Pictorial Affects, Senses of Rupture

Focusing on the poetics of popular genres like disaster films, melodrama, musicals, and war films, this book offers a fresh perspective on German cinema during the Wilhelmine and Weimar periods. It examines the cultural impact and audience engagement of these films, challenging the notion of a solely conservative cinematic landscape. By tracing the evolution from early feature films to the advent of sound, it highlights the artistic aspirations and cultural significance of this era in German film history.