The Ufa Story: A History of Germany's Greatest Film Company, 1918-1945 (Weimar and Now: German Cultural Criticism) [Paperback]

Klaus Kreimeier (Author), Robert Kimber (Translator), Rita Kimber (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 26, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0520220692 | ISBN-13: 978-0520220690 | Edition: 1

Universum-Film AG--best known by its signature logo, Ufa--was once the largest film company in Europe. Founded by the German High Command as a propaganda medium during World War I and always central to Germany's nationalistic big-business interests, Ufa was also home to the most innovative talents of the Weimar Republic. Fritz Lang, Marlene Dietrich, Emil Jannings, and Ernst Lubitsch were Ufa stars; Metropolis, The Blue Angel, and Dr. Mabuse were only a few of its finest works. From its dazzling theaters to its state-of-the-art studios and processing labs, from its comprehensive multimedia publicity campaigns to its avant-garde art films, Ufa challenged Hollywood for cultural dominance and market share in Jazz Age Europe. But the story grows darker after the simultaneous advent of sound films and National Socialism. The story of Ufa under Hitler, when technically suberb films continued to be made, is the story of the corruption and destruction of this vital company by the state that brought it into existence.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This account of the first great European film studio, which came under the domination of the Nazis as World War II approached, should find a readership beyond students of movie history. From the Berlin soundstages of Universum-Film AG emerged classics such as "Metropolis" and "The Blue Angel" and Hollywood luminaries such as Marlene Dietrich and Billy Wilder. German journalist Klaus Kreimeier crafts a chilling drama of a hotbed of artistic expression gradually perverted by the Nazis into a fascist propaganda factory. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Universum-Film AG (Ufa) was founded in 1918 at the direction of the German Army Supreme Command for propagandistic purposes, but it went on to become "Germany's very German response to Hollywood." Freelance journalist Kreimeier, former cultural editor for Der Spiegel, traces the growth of the company from its founding through its demise at the end of the Nazi era, during which time it had become, once again, an instrument of the state. Ufa developed such stars as Emil Jannings and Marlene Dietrich, who turned out to be "several sizes too large" for the company and moved on to Hollywood. Kreimeier attributes Ufa's success during the interwar years to its "instinct for business and art... and a feel for what the public wants." In his opinion, the film that best represents the company's aesthetic is Fritz Lang's Metropolis. A plus for his account is that he sets it within the context of the larger German culture. While it is packed with detail and interesting historical references, it is too prolix and discursive for general readers.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 459 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (October 26, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520220692
• ISBN-13: 978-0520220690
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,106,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars The German Contribution, February 5, 2011

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kevymack - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Ufa Story: A History of Germany's Greatest Film Company, 1918-1945 (Weimar and Now: German Cultural Criticism) (Paperback)

This is an excellent book which details the always fascinating story of UFA , the greatest film company IN Germany and all of Europe which for qite some time gave Hollywood a run for its' money as the film capital of the world. It also shows how many of the great directors, writers , film technicians etc. fled Germany for the freedom of Hollywood and the tremendous contribution they made to American cinema.

5.0 out of 5 stars To really appreciate good films, know where they come from, June 1, 2000

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bernie "xyzzy" (Arlington, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Ufa Story: A History of Germany's Greatest Film Company, 1918-1945 (Weimar and Now: German Cultural Criticism) (Paperback)

It is too bad that this is one of the only surviving books on UFA. Luckily it is one of the best. This book tells of the trials and tribulations of the film industry in Germany and the world between 1918 and 1945. It is packed with how they did it technically and economically. There are two concentrated picture sections. The pictures are of the sets, people involved in the industry, actors and movies. The author seems to think that the UFA was corrupted during the time of National Socialism.

According to this book, after H.G. Wells watched "Metropolis", he thought there wasn't much worth corrupting. Sot of gives you a different prospective of H.G. Wells; doesn't it?

Any Way there is two parts, 30 chapters, Trailer, Epilog, and Fadeout.

From Caligari to Hitler: A Psychological History of the German Film (Princeton Classic Editions)