There are a number of very good documentary videos on F. W. Murnau on YouTube. The 16 minute presentation above details his groundbreaking cinematography
In each subsequent posts, hopefully ten on F. W. Murnau I plan to share a documentary I found edifying
A Post in Participation in German Literature Month XIII- November 2023
F.W. Murnau, (born December 28, 1889, Bielefeld, Germany
Moved to California in 1926 - he made three silent films for Fox Studios before forming his own company
—died March 11, 1931, Hollywood, California, - from injuries in an Automobile accident
His most famous film is Nosferatu, which was featured earlier this month.
Films by German directors are an important part of post World War One German Culture, from the groundbreaking silent classics of the Weimar Republic to the movies of Leni Reisenthal in celebration of Nazi rule, beloved by Goebels, to modern Oscar winners, I am pleased to see German Literature Month XIII now welcomes posts on Films by German Directors
German Literature Month is hosted by Lizzy’s Literary Life
https://lizzysiddal2.wordpress.com/2023/09/22/announcing-german-literature-month-xiii/
Today's Movie is Available on YouTube with English Subtitles
Time is widing down on German Literature Month XIII. In terms of films I have decided to focus on the works of the great F. W. Murnau.
(There are a number of his works on YouTube.)
Murnau directed 21 films, 12 still survive.
"F W. Murnau not only exploited new filming techniques such as the use of negative exposure, stop-motion and low angle camera positions, but also made pioneering achievements in terms of film settings, choosing to film both in studios (Faust, The Last Laugh) and on location (Nosferatu, Sunrise). Along with G.W. Pabst, Robert Wiene and Fritz Lang, he established German expressionism as arguably the most significant movement of the silent film era. Working with the best cinematographers and set designers of his time, including Fritz Arno Wagner, Karl Freund, Karl Hoffmann, Walter Rohrig and Hermann Warm, Murnau crafted a body of work which penetrates deeply into the psychic world of his characters and constructs a remarkably distinct cinematic universe." From The Harvard Film Archives
The film stars Harry Liedtke as the Grand Duke, a well-meaning but hapless ruler who is struggling to keep his country afloat despite its crippling debt. He is constantly pursued by his creditors, led by the menacing usurer Marcowitz, who is determined to collect on the Grand Duke's loans.
In a desperate attempt to save his country, the Grand Duke decides to marry the wealthy Russian Grand Duchess Olga. However, Olga is not interested in marrying the Grand Duke, and her brother, the Crown Prince of Russia, is vehemently opposed to the match.
The Grand Duke's hopes are further dashed when a businessman named Bekker offers him a large sum of money to exploit a sulfur mine on the island. The Grand Duke is torn between the financial benefits of the deal and his concern for the welfare of his subjects.
As the Grand Duke's financial problems mount, he finds himself surrounded by a host of eccentric and comical characters, including a scheming secretary, a lovestruck artist, and a pair of bumbling detectives.
Despite its serious subject matter, The Grand Duke's Finances is a lighthearted and entertaining film that is full of wit and charm. Murnau's direction is inventive and stylish, and the film's performances are all excellent.
Mel u
1 comment:
Very interesting! I enjoyed Janet Gaynor's reflections, particularly that she recognised the director as having been very nice to her but that was contradicted by the fact that German speakers on the set said he mistreated his assistant...one rule for the "talent" and another for the workers, like everywhere else I suppose.
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