An undisputed classic of modern film historiography, kracauers from caligari to hitler had a major impact on the way we relate movies to history and society. Siegfried kracauera prominent german film critic and member of walter benjamins and theodor adornos intellectual circlebroke new ground in exploring the connections between film aesthetics, the prevailing psychological. The conflict centers on a manipulative psychiatrist and the hero he has incarcerated in a lunatic asylum. It was written by siegfried kracauer, the famous german film theorist and founder of the sociology of film. This bit of folklore also gives us the saying, a cat has nine lives. A psychological history of the german film, if you want the full subtitle. Many of its film clips come straight from the wilhelmmurnaustiftung archive, and are of excellent quality. A psychological history of the german film 2rev ed by kracauer, siegfried, quaresima, leonardo isbn. The haunted screen will make you aware of some very interesting films, but it is best to treat it as a picture book and not a text to be read from cover to cover. Although kracauer is not afraid of using such contested concepts as collective psychology and german soul, his productive readings of weimar films as harbingers of emerging fascism. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Based on celebrated sociologist siegfried kracauers seminal book from caligari to hitler 1947.
A psychological history of the german film, proposed some polarizing ideas regarding these early films. From caligari to hitler melds his understanding of trends in the film market with analysis of political tendencies of german social politics. German cinema in the age of the masses documentary 2014 self the sound of spying. The study is considered a groundbreaking treatise on german film and one of the most important books on the subject. Published by princeton university press in 1947 just two years after the end of the war his book was.
Kracauers from caligari to hitler is a far better overview of this era. The complete collection 19802009 dn dn the friends of eddie coyle 1973 dn the frighteners 1996 dod frightmare 1974 dn fright night 2. Siegfried kracauera prominent german film critic and member of walter benjamins and theodor adornos intellectual. Caligari is a 1920 german silent horror film, directed by robert wiene and written by hans janowitz and carl mayer. Posted on february 23, 20 may 11, 2015 by fritzi kramer.
Filmmaker rudiger suchsland has created an impressive documentary about kracauers bold theory. Nov 07, 2017 carl skoggard discusses his translation of siegfried kracauers georg. A landmark, now classic, study of the rich cinematic history of the weimar republic, from caligari to hitler was first published by princeton university press in 1947. Considered the quintessential work of german expressionist cinema, it tells the story of an insane hypnotist werner krauss who uses a somnambulist conrad veidt to commit murders the film. Watching old movies is a means of exploring ones pastthe film frequently returns to kracauer and particularly the analysis which he presented in his book, from caligari to hitler.
Her life with adolf hitler video documentary 1996 self sink the bismarck tv movie documentary 1996. I admire its fierce creativity and its willingness to take crazy risks. From caligari to hitler is an entertaining rollercoaster trip to the best period of german cinema and into the abyss of. A psychological history of the german film published in 1947 available here. Prominent film critic siegfried kracauer examines german society from 1921 to 1933, in light of such movies as the cabinet of dr. Kennedy suddenly has a blinding headache that day and doesnt know why. The documentary from caligari to hitler by filmmaker rudiger suchsland explores the connection between the expressionist silent cinema of germany and subsequent rise of nazism. Done please add cover and corrections kracauer, 2, 19, nov 22, 2019 05. Caligari is a 2005 american horror film directed by david lee fisher who also cowrote the film s screenplay, and is a remake of the.
