CFP: The German Dimension of American Film (Germany) (3/21/05; 5/19/05-5/22/05)

This is a call for papers for a workshop at the 52nd Annual Conference of the
German Association of American Studies, "Transatlantic Negotiations" (May 19 to
22, 2005, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany). The workshop is entitled "'To New
Shores': The German Dimension of American Film (1920-1959)". The detailed
description can be found in this email.
Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Frank Mehring

To New Shores:
The German Dimension of American Film, 1920-1959
Abstract

PD Dr. Stefan L. Brandt (Berlin) und Frank Mehring (Cambridge, Mass.)

This workshop will explore the history and impact of German directors, writers,
actors, com-posers, and cinematographers who became influential figures in the
American film industry, from silent film to the late 1950s. Given the fact that
many important protagonists in 20th cen-tury American film business were of
German descent – studio bosses like Carl Lämmle, direc-tors like Erich von
Stroheim, Fritz Lang, Douglas Sirk, F. W. Murnau, and Billy Wilder, writ-ers
like Bertolt Brecht, composers like Kurt Weill, Max Steiner or Wolfgang
Korngold –, we will ask to what extent this cultural transfer actually formed
and reshaped the appearance of American popular culture. Did this transfer lead
to a mutual exchange of ideas? Or was the effect rather one-sided? How did the
artistic works of German visitors, immigrants, refugees and emigrés change
after they came to the US? Some of these men and women have gone to the United
States by choice; others have been forced by conditions beyond their control.
Some have boldly embraced what they perceived to be the »American dream of
progress«, creating for themselves a new identity, while others have viewed
American society and values with scathingly critical eyes. One of our main
interests will be to examine to what extent these views of the United States
have made themselves felt in Hollywood and Hollywood cinema.
The workshop will mainly focus on film. However, papers dealing with the
cultural background of German immigrants in Hollywood from 1920 to 1959 or
other genres, such as film music, photography, and literature, are also
welcome. All papers should focus on culture-related issues, with critical
approaches ranging from film theory to cultural studies.
Please e-mail proposals for a 15-20-minute presentation by March 21, 2005, to
either Stefan Brandt, slbrandt_at_zedat.fu-berlin.de or Frank Mehring,
fmehring_at_fas.harvard.edu. Oral presentations are meant to be brief, intense,
and controversial. They are intended as a springboard to discussion, not a
settled issue. Handouts and other audio-visual aids are wel-come.

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Received on Tue Mar 08 2005 - 08:11:01 EST