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 …
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6+2 of the Weirdest Films from East Germany.
I have a love/hate relationship with movie listicles. Don't we all? On the one hand, it seems like a facile way to discuss films. They're 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 …
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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 …
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 it shows …
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Love at 16
Love at 16 (Liebe mit 16) belongs to a list of DEFA films that focus on the concerns of teenagers. The list includes Just Don’t Think I’ll Cry, Too Young for Love, Seven Freckles, Swan Island, Damn It, I'm Grown Up, Jana and Jan, and Just Married. The story in this film centers around sixteen-year-old …
Plantagenstrasse 19
The events in Plantagenstrasse 19 (Plantagenstraße 19) primarily take place in an apartment building at the address in the film’s title.1 The story starts when the Madäus family appears to be moving into a flat in the building. During their move, it becomes apparent that the couple is not simply moving in, but splitting up. …
East German Cinema Book Now on Sale!
It’s finally here! Movies from Behind the Wall, my book on East German cinema is now available on Amazon either as a Kindle book or a 600-page print-on-demand book. Eventually, I’ll be making it available in other formats on other platforms as well. Full disclosure: much of the material in the book is available for …
Radio GDR Podcast on Films
For anyone interested in life in East Germany, there is a podcast called Radio GDR that covers nearly every aspect of life there, from fashion to stamp collecting. In their most recent podcast, host Shane Whaley chatted about East German films with yours truly and Jefferey Babcock, who hosts screenings of DEFA films in the …
Mine-Haha English Translation Now Available!
I’m pleased to announce that my translation of Frank Wedekind’s classic novella, Mine-Haha, or the Corporal Education of Young Girls is now available on Amazon as either a Kindle book or a paperback. Included in it is my description of the translation process and why I made the choices I did for various words, along …
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Those “Porcupine” Films (Das Stachetier)
If you’ve read more than a couple of the articles on this blog, you’ll have come across the name “Das Stacheltier.” Formed in 1953 as a subgroup of the documentary film group at DEFA, Das Stacheltier made short films intended to play before the main features at East German cinemas. Stacheltier means porcupine in German1, …
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