July 31, 1964 the american space probe ranger 7 transmitted the first photo moons surface ever taken by a u. Using a montage of footage from the highest quality restorations, suchsland illustrates siegfried kracauers 1947 thesis that the rise of nazism is anticipated in many themes found throughout weimar cinema, while situating kracauer in the philosophy and histories of the time. To make a serious film about hitler has to be dangerous otherwise it wouldnt be honest. There, flueckiger notes, he argued that the film has a fascist underpinning that is conveyed by its expressionism. The film opens with this quotation from siegfried kracauer. First published in 1947, from caligari to hitler remains an undisputed landmark study of the rich cinematic history of the weimar republic. Caligari 1920, the last laugh 1924, variety 1925, the unknown woman 19 and the student of prague 19. A psychological history of the german film is a book by film critic and writer siegfried kracauer, published in 1947. Considered the quintessential work of german expressionist cinema, it tells the story of an insane hypnotist werner krauss who uses a somnambulist conrad veidt to commit murders. Caligari was the first german expressionist film, although brockmann and film critic mike budd claim it was also influenced by german romanticism. Accounts differ as to its financial and critical success upon release, but modern film critics and historians have largely praised it as a revolutionary film. Caligari is an allegory for german social attitudes.
The film illustrates the 1947 siegfried krakauer thesis that nazism is anticipated in many themes through weimar cinema of the 1920s. Director suchsland breaks up the pattern with frequent multiscreen still montages. I will examine not the notion of cultic films or its various forms and mechanisms, but the connection between real, historical cults and their representation in. Take, for instance, siegfried kracauer contention in from caligari to hitler. German cinema in the weimar era tcm offers a survey of filmmaking in germany during the years of the weimar republic 19191933, showcasing some of the most important works of this exciting period, when the german film industry blossomed and had a profound influence on world cinema. It takes the audience on an eerie journey through the mind of a madman. From caligari to hitler dvd kino lorber home video. A psychological history of the german film was in that first huge batch of books i bought to place on my shelf. Lee thompson and starring roddy mcdowall, was released in u. Kracauer proposes that robert wienes film the cabinet of dr. Heres a complete list of every german film discussed in siegfried kracauers from caligari to hitler. Because august is a yowly time for cats, this may have prompted the speculation about witches on the prowl in the first place. Caligari and hitler lies in the mood the film conveys, not an endorsement of such tyrant on the film s part. A revolutionary film was thus turned into a conformist one following the muchused pattern of declaring some normal but troublesome individual insane and sending him to a lunatic asylum.
In a purely cinematic sense, of course, the cabinet of dr. Sigfried kracauers from caligari to hitler retains. With rudiger suchsland, hans henrik wohler, fritz lang, volker schlondorff. Completed the majority of this on my phone going to miss you, unlimited streaming while stuck in nyc traffic on the way home from washington dc. From caligari to hitler suggests that the most perfect example of an artistic, social and cultural synthesis coming together to warn the present and predict the future had to be germany in the cabaret era 1920s and 30s. Original german titles and their english translation will be given and a director and year when the information is available.
Caligari was released just as foreign film industries were easing restrictions on the import of german films following world war i, so it was screened internationally. Dec 23, 2015 from caligari to hitler suggests that the most perfect example of an artistic, social and cultural synthesis coming together to warn the present and predict the future had to be germany in the cabaret era 1920s and 30s. One of the most comprehensive film documentations on the legacy of the classic and exploitive entertainment genre known as horror. Very, very minor burns here, with an oddly, borderline irresponsible gloss on hiroshima and nagasaki despite spending fifteen minutes in the episode before describing the brain fragments and blood which. Reproducing film colors, and their significances moving. The cabinet of dr caligari is a masterpiece of expressionist film. A psychological study of the german film, siegfried kracauer 18891966 was the editor for cultural affairs at germanys leading liberal. Dec 20, 2015 at the beginning of the recent german film look whos back, adolf hitler wakes up in a courtyard from a long and uncomfortable sleep. Kracauer siegfried from caligari to hitler a psychological history of the german film.
Caligari is often cited as the granddaddy of modern horror films. Color issues have come into or been inappropriately left out of some key critical discussion of caligari. The purpose of film as a cultural tool is examined. A list of 173 films compiled on letterboxd, including the cabinet of dr. From caligari to hitler kino lorber edu kino classics. To say this film is obscure is like saying fingers tend to come with hands. The first, from caligari to hitler, was based on the groundbreaking 1947 book of the same title by siegfried kracauer, which surveyed the cinema of the weimar republic and thus includes many of the masterpieces by lang, murnau, pabst, et al. German cinema in the age of the masses looks film productions, arte, zdf, kino, tcm, 2014. Complete history of the origins and development of the horror film genre from caligari to the exorcist.
