German Filmmuseum Edition

[triodelover]

zedz is right, but to save money bundle a few DVDs and purchase them from either jpc or Amazon.de. Both remove VAT if the purchaser is outside the EU and shipping charges are less onerous.

[knives]

I've found .it to be cheaper then .de

[zedz]

Same thing here, knives. Actually, this set is currently discounted to 23E on amazon.it, and they'll probably remove VAT too.

[TMDaines]

Amazon.es is the new Amazon.it for German titles. Always check all three.

[antnield]

The Digital Fix on Materialfilme.

[Tommaso]

Have watched the new Lamprecht double dvd now. Great work as usual from Filmmuseum. The longer runtime of "Die Verrufenen" seems to be down to slower speed mainly - and sometimes I had the feeling that it might run a tiny bit too slow now -, even though I can't guarantee this fully. In any case, a very impressive film, socially aware but - typically for Lamprecht - without being as preachy or 'radical' as some of the more directly agitist leftist films from the same period. Lamprecht's cinema gains its effect from subtlety and detail rather than from grand gestures, which of course doesn't mean that Lamprecht didn't occasionally shows that he could pull off 'effects' as well as any other master director from the era. Just look at the amazing camerawork in the hallucinatory dance sequence.
The second film, "Die Unehelichen", depicting the plight of orphans living with foster parents, is also very good, not least because Lamprecht had an uncanny knack for directing children in a totally convincing way (see also his masterpiece "Emil und die Detektive" in this respect).

Both films come with piano soundtracks by Donald Sosin, and I have to confess: the man has gotten better over the years and at least for these two films he came up with very fitting and unintrusive music.

The films come from preservation prints made in the 1980s and as such didn't receive any restoration, it seems. Especially "Die Verrufenen" has a lot of scratches, tramlines etc., but I guess this has to be accepted. The transfers themselves are on the usual extremely high level that we've come to expect from Filmmuseum and could hardly be bettered. My only minor quibble is that I'd love to have more contextual extras as with some other Filmmuseum releases: original programmes, contemporary reviews and the like in the form of pdf-files. This release only has a relatively brief - though informative - booklet essay. In any case, indispensable for any fan of German silents.

[TMDaines]

Despite your quibbles, it still sounds essential! It's been on my wishlist for a while.

[Tommaso]

It's absolutely essential, and can be had for 19,90 Euro from jpc.de at the moment. Pretty good price for a Filmmuseum double dvd.

[lubitsch]

On the front page there's a new trailer for Der Student von Prag with spine number 76 though no other announce yet. The film is shown today on arte in a restored, tinted version.

[knives]

Do you think a release would feature both versions?

[lubitsch]

Do you think a release would feature both versions?

Why not all three, the sound version of 1935 is arguably the best of the bunch. The trailer is just the 1913 version which was also shown on the Berlinale. The 1926 version ran quite some years ago on TV with a rather cheaply made score (a compilation of classicval music). The 1935 was last shown in the GDR. It would be a nice opportunity, but I think they won't do it.
The problem is also that the author rights are still valid since Ewers died in 1943, only next year the film is public domain. So the release itself might be held back until 2014.

[knives]

I figured some rights problems may burn that (and I wasn't aware that there was a sound version). I'm surprised that German law for film goes to writer and not director though.

[Tommaso]

Amazing, only a few days ago I talked with TMDaines in another thread about a chance of this film getting a release, and I considered it unlikely, with only Filmmuseum being a possible candidate perhaps. Someone up there must have listened. But I also can't imagine that they will do all three versions, even though they'd really miss a big opportunity. Not just because the third version may indeed be the best in many respects, but because all three films are vastly different in terms of approach and technical means and thus also can be seen together as an 'in nuce'-portrait of the development of German filmmaking from the 10s to the mid-30s. The only other German film I can think of that was remade twice with all three versions being equally great is "Alraune", incidentally also written by Ewers.

German law unfortunately seems to go to anybody who had a shaping influence on a film it seems, including the music composer (which is one reason why there's still no release of Powell's "Herzog Blaubart's Burg"). It's complete nonsense. The only reasonable approach would be to go after the production company, which are of course defunct in the case of all three versions of "Student".

