Visconti and the German Dream: Romanticism, Wagner and the Nazi Catastrophe in Film

Description

Luchino Visconti's trilogy of films Ludwig, Death in Venice and The Damned explore the complex relationship between the themes and ideals of German Romanticism and their impact on the catastrophe of the Third Reich. The personality and works of Richard Wagner to a large extent epitomize German Romanticism as a whole, while the writings of Thomas Mann and Friedrich Nietzsche provide the greatest critique of this dark and troubled but sublime and emotionally overwhelming culture. Along with contrasting approaches to this subject by other filmmakers such as Hans-Jurgen Syberberg, Ken Russell and Tony Palmer, this book explores how the preoccupations of the German Romantic movement led to Nazism, and contrasts the ways in which filmmakers have presented this continuum. The book also discuses the impact of Wagner's musical dramas on the art form of the cinema itself. Dedication Contents Preface Introduction: Visconti 1 Wagner in Italy 2 Ludwig, Wagner and Hitler First Intermission: The Birth of Hitler from the Spirit of Virtuosity 3 Mann’s “Death in Venice” Second Intermission: Pan, Paganism and Arcadia 4 Visconti’s Death in Venice 5 Götterdämmerung Third Intermission: The Cinema of the Future 6 The Damned 7 Alternative Visions Epilogue: The Film Music of the Future Select Filmography Chapter Notes Bibliography Index