1927 - 1933

These pages gather films that can be paired with selected chapters and texts from the book. The material is intended to help bring the readings to life. Users looking for better-quality copies of the films below can consult the following lists of German films on DVD:

1927 — Berlin. Sinfonie der Großstadt / Berlin: Symphony of the Metropolis

Walter Ruttmann (61 min.)

See Ruttmann, “How I Made My Berlin Film,” text no. 207

Ruttmann, “The Absolute Fashion,” text no. 208

1927 — Gespensterstunde / The Ghostly Hour

Curt Schumann (4 min.)

See chapter 16, Film as Knowledge and Persuasion

Arthur Lassally, Film Advertising and Advertising Films, text no. 240

Nikolaus, Advertising and Its Psychological Effects, text no. 246

1927 — Metropolis (Restored film)

Fritz Lang (150 min. with English subtitles)

See chapter 3, The Time Machine

chapter 9, The Specter of Hollywood

chapter 11, The Mobilization of the Masses

chapter 12, Chiffres of Modernity

chapter 13, The Expressionist Turn

chapter 14, Avant-garde and Industry

chapter 15, The Aesthetics of Silent Film

chapter 18, Technology and the Future of the Past

1927 — Siren of the Tropics

Mario Nelpas, Henri Étiévant (4 min.), excerpt with Josephine Baker

See chapter 12, Chiffres of Modernity

Anonymous, The Charleston in One Thousand Steps, text no. 56

Giese, Revue and Film, text no. 181

1928 — The Circus

Charlie Chaplin

See chapter 12, Chiffres of Modernity; chapter 9, The Specter of Hollywood

Benjamin, Chaplin in Retrospect, text no. 182

1929 — Im Schatten der Maschine

Albrecht Viktor Blum (22 min.)

See Blum, “Documentary and Artistic Film,” text no. 45

1929 — Chelovek s kino-apparatom / The Man with a Movie Camera

Dziga Vertov (69 min.)

See chapter 11, The Mobilization of the Masses; chapter 14, Avant-garde and Industry

Anonumous, “Candid” Cinematography, text no. 215

1929 — Melodie der Welt

Walter Ruttmann (48 min.)

See chapter 17: Sound Waves

Ruttmann, “The Absolute Fashion,” text no. 208

Ruttmann, “The Isolated Artist,” text no. 213.

Pinschewer, “Film Advertising,” text. no. 237

Ruttmann, “Principles of Sound Film,” text no. 250

1929 — Mickey Mouse Plane Crazy

Walt Disney (6 min.)

See chapter 12: Chiffres of Modernity; chapter18, Technology and the Future of the Past

Benjamin, Micky Mouse, text no. 185

Diebold, The Future of Mickey Mouse, text no. 277

1929 — Jenseits der Strasse/Beyond the Street

Leo Mittler (54 min.)

See chapter 11, The Mobilization of the Masses

Balazs, Film Works for Us, text no. 164

Pick, Individual and Montage, text no. 170

1929 — Hunger in Waldenburg (Trailer)

Phil Jutzi (6:18 min.)

1930 — All Quiet on the Western Front (Trailer)

Lewis Milestone (131 min.)

See chapter 8, Image Wars

Kracauer, All Quiet on the Western Front, text no. 124

Tucholsky, Against the Ban on the Remarque Film, text no. 125

1930 — Anna Christie

Clarence Brown, with Greta Garbo (2 min. Whiskey Scene in German)

See Chapter 10, Cinephilia and the Cult of Stars;

Kracauer, Garbo, text 61

Brod and Thomas, Love on Film, text no. 154

A.K., Done with Hollywood, text no. 139

1930 — Der Blaue Engel / The Blue Angel

Trailer in German

See chapter 9, The Spectre of Hollywood

Chapter 10, Cinephilia and the Cult of Stars

1930 — Lichtspiel Schwarz-Weiss-Grau/Lightplay Black White Gray

Lázló Moholy-Nagy (6 min.)

See chapter 14

1930 — Menschen am Sonntag / People on Sunday

Robert Siodmak, Billy Wilder, et al. (74 min. English subtitles)

See chapter 10 Cinephilia and the Culture of Stars

Chapter 12, Chiffres of Modernity

Chapter 15 Aeshtetics of Silent Films

1930 — Amateur Film from Vienna

Familie Rauchfuss (2 min.) from Stadtfilm Wien

See “Vienna is Filming!,” text no. 148

1930 — Roter Wedding / Red Wedding

Documentary Photographs

See chapter 11, The Mobilization of the Masses

1930 — Westfront 1918

G.W. Pabst (88 min., with English subtitles

See chapter 8, Image Wars

1932 — Kuhle Wampe oder Wem gehört die Welt? / Kuhle Wampe or Who Owns the World?

Slatan Dudow and Bertolt Brecht (73 min., English subtitles)

See chapter 11, “The Mobilization of the Masses”

Brecht, “The Threepenny Lawsuit,” 1931, text no. 171

Ihering, “The Banned Kuhle Wampe,” 1932, text. 172