Generic Histories of German Cinema: Genre and Its Deviations (Screen Cultures: German Film and the Visual, 8)

Over the last few decades, the field of film studies has seen a rise in approaches oriented toward genre. These genre-based studies look at thematic, narrative, and stylistic similarities between films, contextualizing films within culture and society more broadly. Although there is now a large body of genre-based film studies in the US and UK, German film scholarship has largely ignored the importance of genre. Even as the last several years have witnessed increasing scholarly interest in popular cinema from Germany, very few works have substantively engaged with genre theory. 'Generic Histories' offers a fresh approach to German film studies by tracing a series of key genres -- including horror, science fiction, the thriller, 'Heimat' films, and war films -- over the course of German cinema history. The volume also addresses detective films, comedies, 'policiers', and romances that deliberately localize global genres within Germany -- a form of transnationalism frequently neglected in German Studies. This focus on genre and history encourages rethinking of the traditional opposition (and hierarchy) between art and popular cinema that has informed German film studies and its approaches. In these ways, the volume foregrounds genre theory's potential for rethinking film history as well as cultural history more broadly. Jaimey Fisher is Associate Professor of German and Cinema and Technocultural Studies, and Director of Cinema and Technocultural Studies, at the University of California, Davis. Generic Histories Offers A Fresh Approach, Tracing A Series Of Key Genres -- Including Horror, Science Fiction, The Thriller, Heimat Films, And War Films -- Over The Course Of German Cinema History. It Also Addresses Detective Films, Comedies, Policiers, And Romances That Deliberately Localize Global Genres Within Germany - A Form Of Transnationalism Frequently Neglected. This Focus On Genre And History Encourages Rethinking Of The Traditional Opposition (and Hierarchy) Between Art And Popular Cinema That Has Informed German Film Studies. In These Ways, The Volume Foregrounds Genre Theory's Potential For Rethinking Film History As Well As Cultural History More Broadly. -- Publisher's Description Introduction: Toward Generic Histories: Film Genre, Genre Theory, And German Film Studies / Jaimey Fisher -- Parallel Modernities: From Haunted Screen To Universal Horror / Gerd Gemunden -- The Essay Film And Its German Variations / Nora M. Alter -- The Limits Of Futurity: German Science Fiction Film In The Course Of Time / Lutz Koepnick -- The Situation Is Hopeless, But Not Desperate: Ufa's Early Sound Film Musicals / Eric Rentschler -- Resisting The War (film): Wicki's Masterpiece Die Brucke (1959) And Its Generic Transformations / Jaimey Fisher -- Ironizing Identity: The German Crime Genre And The Edgar Wallace Production Trend Of The 1960s / Sascha Gerhards -- From Siodmak To Schlingensief: The Return Of History As Horror / Kris Vander Lugt -- Producing Adaptations: Bernd Eichinger, Christiane F., And German Film History / Hester Baer -- Exceptional Thrills: Genrification, Dr. Mabuse, And Das Experiment / Steve Choe -- The Heimat Film In The Twenty-first Century: Negotiating The New German Cinema To Return To Papas Kino / Paul Cooke -- The Romantic Comedy And Its Other: Representations Of Romance In German Cinema Since 1990 / Antje Ascheid -- Yearning For Genre: The Films Of Dominik Graf / Marco Abel. Edited By Jaimey Fisher. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Offers a fresh approach to German film studies by tracing key genres -- including horror, the thriller, Heimat films, and war films -- over the course of German cinema historyOver the last few decades, the field of film studies has seen a rise in approaches oriented toward genre: studies that look at thematic, narrative, and stylistic similarities between films, contextualizing them within culture andsociety. Although there now exists a large body of genre-based scholarship on international film, German film studies has largely ignored the importance of genre. Even as the last several years have witnessed increasing scholarlyinterest in popular cinema from Germany, very few works have substantively engaged with genre theory. Generic Histories offers a fresh approach, tracing a series of key genres -- including horror, science fiction,the thriller, Heimat films, and war films -- over the course of German cinema history. It also addresses detective films, comedies, policiers, and romances that deliberately localize global genres within Germany - aform of transnationalism frequently neglected. This focus on genre and history encourages rethinking of the traditional opposition (and hierarchy) between art and popular cinema that has informed German film studies. In these ways, the volume foregrounds genre theory's potential for rethinking film history as well as cultural history more broadly. Contributors: Marco Abel, Nora M. Alter, Antje Ascheid, Hester Baer, Steve Choe, Paul Cooke, Jaimey Fisher, Gerd Gemünden, Sascha Gerhards, Lutz Koepnick, Eric Rentschler, Kris Vander Lugt. Jaimey Fisher is Associate Professor of German and Cinema and Technocultural Studies, and Director of Cinema and Technocultural Studies, at the University of California, Davis. Offers a fresh approach to German film studies by tracing key genres -- including horror, the thriller, Heimat films, and war films -- over the course of German cinema history Over the last few decades, the field of film studies has seen a rise in approaches oriented toward studies that look at thematic, narrative, and stylistic similarities between films, contextualizing them within culture andsociety. Although there now exists a large body of genre-based scholarship on international film, German film studies has largely ignored the importance of genre. Even as the last several years have witnessed increasing scholarlyinterest in popular cinema from Germany, very few works have substantively engaged with genre theory. Generic Histories offers a fresh approach, tracing a series of key genres -- including horror, science fiction,the thriller, Heimat films, and war films -- over the course of German cinema history. It also addresses detective films, comedies, policiers, and romances that deliberately localize global genres within Germany - aform of transnationalism frequently neglected. This focus on genre and history encourages rethinking of the traditional opposition (and hierarchy) between art and popular cinema that has informed German film studies. In these ways, the volume foregrounds genre theory's potential for rethinking film history as well as cultural history more broadly. Marco Abel, Nora M. Alter, Antje Ascheid, Hester Baer, Steve Choe, Paul Cooke, Jaimey Fisher, Gerd Gemnden, Sascha Gerhards, Lutz Koepnick, Eric Rentschler, Kris Vander Lugt. Jaimey Fisher is Associate Professor of German and Cinema and Technocultural Studies, and Director of Cinema and Technocultural Studies, at the University of California, Davis. Over the last few decades, the field of film studies has seen a rise in approaches oriented toward genre: studies that look at thematic, narrative, and stylistic similarities between films, contextualizing them within culture andsociety. Although there now exists a large body of genre-based scholarship on international film, German film studies has largely ignored the importance of genre. Even as the last several years have witnessed increasing scholarlyinterest in popular cinema from Germany, very few works have substantively engaged with genre theory.