[zedz]

I'll keep my fingers crossed. If any label is going to collect multiple versions of a subject, it's Filmmuseum. They've already done it with the Ludwig set.

[TMDaines]

Only shit! Can't wait for this. I hope it'll be a double-disk set (which are always better value when it comes to EF) with perhaps the two remakes.

Now we're getting one, we can actually hope for other silents to receive 100th birthday editions. Cabiria next year, please!

[HerrSchreck]

Wow, somehow the friggin Slums of Berlin got past me.

Two years ago, it was maybe my most sought after unseen film, now I've got my pick of this plus a bad print of the US cut of the film.

This would have been better paired, I think, with that other Zille screaming for formal release, Mütter K's Fahrt ins glück.

What a set that would have been. We'd all throw ourselves off a roof by the time we were done!

Now, about Picks Sylvester . . . .

[Minkin]

On the front page there's a new trailer for Der Student von Prag with spine number 76 though no other announce yet. The film is shown today on arte in a restored, tinted version.

Wow! I had thought this film was never going to get some proper attention. The only print I had seen of it had been battered within an inch of its life and was without subtitles, so whatever they put out will be a revelation. The website includes a trailer for the film (which looks superb - and sort of makes you wish EF did Bluray, but I'm perfectly happy with DVD).

Now to just hope this doesn't take a decade to actually come out (I'm looking at you Unknown Orson Welles and Der Hund von Baskerville sets).

[TMDaines]

Jesus, the HDTV rip of this looks stunning. Can't wait to see what EF serve up.

[Tommaso]

The same in SD, I can't imagine they'll have the guts to do a Blu. But as Filmmuseum usually do the best transfers of silents I've ever seen anywhere (and that includes MoC), I'm sure it will look as stunning as that rip. Minus the hardsubs, of course This new resto looks absolutely glorious with truly marvellous tintings. Really, I hope that Filmmuseum will be able to release this one relatively quickly (it comes from Filmmuseum München, who seem to be a bit faster than some of the other institutes involved), at least if they only release the 1913 version. A more comprehensive package with one or both of the later versions will probably take much longer to put together, but in that case I'd gladly accept the usual endless wait.

[HerrSchreck]

You boys aint kidding, man. That broadcast reveals a restoration that has to constitute one of, if not THE most, amazing from-to/before-after journeys through restoration a film has ever travelled. I thought the Murnau Foundation's work on Phantom was superlative... this new print of the Wegener/Rye is just staggering in how much more idepth, detail, and authorial intent is revealed.

Happy 100th Birthday, o good Student!

[Tommaso]

It's now listed under 'next releases' in the following manner:

80 Der Student von Prag Hanns Heinz Ewers, 1913

Which seems to indicate that it'll only be the first version. I hope they do their duty and change the director's name to Stellan Rye, who actually directed the film. It was only Ewers' enormous popularity - and equally enormous ego - that made him appear as the director in the credits of the film.

[Cinosyrc]

Is there any info on what might be their next Benning release?

[antnield]

Der Bomberpilot & Nel Regno di Napoli
Edition Filmmuseum 61

The 2-disc DVD set presents new restored versions of two rare classics by Werner Schroeter connecting private stories with history: Der Bomberpilot tells the story of three eccentric women in Germany during the Nazi period who try to become show stars in America after the war. Nel Regno di Napoli is a chronicle of post-war Italy told from the perspective of a Neapolitan family. Additional features are an interview with Werner Schroeter by Gérard Courant, a video showing Werner Schroeter in a talk with the audience at the Austrian Filmmuseum, and stills from the shooting of Nel Regno di Napoli by Digne M. Markovicz.

DVD 1
Der Bomberpilot 1970, 65'
Vivre à Naples et mourir 1978, 87'
Trilingual booklet with texts and essays by Werner Schroeter, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Wolf Wondratschek, Bradford Nordeen, and Gérard Courant

DVD 2
Nel Regno di Napoli 1978, 130'
Werner Schroeter im Österreichischen Filmmuseum 1978, 16'

First Edition April 2013

[TMDaines]

This seems to be some of the more accessible Schroeter so I'll probably pick this up. Need to watch his Blu-ray of Malina too.

