole.
Are you alone?
Need help?
No.
What's your name?
Angelina Jolie.
A star like you is better off disappearing from here.
Get me a doner kebab if you're such a fan.
Why are you hanging out here on your own?
None of your business.
Once Butsche has got something in his head...
Sure, I'd like to sleep with a woman sometime, but...
It won't work anyway.
"It won't work anyway."
Do you find that thought helpful?
No, of course not. But...
the worst part is how she'll despise me
once she realizes that I'm not even capable of that.
Well,
I also know about your erectile difficulties,
but do I despise you because of it?
No.
But you're not a real woman.
I mean, of course you are, but I can't even see you.
Butsche tried before.
With Katharina.
Twenty years ago.
They were all laughing at me.
I don't want that ever again.
Then don't go.
I want to see Elena.
And then there's this... small stupid hope...
Butsche could actually fix me this time.
That you will make it work, you mean.
Sounds much better.
It's possible you could make it work.
It's possible I could make it work.
It's possible you could make it work. Repeat that.
It's possible I could make it work.
It's possible... I could make it work.
It's possible...
When you have the devil in you You're in your element
You're going out with my friends And then you ring me at 4:00 a.m.
You know jealousy won't let me sleep For the rest of the night
As the devil would have it I'm so in love
Maria Maddalena
I never thought it could be like that
Maria Maddalena
As the devil would have it You're exactly my type...
Follow me.
Maria Maddalena
Everything about you Just everything
Is a perfect match for me
You're capricious like the biggest star
What you think of me that day Is completely unpredictable in the morning
And because you're simply different From all the other girls in the world
Have I unavoidably Gotten used to happenstance
Everybody now!
As the devil would have it I'm so in love
Maria Maddalena
I never thought it could be like that
Maria Maddalena
As the devil would have it You're exactly my type
Maria Maddalena
Everything about you Just everything
Is a perfect match for me
I'm sorry, Roman.
It's fine.
Look at you.
Lipstick.
Has anybody found my watch? Golden, really expensive.
I can check.
Did you talk to the police yet? Have you told them about before?
Yeah, I'll tell them anything they want to know, Roman.
I'll especially mention that stupid idea you had back then.
Did you not tell them yet, Roman?
I thought because of K,
the way she was killed, you would have told the police?
But... maybe there's no need to tell them.
- If it wasn't one of us... - If it wasn't one of us...
They will suspect each of us.
So what, Roman? I suspect all of you, too.
- Toothy as well? - Toothy, too, yeah.
It would be best if we tell all.
Oh, really?
Everything?
Elena?
What do you think?
I think... I'd like to dance now.
The lady wants to dance.
- Come on. - Go on.
- Come on. - Toothless, you're dancing.
Wow.
I'll never get away from Roman.
Unless he dies.
Yeah.
I can't watch this any longer.
- Now loosen up. - Loosen up. Exactly.
And now, one, two, three. Man, you should have known that.
- What's wrong with you? - What is it?
Hey, you're missing out on a Lower Rhine defloration ceremony.
I've had enough Lower Rhine defloration from you.
- Butsche doesn't get it. - We'll do it the traditional way.
Leave my wife alone or I'll give you hell.
What are you going to do?
Believe me, it's really easy.
Come on.
Really easy.
Don't let that jerk get to you.
Now, what about the three of us?
What?
Butsche! No! When... After K, I can't!
It's pointless, you know that.
But you haven't tried my best mare yet.
I don't want a mare.
Where are you going? Don't be a spoilsport.
- Pearl! - Butsche!
I'll tell the police everything if you force me.
Come on.
Hello. Uh...
I'm sorry, my friends seem to think it's some kind of bachelor party,
but it's actually just my birthday.
But they don't know. Nobody does.
You know, we could just have a drink, if you like.
They do have champagne in these establishments.
Crazy expensive champagne. We'll drink it, and I'll pay and then I'll leave you.
Surely you've had enough of that.
But you have a hard-on already.
Yeah, but that'll go in a minute.
And therefore...