Generic Histories offers a fresh approach, tracing a series of key genres -- including horror, science fiction,the thriller, Heimat films, and war films -- over the course of German cinema history. It also addresses detective films, comedies, policiers, and romances that deliberately localize global genres within Germany - aform of transnationalism frequently neglected. This focus on genre and history encourages rethinking of the traditional opposition (and hierarchy) between art and popular cinema that has informed German film studies. In these ways, the volume foregrounds genre theory's potential for rethinking film history as well as cultural history more broadly.

Contributors: Marco Abel, Nora M. Alter, Antje Ascheid, Hester Baer, Steve Choe, Paul Cooke, Jaimey Fisher, Gerd Gemünden, Sascha Gerhards, Lutz Koepnick, Eric Rentschler, Kris Vander Lugt. Jaimey Fisher is Associate Professor of German and Cinema and Technocultural Studies, and Director of Cinema and Technocultural Studies, at the University of California, Davis. Over the last few decades, the field of film studies has seen a rise in approaches oriented toward genre: studies that look at thematic, narrative, and stylistic similarities between films, contextualizing them within culture and society. Although there now exists a large body of genre-based scholarship on international film, German film studies has largely ignored the importance of genre. Even as the last several years have witnessed increasing scholarly interest in popular cinema from Germany, very few works have substantively engaged with genre theory. Generic Histories offers a fresh approach, tracing a series of key genres -- including horror, science fiction, the thriller, Heimat films, and war films -- over the course of German cinema history. It also addresses detective films, comedies, policiers, and romances that deliberately localize global genres within Germany - a form of transnationalism frequently neglected. This focus on genre and history encourages rethinking of the traditional opposition (and hierarchy) between art and popular cinema that has informed German film studies. In these ways, the volume foregrounds genre theory's potential for rethinking film history as well as cultural history more broadly. Contributors: Marco Abel, Nora M. Alter, Antje Ascheid, Hester Baer, Steve Choe, Paul Cooke, Jaimey Fisher, Gerd Gemünden, Sascha Gerhards, Lutz Koepnick, Eric Rentschler, Kris Vander Lugt. Jaimey Fisher is Associate Professor of German and Cinema and Technocultural Studies, and Director of Cinema and Technocultural Studies, at the University of California, Davis