RAMble, the University Libraries' blog

One thing I find so wonderful about movies is their newness as an art form. The birth of films is relatively recent and the evolution of the medium has been quick.  It’s taken less than 150 years to go from the earliest films of Muybridge, Melies, Edison and the Lumiere brothers to the current blockbusters and art-house films.  It is fascinating to follow how styles and trends influence those that come after.

With that in mind it is amazing that it took me so long to make the connection between German Expressionism, think Metropolis, and Film Noir, think The Maltese Falcon.  I have been fascinated by German Expressionist films for a long time, having been a bit of a Goth kid, and really what self-respecting Goth wouldn’t love The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari! 

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

As I got a little older I noticed the similarities of German Expressionism to Film Noir; dramatic use of shadows, dark themes, odd angles that create a feeling of unease, a pervasive atmosphere of impending doom.  For the longest time I thought these similarities were just a matter of artistic evolution or recycling, like the prevalence of Egyptian motifs in the 1920’s after the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb. What I didn’t realize until much later was the connection is more direct.  Expressionist directors who fled Germany before WWII came to Hollywood and continued their work here.

Which brings me to the interplay of The Lodger and M.  The Lodger is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s earliest feature films.  It is a silent film produced in 1927 and considered by many, including Hitchcock himself, to be his first truly Hitchcockian film.  Before making The Lodger Hitchcock was involved with a project in Germany at the state run UFA studio where several prominent Expressionist filmmakers such as Fritz Lang, and F.W. Murnau, were also working.  The plot of The Lodger is inspired by Jack the Ripper and the visuals are an intriguing blend of German Expressionist film motifs, including the stylized melodramatic acting, and Hitchcock’s hallmark suspense. The killer is unknown and Hitchcock creates the same tension and suspicions for the audience as the characters in the movie.

M

In 1931 a Fritz Lang released M, a film about a serial killer in Berlin made at the advent of sound in cinema and just before Lang left Germany.  Unlike The Lodger, the tension is not in who the killer is but in the moral ambiguity of mob justice. The suspense in this movie is amazing and the use of shadows and reflections really illustrate the evolution from Expressionism to Noir.

The Lodger

Silent film is not everyone’s cup of tea and the stylized nature of German Expressionism is sometime hard for modern audiences to enjoy, however, there are many wonderful films from this era. I still see the influence on film today, especially horror, and Noir seems to just keep coming back.  All the titles in this review are currently available free on YouTube or Internet Archive.  Happy Viewing!

Blog Post By Amanda Brooks

I don’t know about you, but lately I’ve felt overwhelmed by the news of, well, so many terrible things.  Along with my own uneasy feelings associated with the pandemic and anxiety about the future, I find myself drawn to more light hearted or sentimental entertainment.  For my previous recommendation I chose a film I love but only on DVD at WCU libraries.  I thought this time I would try to find something we have streaming.  It has been difficult.  Most of the feature films we have licensed are not what very upbeat and while I do like a good documentary a vast majority are created to bring awareness to difficult or troubling issues; not quite what I’ve been looking for recently.  However, there is one I want to recommend, Wonder Women! 

You may have noticed Hollywood has been releasing a lot of super hero movies in recent years (that could be its own post).  You may have also noticed how few female super heroes there are in this super hero movie wave, or at lease how few get the spotlight.  In 2017 director Patty Jenkins brought us one of the few, Wonder Woman.  This feature film really resonated with me and, according to reviews, a lot of other women.  Her Wonder Woman is a trained warrior dedicated to kicking evil’s butt, standard super hero stuff.  But she is also compassionate and hopeful, softer things not usually associated with heroes.  The documentary Wonder Women! follows the history of Wonder Woman starting with her creation and first appearance in 1940’s comics and discusses how the character evolved to reflect cultural trends.  The film also touches on the female hero in more modern media and the influence of Wonder Woman as an icon of feminism.

While this might sound dry, it’s not at all.  Images from the comics and interviews with scholars are intercut with stop motion animation and interviews with fans at a convention, a comic shop owner hosting a fundraiser, 70’s TV Wonder Woman actress Linda Carter, Riot Girrrl era singer/song writer Kahleen Hanna, and others.  Toward the end of the documentary one of the interviewees expresses a wish for a new Wonder Woman feature film.  Sadly, this documentary was released in 2012 so the Patty Jenkins feature film is not discussed but it is easy to see how it fits into the themes presented.

This was a bit of an odd acquisition and is not in the catalog. Previously available on Kanopy, the film makers are now only offering either a purchase of a digital copy which we would have to host, or a rental on Vimeo.  In order to get fast access for a spring class we went with a three month Vimeo rental.  If you’re not familiar with Vimeo it is a platform developed for individual viewers and creator; think YouTube only a bit more highbrow.  The makers of Wonder Women have arranged to make it available to us for multiple users using a coupon code. We have access until July 14 and if you are interested all you need is a Vimeo account, basic accounts are free, and the coupon code, which you can get from me.

Blog Post Written By: Amanda Brooks

Art can fill many roles: an uplifting release, a source of comfort, a way to connect with others – all things that may be missing a bit from our new routines. While we may not be able to be there in person this summer, many museums are providing virtual visits, social media campaigns and special online exhibits to allow us to experience the power of art. Below are three highlights:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art  

The Met always offers wonderful access to its collections through digital content and the past few months have provided two new experiences: The social media campaigns #MetAnywhere which invites art enthusiasts to connect with the collection despite the museum's closure; and, to celebrate its 150th birthday, the series #MyMetStory which shares the museum’s collections through personal narratives gathered from visitors, including artists, museum staff and public figures.

The Victoria and Albert Museum 

The V&A’s website is an amazing resource for the study of architecture, photography, fine arts, crafts, and other creative pursuits. There are many ways to explore their collection virtually, including video tours. The museum recently released a video tour of their current exhibit, “Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk”. This exhibition examines the kimono as an object and symbol of Japan as well as its influence on fashion and design throughout the world. Take the tour with curator Anna Jackson here.

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 

Named after the author of “The Hungry Caterpillar”, The Carle collects and celebrates picture books and picture book illustrations from around the world. Assembled by the Museum’s chief curator Ellen Keiter and author/illustrator Mo Willems, their newly created online exhibition, “ART in PLACE: Social Distancing in the Studio"​ looks at how 21 picture-book artists have responded to the pandemic through their practice. The curators’ sum it up perfectly: “Science will get us out of this. Art will get us through this.”
 

Blog post written by: Laurie Palumbo