As part of the exhibition Erich Mendelsohn. Dynamics and Function. Visions of a Cosmopolitan Architect, you can watch two films from the 1920s, which capture contemporary life and architecture in Germany.
June 10, 2009 at 5 PM Berlin, Symphony of the Metropolis / Berlin: Die Sinfonie der Großstadt Documentary, Germany, 1927, 65 min., black and white / silent (accompanied by music) Directed by: Walter Ruttman / Music: Edmund Meisel
The external framework of the film is the life of the metropolis from morning to midnight. It begins with the atmosphere of the city: a train passes through the suburbs, making us aware of the approaching colossus; the movement is recorded with astonishing technical skill. The station, dawn, Berlin! Gradually, it awakens. The first workers slowly fill the streets. In a crescendo, it focuses on the centers of morning life, at the station, factories, intersections. Characteristic figures are captured in various locations. We see the private lives of the metropolis's residents, buildings awaken, apartments come to life. Noon arrives, evening comes, and the lens continuously captures scenes full of life. The camera penetrates all spheres, all neighborhoods, all social strata. Night falls, and finally, everything is cloaked in a veil of stars. The film premiered on September 23, 1927, in Berlin and received a fairly positive reception; however, viewed as a documentary, it was criticized for placing too much emphasis on the aesthetic aspect at the expense of capturing the social dimension of the city.
June 24, 2009 at 5 PM Melody of the World / Melodie der welt Documentary, Germany, 1927, 49 min., black and white
Originally filmed as a promotional film for Hamburg-Amerika-Linie. Nearly fifty minutes long, then the longest sound film, it uses material from all over the world (largely not filmed by the author himself) and shapes complex themes such as architecture, transportation, religion, war, and work.
Both films are screened in collaboration with the Goethe Institute Prague.
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