That looks disgusting.
Like my grandpa's legs before they pulled all his varicose veins. Put that away.
Sorry, but somehow it doesn't go away.
I could just lie here by myself...
Don't you dare jerk off all over my nice sheets, you garden goblin.
If you take him inside you, it'll probably disappear.
It's always like that.
I can't look at that.
It's still there!
No!
- It'll go by itself... - By itself? Bullshit.
I'm so sorry.
What's up with him?
Impotence and lack of libido.
Typical after cancer and chemotherapy. Brettschneider!
Stop that.
If it was the principal, this would explain the long interval.
And his dog disappeared that summer, just before Merten went missing.
- Anything else? - Yeah.
I found these photos in Katharina Läufer's house.
Old and new, nothing in particular.
Here's one of Elena Seliger from back then. She's writing in a book.
It could be a diary.
We'll check that out first thing tomorrow. Good night.
Were you planning an arrest tonight?
Why are you not wearing a skirt?
Stop that.
It won't work.
It's a long drive to the sea.
Give me your hand.
And now the other one.
And the other one. Behind your back.
You know the drill.
Prosecution calls the shots.
Have you lost it completely now?
Let's see how long you will last.
Let's see how many miles before you give up.
I had often wondered how he would be.
Rich, smart, handsome?
A father attending all parent-teacher meetings.
Strict, when you don't do your homework.
You don't even know who he is?
I found him later via the birth certificate.
I wrote to him, suggesting to meet.
And?
He didn't show up. Probably too busy.
We'll talk about that again later.
After 600 miles.
Come here, sleep in my arms.
How did it go?
Who's this?
A slip-up 12 years ago.
Your daughter?
Come here, Elsie.
I can't leave Elsie on her own all day. She'll get into trouble.
That's why you lock her in the wardrobe?
She shoplifted twice last week. Nothing but trouble if she gets caught.
Child protective services... So she stays where I can see her.
You put her out on the street for ten hours a day?
And now she listens to you fucking?
Come with me.
Come.
Hey!
Elsie!
I want pizza.
Frutti di mare.
Time to sleep. Come on.
Go to bed.
Mom and her boyfriend think I'm a good dancer.
Shall I?
There'll be no dancing, there'll be sleeping.
I'll take care of things tomorrow.
I'll take the next one in a minute, yeah?
Hey, Thomas, what are you doing?
Get out!
What do you mean, out?
Get lost!
Fuck off! Out!
Go!
Just because I'm keeping an eye on her, or...
Are you... Pope?
What are you doing?
Elsie! Elsie!
She was so good.
And so beautiful.
She had beautiful hair.
Her name is Pearl.
Pearl, who changed my life.
Pearl of love. Pearl the most beautiful of all women!
Mr. Sluiter, did you get any sleep last night?
Are you getting manic?
Typical. For once, I feel fine, and then it has to be an illness.
Are you taking your medicine regularly?
It says they cause sexual problems.
You're treating me for sexual issues,
and give me something causing sexual problems.
You... lust killer.
Mr. Sluiter,
I'm treating you for depression,
post-traumatic stress disorder
and, very peripherally, also for sexual problems.
But that's my main problem.
And it has been resolved now.
"It's possible I could make it work."
What a shitty line you gave me.
- I can do anything, that's my new mantra. - You sound manic.
And you're the opposite of manic.
For how long do you sit here every day?
7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.?
Listening to all of that, and one can't even see you?
Do you have sex?
Thought so.
You can drop me off at the boarding school.
I'm meeting Köhler there.
So he'll find out?
He's not stupid.
Does he know?
Did you tell him anything?
Of course not.
My wife will flip if she hears about it beforehand.
She'll keep the kids from me, and I'm the bad guy.
Then let me get out here.
What's this now?
The girl has completely ragged underwear.
How do you know what her underwear looks like?
She slept at my place.
- At your home? - At my workplace.
- You have beds there? - I run a hotel.
So the mother brought the girl to work. What's so bad about that?
I'm far more interested in why you saw her underwear.
