A popular wall poster for the young people who opposed the Vietnam War read: “War is unhealthy for children and other living things.” After World War II,…… Read more “A Girl of 16½”
Category: Teenagers
5+1 Films That Look Back at the GDR
My next article on the East Germany Cinema Blog is going to take at least another week of work, so, in the meantime, here’s a listicle to…… Read more “5+1 Films That Look Back at the GDR”
When Martin was Fourteen
When Martin Was Fourteen (Als Martin vierzehn war) is the story of a teenage boy who finds himself in the middle of the fighting that followed the…… Read more “When Martin was Fourteen”
whisper & SHOUT
For anyone whose preconceptions about life in East Germany is informed by what was taught in American schools, whisper & SHOUT (flüstern & SCHREIEN) is the film…… Read more “whisper & SHOUT”
Jana and Jan
With the notable exception of horror movies, the East German film industry (that is to say, DEFA) made films of nearly every genre from westerns to science…… Read more “Jana and Jan”
Next Year at Lake Balaton
Road movies are common enough to warrant their own category. Whether the characters in a film are trying to get from point A to point B (The…… Read more “Next Year at Lake Balaton”
Alarm at the Circus
In 1954, a young director named Gerhard Klein teamed up with an even younger screenwriter named Wolfgang Kohlhaase, and the world of East German cinema would never…… Read more “Alarm at the Circus”
Swan Island
As is often the case, even in so-called free countries, restrictions on what one can describe in print is less restrictive than what one can show on…… Read more “Swan Island”
Karla
1966 was a rough year for film in East Germany. The 11th Plenum of the previous December pulled the rug out from under some of the most…… Read more “Karla”
The Baldheaded Gang
The Baldheaded Gang (Die Glatzkopfbande) is East Germany’s only biker film, and a possible precursor to the skinhead movement. Made in 1963—a full three years before Roger…… Read more “The Baldheaded Gang”
