Sirens & sinners - Hans Helmut Prinzler

Between the first and second World Wars, Germany under the Weimar Republic became the scene for one of the most creative periods in film history. Through the silent era to the early years of sound, the visual flair and technical innovation of its filmmakers set an international standard for the powerful possibilities of cinema as an art form, with movies such as The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, Nosferatu, Metropolis, Pandora's Box and M building a legacy that not only shaped the world of film but had a lasting impact on all the visual arts. Here is a lavish showcase of more than 70 films, selected to give a wideranging overview of Weimar cinema at its finest. Every genre is represented, from escapist comedies and musicals to gritty depictions of contemporary city life, from historical dramas to fantastical visions of the future, with daring themes such as sexuality and social issues tackled by iconic stars such as Marlene Dietrich and Louise Brooks. A wealth of beautiful film stills capture the bold visions of great directors like Fritz Lang and Ernst Lubitsch, while the text sets the historical scene and gives an intriguing insight into what these films meant to the society that created them.