I have a brothel, okay?
The mother is a hooker.
When she fucks her customers, she locks her in the wardrobe.
That's definitely endangerment of a child.
We'll contact the mother.
Is that all? Contact her?
- Where is the girl now? - Not in the wardrobe anymore.
- Where? - At the brothel, damn it.
- But you can't have a minor... - What do you think I'm doing?
Do you think I let her turn tricks?
You're quite aggressive.
Right. If it goes against the mother, you're aggressive.
To you, all mothers are innocent, huh?
No matter if they hit their child or do it with them.
Let me tell you something.
Those from child protective services are the worst cunts.
Okay, that's enough. Get out.
Okay.
Do your own dirty work.
Do you know where she kept her diary?
Go ahead and search everything. My daughter hasn't been back for 20 years.
She'll have to live with that.
What are we reading today?
Perfume.
"In those times that we're talking about, an incredible stink prevailed in towns.
Streets smelled of dung, backyards of urine,
stairwells of foul wood and rat shit..."
"Kitchens of spoiled cabbage and mutton drippings,
unaired parlors of dust,
bedrooms of greasy sheets and damp feather beds
and the piercingly sweet scent of chamber pots."
Merten!
That's familiar. It's the story of that Grenouille,
who created a perfume from women he killed.
A perfume that makes anybody love you.
Where did you find that?
Under the mattress.
He sheared their heads.
This might sound stupid...
but the dog only signaled at the one spot, right?
What if the boy was buried beneath the dog?
Merten!
Sweetheart.
"...the piercingly sweet scent of chamber pots."
- All okay? - Yes.
- Keep reading. - Yeah.
Let's summon all five of them.
But we won't mention this.
What's the book Perfume about?
It's a book about the sensuous delight of smelling.
Grenouille, the protagonist, kills women to create a perfume from them.
The perfume is supposed to give him power because he's afraid of people.
It's about love.
Grenouille wants to be loved.
He's someone who can't be loved.
A monster.
Grenouille...
He himself doesn't smell. He has no body odor.
And...
He's also a nothing, a nobody.
And now... bang...
he wants to become somebody with the perfume.
The book is about a really bad mother.
A mother?
A fishwife.
Threw her child into the rubbish right after birth.
I didn't read any further.
You can train your sense of smell through practice, quite a lot.
It's a gift as well, but mostly practice.
The yearning of women to be really understood and noticed is endless.
And if you have a really good sense of smell,
you can explain a woman's character to her in a very sensual way.
You will notice her feelings far better than anybody else.
Then you hold the key.
We practiced.
It was the beginning of a glorious time.
- Are you in? - Yeah.
Anyway, someone had the idea that we could become like Grenouille.
Yes, we also tried to capture scents.
Look at this.
Moritz was the best at it.
Smelling.
He had the best ideas of how to capture scents.
How about human scents?
Cold enfleurage.
You know, when you put the butter in the fridge next to a dish,
and then the butter smells like the dish?
Fat captures odors, and that's just how enfleurage works.
Yeah, well, it didn't work.
We had already bottled K's scent, but...
Butsche, for example, with all his testosterone,
when he dabbed some on, he smelled just like himself after just five minutes.
Did you carry on?
And young Merten Brodmann?
To us he was nothing.
A fellow student disappeared, and you were unconcerned?
Yeah.
Well...
Juvenile egocentricity.
You made a perfume from Katharina Läufer that was unwearable
because the individual scent was stronger.
You'll find scent and perspiratory glands in the armpit and in the genital area.
That's right.
You could extract those glands and make a much stronger perfume.
You seem rather stressed.
High cortisol levels.
No need to worry. It's completely normal during pregnancy.
- I'm not pregnant. - Oops.
Get a test.
You think I'll fall for that shit?
Tell me about your head injury.
Carbon fiber.
A plate in your forehead.
Excuse me.
Mom?
BASED ON THE THEME OF THE NOVEL
"PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER" BY PATRICK SÜSKIND
Subtitle translation by Britta Boyle