Art Films of the 30s and 40s is a blog about the art film era of the 1930s and 40s, culling information from books, magazines, film catalogs and other public resources. The blog is dedicated to providing information about the directors, writers and producers of these films; as well as their work, whether they were art films or not.
Tone:Professional
In the 1930s and 1940s, a new type of art film came into being. It was often more popular at the box office than commercial films. Some of these art films have become classics; some haven’t been seen for decades.
The purpose of this blog is to make available a selection of reviews, articles and discussions about the art films of this period. They were produced in magazines like “Film Culture,” “Sight and Sound,” “Cahiers du Cinema” and “Film Comment.” They represent the first attempt to analyze in detail the nature of this new kind of film.
These writings are not just curiosities from an earlier time; they speak directly to our own situation. Creating an art film today is still not easy: you have to be dedicated, imaginative and brave if you want your work to be seen. This blog has been created with the hope that it will help aspiring filmmakers, critics and scholars understand what makes for excellence in cinema.
The blog is devoted to the era of classical Hollywood cinema, with a particular emphasis on art films and the careers of major directors. I blog about the films themselves, their historical context, and the personalities both behind and in front of the camera. In addition to new posts, there will also be periodic film reviews. You can read more about me here . I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy writing it!
The National Gallery of Art, in Washington, DC, is currently hosting a special exhibit, “Looking at Movies: The Artistry of Film Stills,” featuring more than 35 rare posters from the period from 1931 to 1950.
Taken from actual film frames, these stunningly composed photographs by the greatest graphic artists of their time provide viewers with a unique opportunity to experience the cinema as it was originally seen and described.
The exhibit is on display at the Gallery’s West Building through January 5, 2013.
The Art of Darkness: Film Noir Style and Design is the first book to explore the visual design of film noir and its influence on graphic design, architecture, fashion, and other forms of expression. It features hundreds of rare illustrations and photographs that have never before appeared in a book about film noir, as well as a wealth of critical writing by leading film critics and historians.
The book’s authors include Phillip Lopate, author of Waterfront: A Journey Around Manhattan; Elvis Mitchell, film critic for National Public Radio and author of The Holy Smoke; Ian Buruma, editor-in-chief of The New York Review of Books; James Sanders, professor of art history at George Washington University; Peter Stackpole, author of Ken Marschall: The Life and Photography of a Hollywood Visionary; Robert Polito, professor of English at Yale University; Ed Sikov, author of Mr. Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers; Gary Morris, professor of communication studies at Northwestern University; and Richard Alleva, professor emeritus at Penn State University.
The National Gallery of Art presents works by American artists in the period between 1890 and 1970. In this blog, we share content that is not currently on view at the Museum, but that we hope will be of interest to the public to broaden their knowledge and appreciation of American art over time.
The blog will offer a range of resources, including essays; historical documents such as photographs and posters; audio clips from oral histories collected by the Archives of American Art; recommended readings; and links to other online resources.
The goal is to provide a forum for thoughtful consideration of this seminal period in American art.
Showing a remarkable example of his artistic vision, Chagall’s work was featured in many shows at the National Gallery of Art. One of the most famous was an exhibit entitled, “Chagall,” which took place in the summer of 1949. This exhibition featured 105 pieces of artwork that were painted between 1905 and 1949. The exhibit’s brochure stated that the artist’s inspiration came from “the Bible and Jewish folklore… [from] biblical tales, talmudic meditations, [and] legends.”
The show also featured a number of other paintings and drawings by Chagall. In addition, it included more than 70 pieces by artists who were inspired by his work. These artists include El Lissitzky, Marc Chagall, Giorgio De Chirico, and Jean Cocteau.
The show was organized by Dorothy C. Miller and received much attention from critics and the public alike. It traveled to several cities throughout the United States after its run in Washington D.C.”
