Fritz Lang. His Life and Work. Photographs and Documents.

by Rolf Aurich (Editor)

A true cinematic pioneer, Fritz Lang began his film career as a writer and director of silent movies in Germany between the World Wars. His early films, such as Dr. Mabuse, Metropolis , and his first "talkie," "M" , have become classics, and positioned him as a leading light in the German film industry in the early 1930s. Fleeing from the Nazis in 1933, Lang went to Hollywood, where he earned legendary status for such films as Man Hunt, The Big Heat , and While the City Sleeps , movies that did much to define the look of film noir. His influence on such filmmakers as Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell, and others is unmistakable. This major retrospective book is copiously illustrated with film stills and photographs from his films as well as from his private life. It includes detailed information about his life and work in both Berlin and Hollywood, and will be the most extensive consideration of his oeuvre to date.

Genres: Biography, Film

512 pages, Hardcover

First published August 15, 2001

Reviews

[Dimitri · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a balanced bit of everything: production stills/stories, posters, biography... & more positive than Fritz Lang: The Nature of the Beast.

[Ellie Midwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything! I bought it as a reference material as I was writing my novel set in the 2os and I couldn't be happier with this particular purchase. It has all the minutest details of Fritz Lang's life and work and more! Plus, the photos and copies of every possible document, letter, even Lang's drawings from his war days--I was thoroughly impressed and devoured it in one go. Highly recommended as a research material or if you're really interested in life and work of one of the most influential directors of the first half of the century.

[M.R. Dowsing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This massive book takes us on a chronological journey through Lang's career. All of the text is printed in English, German and French in parallel columns and the content comes from a wide variety of sources -parts of it were written by the editor, but contemporary reviews and essays are also quoted at length and often in full. We get more detail on the early German films - things get a bit sketchy after Lang arrives in Hollywood, with some films barely getting a mention. The document scans I could mostly have done without as many are in German or in handwriting that's hard to read, but the selection of photos is superb, with many rare behind-the-scenes shots, etc.

Although Lang comes across as pompous, bullying or childish at times, it's also clear that he had some fine qualities too - he detested the Nazis and did everything he could to fight them in his own way, and he helped many colleagues fleeing Germany to get visas or with financial assistance. This book is a real treat for any film buff, and it's fascinating to learn about the many projects that never saw the light of day, such as a planned film about Oskar Schindler.

[Tosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super duper fantastic coffee-table sized book on the great German/Hollywood director Fritz Lang. I love Lang's work, and this book is a 'must' for those who are fans. Lots of images, photos, and documents of this man's long career in films.