Before I get too far into this article, I should point out that one’s opinion of what constitutes film noir is a highly subjective one. For some, the only films that qualify are those that contain the following elements: Black-and-White film Chiaroscuro lighting Made after World War II and before JFK became president An anti-hero … Continue reading East German Noir
East German Christmas Movies
For those who grew up in the West, it often comes as a surprise to learn that East Germans celebrated Christmas. After all, wasn’t it a communist country and didn’t Karl Marx say “Religion is the opium of the people?” Well, yes, he did, although he did go on to say it was “…the sigh … Continue reading East German Christmas Movies
Red Westerns
The American West is about as far from East Germany as one can get, politically, geographically, and philosophically, but Germans have a long—some might say bizarre—love affair with America’s past, and, in particular, the lives of the Indians who roamed the plains.1 Some Germans spend their summers living in teepees, wearing feathered headdresses and facepaint, … Continue reading Red Westerns
6+2 of the Weirdest Films from East Germany.
I have a love/hate relationship with movie listicles. Don't we all? On one hand, it seems like a facile way to discuss films. They are rarely more than thumbnails with no depth or examination. But on the other hand, they are a great way to learn about movies one hasn’t seen. Since I don’t plan … Continue reading 6+2 of the Weirdest Films from East Germany.
Auf Wiedersehen…Sort of
It occurred to me while working on the the Carole Lamberti that it was time to turn the burner down on the East German Cinema Blog. I’m not abandoning the site altogether. I’ll still write about films when they are made available with English subtitles, and I’ll definitely be updating some of my entries along … Continue reading Auf Wiedersehen…Sort of
Miss Butterfly
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in! – Michael Corleone, Godfather Part III [NOTE: I had planned to be finished adding new movies to this blog, but little did I realize that the long-lost experimental film Miss Butterfly (Fräulein Schmetterling) was about to be released with English subtitles by the … Continue reading Miss Butterfly
Radio GDR: Female Directors in East Germany
I recently returned to the Radio GDR studio (virtually speaking) to engage in a discussion on the female directors of East Germany. I was joined by Jeffrey Babcock, who curated a program on East German cinema for the Goethe Institute in Amsterdam, and show host Steve Minegar. It was a fun interview but shows how … Continue reading Radio GDR: Female Directors in East Germany
Carola Lamberti
Romance and intrigue at the circus in this DEFA-in-name-only film from the fifties. The circus film is a genre that doesn’t get much attention although it’s one of the oldest film genres. Studios started making them during the silent era (The Circus Man, Crown and Whip, and Circus Days) and the genre reached an apex … Continue reading Carola Lamberti
The Robe (Das Kleid)
It was just a lighthearted fairytale, but it hit a little too close to home for the East German authorities. It’s said that timing is everything. This is certainly true when it comes to movies. Billy Wilder’s Ace in the Hole was one of his best films, and had it been released in the early … Continue reading The Robe (Das Kleid)
Mother Courage and Her Children
Bertolt Brecht’s grim tale of a woman for whom war is a source of income is committed to film with the definitive cast from Brecht’s Berliner Ensemble in East Germany. There have been many anti-war plays over the years, but none so well-regarded as Bertolt Brecht’s classic Mother Courage and Her Children (Mutter Courage und … Continue reading Mother Courage and Her Children
East German Cinema Blog 