Fritz Lang

by EISNER (Lotte H.).

Fritz Lang est l'un des plus grands créateurs de l'histoire du cinéma. Des Mabuse au Tombeau hindou, de Metropolis à l'Ange des maudits ou à Espions sur la Tamise, ses films sont extrêmement célèbres. Cette biographie, qui épouse le mouvement chronologique de son oeuvre, s'appuie sur l'amitié de quelque quarante années entre Lotte Eisner et le cinéaste. Amitié commencée dans l'Allemagne artistique de l'entre-deux guerres, maintenue à distance à travers l'exil anti-nazi, poursuivie et renforcée à partir des années cinquante, lorsque la jeune école critique française réhabilita la période américaine de Lang, avec la Cinémathèque d'Henri Langlois pour point de ralliement. C'est le livre que tout cinéaste doit rêver de voir s'écrire sur lui. Étranger aux spéculations et aux familiarités douteuses où les biographies amicales se complaisent souvent, il n'avance rien, sur aucun sujet - méthodes de travail, accueil critique, choix d'acteurs, budget de film - qui n'ait été soumis à un rigoureux recoupement de sources, et surtout à la confirmation de Fritz Lang lui-même. Au fur et à mesure que le texte s'écrivait en effet, Lang relisait les chapitres pour y apporter, par écrit ou de vive voix, des informations nouvelles, des suggestions ou des corrections.

Genres: Film, Biography, Nonfiction, Media Tie In, Criticism, Germany

Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Nicholas Mennuti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lotte Eisner knows both Fritz Lang and the expressionist roots he sprang from (see her Haunted Screen as well). Her interest in Lang is primarily aesthetic and narrative, so anyone looking for bio will have to turn somewhere else. That said, her analysis of consistencies in both Lang's content and shooting style are worth reading. Hard to recommend for a casual film fan -- you've really got to want to know more than your standard bio will give you about Lang to dive into this one. Also would help to have prior interest/knowledge in German Expressionism too.

[Tosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful study on Fritz Lang's work by the no. 1 expert on German Expressionist cinema. Warner Herzog took a long walk from Munich to Paris to save her life. This book probably made him take the trip!

[Steve Bowbrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eisner is cinema criticism royalty and she's one of those extraordinary 20th Century Europeans too. Scarred and brilliant. Her Lang book is an absolutely vital text (and, incidentally, I love the fact that she came across Louise Brooks on the set of Pabst's Pandora’s Box, reading Schopenhauer).

I included this book in this survey of books about film.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most legendary film directors ever. Here you'll read his autobiography, hear about early films and scripts, Dr Mabuse, The Nibelungen, Metropolis, The Spy, his working methods and style, the French interlude, his American period. Everything you'll want to know you'll find here. With many movie stills and photos. Really recommended!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

El sitio de Viena de Carlos Losilla

[Kendal · Rating 2 out of 5]

More of a description of his films than anything else. Lang was private, and wanted his work to speak for itself--including the silent films.

[Bernie4444 · Rating 5 out of 5]

In-depth Fritz with pictures

You already know something about Fritz Lang or you would not be reading this. Lotte Eisner goes further in-depth into what Fritz is and what he has accomplished through the years.
There is a small Fritz Lang: Autobiography

Then the book is chronologically divided between the German years 1919-1933 and the American period of 1936-1956. Then it goes to the German years of 1959-60.
Because I have a large collection of German silent films this book is a must in helping understand those messages that are not intrinsic to the viewer.

[Bernie4444 · Rating 5 out of 5]

In-depth Fritz with pictures

You already know something about Fritz Lang, or you would not be reading this. Lotte Eisner goes further in-depth into what Fritz is and what he has accomplished through the years.
There is a small Fritz Lang: Autobiography

Then the book is chronologically divided between the German years 1919-1933 and the American period of 1936-1956. Then it goes to the German years of 1959-60.
Because I have a large collection of German silent films this book is a must in helping understand those messages that are not intrinsic to the viewer.

[Brett · Rating 1 out of 5]

This must have been a nice monograph in hardcover what with all the glossy archival production pictures but the paperback edition brings Eisner's perfunctory film synopses and only adequate insights on Lang's cinema to the fore. Anyone seriously interested in Lang would do better to look into the Fritz Lang edition of the Conversations with Filmmakers series.

[Zepp · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intimate film by film account of Lang's career- a little too easy on the warts, but with lots of good facts and facts.

[Sikandar Marwah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an essential for Fritz Lang fans. Fritz Lang himself corrected and added additional information to every chapter. Changes that the author applied.