Jan 31, 2018 from caligari to hitler is probably the bestknown and perhaps even the most important essay on film in the weimar republic. Caligari to hitler 1947 is almost as famous as the film itself. Guy maddin, canadian film, german expressionism, weimar. German expressionism and guy maddin acta universitatis. From caligari to hitler tells the story of early german cinema as the story of social and cultural upheaval in the first republic, between 1918 and 1933. Ma molti aspetti di quellepoca sono stati dimenticati, o ridotti allambito degli specialisti. Best remembered today for his exploration of early german cinema from caligari to hitler. Everyday reality in caligari is dominated by tyrannical aspects. Siegfried kracauer, who wrote the groundbreaking book from caligari to hitler 1947 on this weimar cinema, is a central figure, as is fritz lang, the most versatile of all weimar.
L ang, the visionary german film maker, cinematic tyrant and creator of movie genres, worked for over a year on his most expensive movie, the dystopian scifi. Oct 29, 2015 from caligari to hitler hd trailer fil rouge media. And one of them is from a guy who always posts as an imaginary german count hes very insightful though, go check it out. That freewandering soul imagined the madmen, somnambulists, vampires and murderers who were haunting the expressionistic settings of the caligari film and its like. Next time you get a chance to watch the film, notice what a truly strange little film it really is. Siegfried kracauers seminal 1947 study from caligari to hitler. A psychological history of the german film was one of the most influential film criticism books of. From caligari to hitler by siegfried kracauer a psychological history of the german film, if you want the full subtitle. December 20, 1961columbia pictures releases the science fiction film mysterious island, directed by cy endfield and featuring the stopmotion animation of ray harryhausen, on this date.
The thesis borne in the title of siegfried kracauers book from caligari to hitler 1947 is almost as famous as the film itself. This was a time when the film industry in germany flourished, with auteurs. German cinema in the age of the masses quotes there are no approved quotes yet for this movie. Gimli hospital 1988 to his most recent one, the forbidden room 2015. Published on feb 16, 2015 the time of the weimar republic 1918 to 1933 was a great period in the history of cinema. Publication date 2004 publisher princeton university press collection inlibrary. New blood 20 dn frogs 1972 dn from caligari to hitler 2014 dn from here to eternity 1953 dn from the dark 2014 dn from up on poppy hill. Martina haubrich studied theater and film, english literature and later north american studies, first at the university of cologne, later at the free university berlin where she graduated m. Project muse color analysis for the digital restoration.
If you added a little kahlua in first, even better. Budd notes the film s themes of insanity and the outcry against authority are common among german romanticism in literature, theatre and the visual arts. German cinema in the age of the masses is an fine encoding of this film related docu. This was a time when the film industry in germany flourished, wit. Siegfried kracauera prominent german film critic and member of walter benjamins and theodor adornos intellectual circlebroke new ground in exploring the connections between film aesthetics, the. Kracauer argued that caligari symbolizes autocratic tendencies inherent in the german. Some were attracted by the volumetric film, but many also wanted to see the complete original in the. When i first got into film criticism and was finally in a college town with a decent used bookshop, siegfried kracauers from caligari to hitler. Jan 22, 2018 in 1947, siegfried kracauer, in his book entitled from caligari to hitler. Original german titles and their english translation will be given and a director. Barlow rejects kracauers claims that the film glorifies authority just because it has not made a preachy statement against it, and said the connection between dr. German cinema in the weimar era for the next three wednesdays, tcm will be looking at the topic of cinema in weimarera germany, which is roughly the 15 years before the rise to power of adolf hitler. Focuses on the weimar republic 19181933 and its collective spirit in cinema.