Post-Wall German Cinema and National History
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Post-Wall German Cinema and National History by Mary-Elizabeth O'brien
German history films that focus on utopianism and political dissent and their effect on German identity since 1989.
O'Brien successfully points to cinematic trends and shifts and highlights the thematic interplay between individual historic events and their cultural conversions. . . O'Brien's study of post-Wall cinema provides thorough and thought-provoking readings of history films and convincingly presents utopianism and dissent as core concepts in the current debates about German national identity. * GERMAN STUDIES REVIEW *
[S]ituates itself at the heart of contemporary debates about recent German history . . . . O'Brien's thematic and contextualist approach allows for an inclusive inquiry that overcomes binary models . . . . [W]ith its analyses of previously unexplored films, solidly rooted with a diverse set of critical responses . . . the book does great service to contemporary German film studies and offers some very suggestive socio-political insights. FILM CRITICISM Examining how Germany's divided past shaped its present, this study focuses on contemporary films that look back to the legacy of the postwar period. O'Brien argues that utopianism and dissent, as practiced in both German states, have emerged as a model for imagining German identity in the present. . . . [H]er close readings of 12 significant films are well written and accessible, providing a convincing overview of how contemporary cinema engages with Germany's contested past. Recommended. * CHOICE *
16 powerfully expressive screenshots awake interest, a detailed index . . . makes locating things easy, the copious notes free up the discourse, which offers a convincing analysis of the corpus of the 'history film' genre. Looking back at the Wende, the trauma of the Wall, and the Red Army Faction, the films appear as seismographs of the time. The recalling of then-topical conflicts opens broad perspectives. * GERMANISTIK *
[S]ituates itself at the heart of contemporary debates about recent German history . . . . O'Brien's thematic and contextualist approach allows for an inclusive inquiry that overcomes binary models . . . . [W]ith its analyses of previously unexplored films, solidly rooted with a diverse set of critical responses . . . the book does great service to contemporary German film studies and offers some very suggestive socio-political insights. FILM CRITICISM Examining how Germany's divided past shaped its present, this study focuses on contemporary films that look back to the legacy of the postwar period. O'Brien argues that utopianism and dissent, as practiced in both German states, have emerged as a model for imagining German identity in the present. . . . [H]er close readings of 12 significant films are well written and accessible, providing a convincing overview of how contemporary cinema engages with Germany's contested past. Recommended. * CHOICE *
16 powerfully expressive screenshots awake interest, a detailed index . . . makes locating things easy, the copious notes free up the discourse, which offers a convincing analysis of the corpus of the 'history film' genre. Looking back at the Wende, the trauma of the Wall, and the Red Army Faction, the films appear as seismographs of the time. The recalling of then-topical conflicts opens broad perspectives. * GERMANISTIK *
Skidmore College
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781571135964 |
| ISBN 10 | 1571135960 |
| Title | Post-Wall German Cinema and National History |
| Author | Mary Elizabeth O'brien |
| Series | Studies In German Literature Linguistics And Culture |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Camden House |
| Year published | 2014-01-15 |
| Number of pages | 348 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |