I’m joined this week by Thomas Doherty, Brandeis professor and author of Hollywood and Hitler, 1933-1939, and Maria Elena de las Carreras, lecturer in film studies at the UCLA School of Film and Television, at the CSUN Department of Cinema and Television Arts,* to talk about the recent restoration and Blu-ray release of two documentaries by Herbert Kline: Crisis: A Film of ‘The Nazi Way’ and Lights Out in Europe. Doherty and de las Carreras provided commentary tracks on the films and were kind enough to join me to discuss the historical import and context of these two important films, which chronicled the German annexation of Czechoslovakia and the beginning of Hitler’s assault on Poland.
Both movies are available on one Blu-ray directly from Flicker Alley (or Amazon), and they are must-owns for folks interested both in documentary film from the period and World War Two more broadly; I’d heard of Crisis before but had never seen it, and it was a real treat to finally get to watch it.
* Maria Elena de las Carreras’s title has been corrected.
Great episode! I think it's so important to highlight the interconnectedness of politics and culture. I remember talking to a friend of my girlfriend (now wife) about a media class I was taking and she sort of scoffed. Not many people realize that media and culture were (and still is) one of the largest US exports during the last century.
When Thomas mentioned the experience of seeing "Rear Window" in a theater with 900 people, that made me think of how in my hometown of Aurora IL, they have a theater called The Paramount that's one of those old movie palaces from the 1930's. Nowadays, it's mostly used as venue for theatrical productions, but every week, they have their "Classic Movie Mondays" where you can show up, pay just $1 for the ticket, and then see whichever movie from previous decades that they're playing that week. I've gone a couple times, and its pretty neat getting to experience watching a film with the other 150-200 people all enjoying it together.
Maria Elena repeatedly uses the phrase, "a strategy of truth," contrasting it with the sort of propaganda that twists or shapes the truth to cover for the government. I think this phrase also pertains to The Bulwark, which is not neutral in the current political battle for the soul of America, but which always resists the calls of its progressive fans to omit or downplay portions of the truth that are critical of "our" side.
OK, now you did it Sonny. I ordered the disk and two others. Next I have to see about getting a Blue-Ray player...!
If you really do need a Blu-ray player, I’d recommend this Sony 4K UHD player. It’s a little more expensive than a simple Blu-ray player, but it’ll play your Blu-ray Discs and it’ll play 4K UHD discs (which are the next generation of discs). If you have a 4K TV, this player will also make your Blu-rays look like near-4K. It’s the player I have and I’ve never had an issue with it. https://amzn.to/3ytaMZP
Thanks! That is one I was thinking about. It also went on sale this week, so I think this is a done deal now. :)
You need to review Kinds of Kindness, a movie that is out now, and speaks to the question of cults.
This was such an interesting episode.As Tai said, fascinating! Thank you Sonny, and thanks to your terrific guests. A real treat.
Fascinating conversation- wish I am listening to it when our republic is not under such threat