Rarely screened, Nerves is a landmark Expressionist film that crackles with anxiety. Writer-director-producer Robert Reinert attempts to demonstrate the "nervous epidemic" caused by the frenetic nature of modern existence. He presents the interwoven stories of townsfolk in 1919 Munich. Reacting against social uprisings, natural catastrophes, and the long shadow of the First World War, the men and women of Munich struggle to relate to each other and make sense of their lives.
Neue Galerie
7 September 2010
Café Sabarsky is closed today.
The museum is closed today.
The museum shops are closed today.
Every season, the museum presents a series of documentaries and feature films that engage with central themes of the art on display. These films are selected by the curatorial staff, and shed light on the deeper motivations of artists, give insight into the time period, or demonstrate the ongoing influence of turn-of-the-century art and thought on today's culture. Films are presented free of charge on Mondays at 4 p.m. in Café Fledermaus.
This summer, the Neue Galerie presents the film series "Weimar on Screen." The tumultuous years of the Weimar Republic (1919-1933) were a time of far-reaching social, political, and cultural upheaval. In spite of this turmoil, they brought about a flowering of art and culture in Germany, particularly cinema. The films in this series are brilliant examples of Weimar-era filmmaking, and they illuminate aspects of the culture of the period.
June 14 and 21
Nerves, 1919
Directed by Robert Reinert, 110 min
June 28 and July 5
Berlin: Symphony of a Great City, 1927
Directed by Walter Ruttmann, 65 min
The documentary Berlin, Symphony of a Great City was conceived of by its creators as a “symphony of visual impressions” and a poetic valentine to the German capital city. Influenced by the work of Russian filmmaker Dziga Vertov, the film follows the people of Berlin over the course of a single day from dawn to midnight. Footage was collected for more than a year, and much of it was shot using movie cameras concealed in vans and suitcases to present candid views of city-dwellers.
July 12 and 19
Pandora's Box, 1929
Directed by Georg Wilhelm Pabst, 133 min
This silent melodrama was based loosely on Frank Wedekind's plays Erdgeist (Earth Spirit, 1895) and Die Büchse der Pandora (Pandora’s Box, 1904). It features Louise Brooks in a star-making turn as the free-spirited Lulu, whose sensuality and naïve ambition lead to the ruin of all who love her and, ultimately, to her own demise. Panned by German critics upon its release, the film is today hailed as a shockingly modern classic of the Weimar period and the highlight of Brooks's career.
July 26 and August 2
The Blue Angel, 1930
Directed by Josef von Sternberg, 106 min
Considered one of the crowning achievements of Weimar cinema, The Blue Angel presents a parable of a man’s fall from respectability. Quintessential Expressionist actor Emil Jannings plays sanctimonious teacher Emmanuel Rath, who is brought low by his obsession with smoldering nightclub singer Lola-Lola (played by Marlene Dietrich). Lola’s unrestrained sensuality was a revelation for 1930s moviegoers, and the role elevated Dietrich to the level of international leading lady.
August 9 and 16
Mädchen in Uniform, 1931
Directed by Leontine Sagan and Carl Frölich, 88 min
Mädchen in Uniform is one of the first German films to straightforwardly address the topic of homosexuality. It tells the story of a sensitive teen-aged girl who only begins to thrive at her boarding school after she develops an intense romantic attachment to one of her teachers. Initially banned in both Germany and the United States because of its controversial subject matter, the film was internationally released in 1932, and enjoyed critical success.
August 23 and 30
Grand Hotel, 1932
Directed by Edmund Goulding, 112 min
This Academy Award-winning drama features an all-star cast, including Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, and Joan Crawford. Loosely based on the German novel Menschen im Hotel, the film presents Berlin’s most posh hotel inhabited by the highest of high German society. The secret personal struggles of these wealthy patrons weaves a tapestry of intrigue: a Russian ballerina falls in love with a fallen lord; a secretary is seduced by a tyrant; a sick man seeks his last hurrah; and a lonely doctor hopes for redemption.
For further information about any of the museum's programs, please send an e-mail to museum@neuegalerie.org.