RETROSPECTIVE
Method / Acting
Our RETROSPECTIVE focuses on discovering the possibilities of cinema through a look into the past – with a different focus every year.
Marlon Brando, Kim Stanley, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Montgomery Clift, Dustin Hoffman, Ellen Burstyn, Robert De Niro, Faye Dunaway, Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio or Daniel Day-Lewis – the history of cinema has been shaped by the outstanding performances of actors who belong to the tradition of so-called Method acting. This art of performance is the focus of this year’s retrospective, which reveals how the Method transformed not only cinema, but also our idea of what constitutes good acting.
The roots of the Method stretch back to the Russian Empire. It’s there that Konstantin Stanislavski developed a methodology for training actors that focused on the “art of experiencing” (rather than the “art of representation”). Starting in the 1930s, some of his students brought his teachings to the USA. Together with a generation of young actors, they proceeded to fundamentally revolutionize the art form. Expressive theatricality gave way to naturalism, with authentic feelings as the primary objective. To this end, actors had to learn to draw from their own feelings and experiences; the inspiration for the role should derive from these lived experiences.
Starting with the boxing drama ›Body and Soul‹ (1947), this year’s retrospective features a selection of the most important works of Method acting. In one of his most moving roles, Marlon Brando plays a dockworker who stands up to corrupt union officials in ›On the Waterfront‹ (1954); Montgomery Clift and Marilyn Monroe portray two broken people who drag themselves through John Huston’s ›The Misfits‹ (1960); and in ›The Pawnbroker‹ (1964), an unforgettable Rod Steiger stars as a Holocaust survivor who is suddenly confronted with his past in New York. A special focus of the retrospective is on women actors who were too often overshadowed by such male colleagues as Brando, Clift or Newman. This despite the fact that performances by Joanne Woodward, Sally Field, Kim Stanley and Barbara Loden, for the stage as well as cinema, were at least as influential as those of their male counterparts.
A second boxing drama, Martin Scorsese’s ›Raging Bull‹ (1980), provides the chronological bookend to the program. The golden age of the Method came to a close with Robert De Niro’s legendary performance (he gained 26kg for the role). Most crucially, however, the basic principles of the Method had by this point been adopted the world over. To this day, it’s impossible to think of an actor’s formation without them.
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A Place in the Sun
A Place in the Sunread moreshort infoDirector: George StevensCountry: USA
1951 | 122 min. | EnglishSubtitles: GermanFSK 12
Starring Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor and Shelley Winters: a darkly sparkling masterpiece that won six Oscars.
Body and Soul
Body and Soulread moreshort infoDirector: Robert RossenCountry: USA
1947 | 104 min. | EnglishSubtitles: GermanFSK | Nicht geprüft / No clearance (18+)
John Garfield, superstar of the 1940s, is today regarded as the first Method actor in film history. This rousing boxing drama shows him at the height of his powers.
Norma Rae
Norma Raeread moreshort infoDirector: Martin RittCountry: USA
1979 | 123 min. | EnglishSubtitles: GermanFSK 12
Sally Field in the fight for better working conditions at a textile factory. Her exceptional performance won her an Oscar.
On the Waterfront
On the Waterfrontread moreshort infoDirector: Elia KazanCountry: USA
1954 | 108 min. | EnglishSubtitles: GermanFSK 12
Marlon Brando’s acting style impressed and influenced generations. In this drama by Elia Kazan, he demonstrates the full extent of his skills.
Rachel, Rachel
Rachel, Rachelread moreshort infoDirector: Paul NewmanCountry: USA
1968 | 101 min. | EnglishSubtitles: GermanFSK 6
Paul Newman directs his wife Joanne Woodward! A directorial debut that calls to be rediscovered, as well as an important precursor of New Hollywood cinema.
Raging Bull
Raging Bullread moreshort infoDirector: Martin ScorseseCountry: USA
1980 | 129 min. | EnglishSubtitles: GermanFSK 12
Scorsese, De Niro, Schrader – the brilliant trio behind ›Taxi Driver‹ – at their best! A spectacular biopic about the rise and fall of boxer Jake LaMotta.
Seance on a Wet Afternoon
Seance on a Wet Afternoonread moreshort infoDirector: Bryan ForbesCountry: United Kingdom
1964 | 117 min. | EnglishSubtitles: GermanFSK | Nicht geprüft / No clearance (18+)
Rediscovery: Kim Stanley and Richard Attenborough in a stylish, densely atmospheric thriller.
The Defiant Ones
The Defiant Onesread moreshort infoDirector: Stanley KramerCountry: USA
1958 | 97 min. | EnglishSubtitles: GermanFSK 12
Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis united by fate against their will. A haunting parable about racism.
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part IIread moreshort infoDirector: Francis Ford CoppolaCountry: USA
1974 | 202 min. | English, ItalianSubtitles: English, GermanFSK 16
“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” The superlative second chapter in Francis Ford Coppola’s trilogy about family, power and violence.
The Misfits
The Misfitsread moreshort infoDirector: John HustonCountry: USA
1961 | 125 min. | EnglishSubtitles: GermanFSK 12
Marilyn Monroe’s final film. A moving swan song to the Western and an allegory of the life of the female superstar.
The Pawnbroker
The Pawnbrokerread moreshort infoDirector: Sidney LumetCountry: USA
1964 | 116 min. | EnglishSubtitles: GermanFSK | Nicht geprüft / No clearance (18+)
The trauma of the Holocaust. A victim closes himself off from the world. Rod Steiger’s devastating, virtuoso performance from the 1960s.
Wanda
Wandaread moreshort infoDirector: Barbara LodenCountry: USA
1970 | 103 min. | EnglishSubtitles: GermanFSK | Nicht geprüft / No clearance (18+)
A milestone of US cinema as well as a key work of feminist filmmaking.