Douglas Sirk, Aesthetic Modernism and the Culture of Modernity

The first truly interdisciplinary analysis to link Douglas Sirk's striking visual aesthetic to key movements in twentieth-century art and architecture, this book reveals how the exaggerated artifice of Sirk's formal style emerged from his detailed understanding of the artistic debates that raged in 1920s Europe and the post-war United States. With detailed case studies of Final Chord and All That Heaven Allows, Victoria Evans demonstrates how Sirk attempted to dissolve the boundaries of cinema by assimilating elements of avant-garde art, architecture and design into the colour, composition and setting of many of his most well-known films. Treating Sirk's oeuvre as a continuum between his German and American periods, Evans argues that his mise-en-scène was the result of an interdisciplinary, transnational dialogue, and illuminates the broader cultural context in which his films appeared by establishing links between archival documents, Modernist manifestos and the philosophical writings of his peers. Book jacket.;Part I. Sirk and the visual arts -- Thinking with the heart: Sirk and pictorial reception -- Concerning the spiritual in art: Magnificent obsession and the influence of modernist painting -- Part II. The shock of the new: traces of modernity -- The invasion of machines and machine culture -- Imitation of life and the depiction of suburban space -- Part III. Two architectural case studies -- Final chord and "Die neue Welt': the mise-en-scène of Aufbruch -- Back to the future: modernist architecture and All that heaven alows. The first truly interdisciplinary analysis to link Douglas Sirk’s striking visual aesthetic to key movements in twentieth century art and architecture, this book reveals how the exaggerated artifice of Sirk's formal style emerged from his detailed understanding of the artistic debates that raged in 1920s Europe and the post-war United States. By providing an extensive analysis of nine of this director's most pivotal works, including lengthy case studies of __Final Chord__ (1936), __Magnificent Obsession__ (1953), __All That Heaven Allows__ (1954), __The Tarnished Angels__ (1957) and __Imitation of Life__ (1959), Victoria L. Evans demonstrates how Sirk attempted to dissolve the boundaries of the cinema by assimilating elements of avant-garde art, architecture and design into the colour, composition and settings of many of his most well-known films. Treating Sirk’s oeuvre as a continuum between his German and American periods, Evans argues that this influential director's non-naturalistic mise-en-scène was the result of an interdisciplinary, transnational dialogue, and she illuminates the broader cultural context in which his films appeared by establishing connections with archival documents, Modernist manifestos and the philosophical writings of his peers. Examines the influence of modernist art and architecture on the work of American director Douglas SirkThe first truly interdisciplinary analysis to link Douglas Sirk's striking visual aesthetic to key movements in twentieth century art and architecture, this book reveals how the exaggerated artifice of Sirk's formal style emerged from his detailed understanding of the artistic debates that raged in 1920s Europe and the post-war United States. With detailed case studies of Final Chord and All That Heaven Allows, Victoria Evans demonstrates how Sirk attempted to dissolve the boundaries of cinema by assimilating elements of avant-garde art, architecture and design into the colour, composition and setting of many of his most well-known films. Treating Sirk's oeuvre as a continuum between his German and American periods, Evans argues that his mise-en-scène was the result of an interdisciplinary, transnational dialogue, and illuminates the broader cultural context in which his films appeared by establishing links between archival documents, Modernist manifestos and the philosophical writings of his peers. The first truly interdisciplinary analysis to link Douglas Sirk's striking visual aesthetic to key movements in twentieth century art and architecture, this book reveals how the exaggerated artifice of Sirḱ09s formal style emerged from his detailed understanding of the artistic debates that raged in 1920s Europe and the post-war United States. With detailed case studies of Final Chord and All That Heaven Allows, Victoria Evans demonstrates how Sirk attempted to dissolve the boundaries of cinema by assimilating elements of avant-garde art, architecture and design into the colour, composition and setting of many of his most well-known films. Treating Sirḱ09s oeuvre as a continuum between his German and American periods, Evans argues that his mise-en-sc÷ne was the result of an interdisciplinary, transnational dialogue, and illuminates the broader cultural context in which his films appeared by establishing links between archival documents, Modernist manifestos and the philosophical writings of his peers The First Truly Interdisciplinary Analysis To Link Douglas Sirk's Striking Visual Aesthetic To Key Movements In Twentieth Century Art And Architecture, This Book Reveals How The Exaggerated Artifice Of Sirk's Formal Style Emerged From His Detailed Understanding Of The Artistic Debates That Raged In 1920s Europe And The Post-war United States. With Detailed Case Studies Of Final Chord And All That Heaven Allows, Victoria Evans Demonstrates How Sirk Attempted To Dissolve The Boundaries Of Cinema By Assimilating Elements Of Avant-garde Art, Architecture And Design Into The Colour, Composition And Setting Of Many Of His Most Well-known Films. Treating Sirk's Oeuvre As A Continuum Between His German And American Periods, Evans Argues That His Mise-en-scene Was The Result Of An Interdisciplinary, Transnational Dialogue, And Illuminates The Broader Cultural Context In Which His Films Appeared By Establishing Links Between Archival Documents, Modernist Manifestos And The Philosophical Writings Of His Peers. Part I. Sirk And The Visual Arts -- Thinking With The Heart: Sirk And Pictorial Reception -- Concerning The Spiritual In Art: Magnificent Obsession And The Influence Of Modernist Painting -- Part Ii. The Shock Of The New: Traces Of Modernity -- The Invasion Of Machines And Machine Culture -- Imitation Of Life And The Depiction Of Suburban Space -- Part Iii. Two Architectural Case Studies -- Final Chord And Die Neue Welt': The Mise-en-scène Of Aufbruch -- Back To The Future: Modernist Architecture And All That Heaven Alows. Victoria L. Evans. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.