Feb 2, 2005

·        Class began with discussion of term papers.  Dr. Reimer urged the class to decide on an appropriate topic.  Several kinds of topics were recommended, including cultural comparisons between two films, or how two films reflect genre and genre differences.

·        Dr. Reimer then discussed reimbursement for films not found in the Film Studies collection or the Atkins library.

New German Cinema (cont.)

·        Rubble films weren’t taking stock of implications and responsibility of the preceding history.

Oberhausen Manifesto

·        Oberhausen Manifesto stated the “grandpa’s cinema”  (Opas Kino) dead

o       They wouldn’t make the mistakes of the preceding films, wouldn’t have the same oversights.

o       The new films would demand thought and participation.

o       50s films were too commercial.

o       Signatories include:  Werner Herzog, Wim Wenders, Volker Schloendorff, Margarathe von Trotta, Ula Stoeckl.

o       Demanded and received money from the government.  Many signatories went on to extended film careers.

o       26 signatories.

·        In Germany, distribution would cut out independent filmmakers.  Ula Stoeckl ran into this problem.

o       German film would often debut on TV and TV subsidized the new directors

·        Initial American Reception (and German critics)

o       Amateurish – low production value

o       Technically clumsy – “do these directors know what they’re doing?”

o       Obscure

o       Distanced, detatched, cool, - Brechtian, pushing audience away.  Movie’s message becomes paramount.

o       Very Low Budget

o       Lack entertaining quality of French films

o       Lack sweetness of Czech films

o       Lacked philosophical depth of Bergman.

·        Critics’ comments – (see power point)

o       Didn’t like Schloendorff

o       The Chronicle Of Anna Magdelene Bach – movie about one person reading a diary over musical compositions

o       Artitsits Under The BigTop – Confused

§         Critics didn’t know what to make of it; perplexed.

o       Even Dwarves Started Small – (Herzog 1970)

§         “obnoxious, revolting, an atrocity”

§         dwarves live on an island with full size furniture.

o       Fassbinder – “clumsy, mannered.”

o       Critics would shortly change their minds.

·        Reversal of Opinion – (see power point)

·        Werner Herzog (b.1942)

o       Still making films

o       Most bizarre of NGC

o       Felt that director should show you things, not only that you’ve never seen, but have never imagined seeing.

o       Styles and Themes

§         Location shooting – no sets

§         Realism and mythic

§         Striking imagery – finds beauty

§         Stylized acting (or bland acting!)

§         Brechtian element – breaking cinematic illusion.

§         Character on the brink – the study of these characters.  What will they do?

§         Madness

§         Greatness

§         Socio-policial

o       Films – (see power point)

§         One For All and God Agaisnt Everyone – 18 year old, isolated from everyone his whole life, has to rejoin society.

§         Stroszek (1976)

·        Man commits suicide after being devastated by the American dream.

·        Wim Wenders (b. 1945)

o       Most highly regarded of NGC.

o       Still making films.

o       Styles and Themes (see power point)

§         Location shooting

§         Self-reflexive – touches on the making of film

§         Plays off Hollywood personas

§         Loose, unhurried narratives, and leisurely pacing.

§         High Production Values – could get the money.

§         Expansive landscapes

§         Open framing

§         Relationship/buddy films – perhaps a reason for his popularity,

§         Seeking

§         Questioning

§         State of films/film industry

§         State of culture

§         Internal state of characters

§         Major Films (see power point)

·        Himmel Ueber Berlin – 1987 “Wings of Desire”

·        Volker Scholoendorff

o       Most commercially successful

§         NGC wasn’t always kind to him for this reason

§         Filmed topics that guaranteed audiences.

o       Headed Babelsberg Studio

o       Literary adaptations

o       Leftist, like all NGC

o       Major Films (see power point)

§         The Young Toerless (1966) – Required reading for German students

§         The Tin Drum – Academy award winner, based on international bestseller.

·        R. W. Fassbinder (1945- 1982) (see power point)

o       His death ended NGC

o       Best-known, most representative of NGC directors

o       Controversy (see power point)

§         Decadent lifestyle

§         Said there was “no such thing as a relationship.”

o       Minimalistic, non-action – A focus on the trivial, banality, alienation

o       Later in career – higher production values, more fluid camerawork, better stories, but often with the same actors

o       Died of overdoes, either by accident or by his own choosing

o       Style (see power point)

§         Preference of the underclass (leftist)

o       Playwright

§         Antitheater – always trying to break the theatrical illiusion

§         Appeals to the thirst for novelty among many theatre goers.

o       Major films (see power point)

§         Katzelmacher (1969) – about underclass workers

§         Fear Eats the Soul (1973) – no happiness in relationships

§         Marriage of Maria Brown – best known, most accessible