--

Forthcoming Releases updated. More Schroeters imminent and some covers added. Der Student von Prag looks to only be the first film, as it's not listed as double-disc set, nor are the other versions listed on the cover.

--

One of things I love about EF releases is the little trove of extras on the ROM section: Die Oberhausener has an 82min filmed panel discussion from a talk on the filmmakers, which most people will probably overlook. Pity they didn't go the whole hog and put this on the DVD properly with all the different subtitles.

[antnield]

Dokumentarisch Arbeiten 2
Edition Filmmuseum 79

Four documentary filmmakers, four talks, four key players of the German documentary film movement since the 60s: Hans-Dieter Grabe, Elfi Mikesch, Harun Farocki und Thomas Heise. Each of them has developed an own approach to filmmaking and a personal style. Christoph Hübner, a documentary filmmaker himself, succeeds in portraying four very different personalities, their works and their theories. Illustrated with excerpts from their films.

The Films

Dokumentarisch Arbeiten 2 - Germany 1998-2012 - Directed and photographed by: Christoph Hübner - Collaboration and sound recorded by: Gabriele Voss - With: Hans-Dieter Grabe, Elfi Mikesch, Harun Farocki, Thomas Heise - Produced by: Christoph Hübner Filmproduktion, Witten

About the Project

The double DVD collection Documentary Filmmaking 2 presents four more one-hour film conversations in the documentary film series. These conversations themselves have become part of the history of documentary filmmaking. No other project has ever focused on an exchange between documentarists in such detail and from within the intimacy of a conversation. Since 1995 the films in this series have been regularly broadcast on public television, as well as being screened at film festivals and shows.

Books have been written to accompany the series, and the films are used as study material at many film schools. The history of documentary film unfolds live during the acts of speaking and pausing, as well as in detachment from the work and reflection on it. The conversation comes straight from within the documentary work rather than secondhand, as part of a talk show or an academic-style interview of the artist. In the presence of a camera, these films are encounters between documentarists, at home, at work, or during editing.

"Come into the open, my friend..." This first line of a poem by Friedrich Hölderlin has been a constant companion, as it neatly summarizes what is important to me about documentary film: working without a target and making use of improvisation and discovery. "Come into the open..." also reflects the attitude of these conversations: how they come about, develop, and proceed. They start somewhere, with a casual observation, a keyword, or a situation, and evolve from that point. Often it is this beginning which sets the tone and rhythm for the entire conversation.

Since the filmmakers in this series are auteurs, the persons and their films cannot be separated and vice versa. The conversations revolve around the films and the filmmakers in equal measures, as well as around their attitudes as authors. Yet public awareness unfortunately continues to see documentary film only in terms of its subject matter, reducing it to a "statement" or "message." But documentary film is also "form," deliberate artistic expression and purposeful application of its means. This is the prevailing theme of the series Documentary filmmaking, of which each one of the four auteurs in Documentary filmmaking 2 is an excellent example.

Despite or perhaps because of his position at the public television channel ZDF, Hans-Dieter Grabe has developed his own unmistakable signature style which falls between journalism and documentary (similar to Klaus Wildenhahn during his time at the TV channel NDR).

Among the "political" filmmakers whose origins lie in the student movement, Harun Farocki is perhaps the most brilliant regarding form and the most deliberate. He explores uncharted documentary territory with his video installations.

The cinematographer and idiosyncratic filmmaker Elfi Mikesch has significantly contributed to the extension of the aesthetic boundaries of the "standard" documentary.
With his background in Brechtian theater and the material-like, pure poetic style of his documentaries, Thomas Heise has created his very own kind of filmic expression.
Christoph Hübner

DVD features (2-disc DVD)

Christoph Hübner talks with Hans-Dieter Grabe 1998, 64'
Christoph Hübner talks with Elfi Mikesch 2000, 60'
Christoph Hübner talks with Harun Farocki 2005, 60'
Christoph Hübner talks with Thomas Heise 2012, 59'
Booklet with texts by Christoph Hübner

First edition May 2013