Sirk in Germay Blu-ray
'Sirk in Germany' Director: Douglas Sirk (1934-35) Eureka Masters of Cinema Limited Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray | Three features + three shorts | New Restorations | German w/ English subtitles
An undisputed master of melodrama, director Douglas Sirk is best known for the lavish, sweeping romances he made during the last decade of his career, including Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows, Written on the Wind and Imitation of Life. But by the time Sirk – born Hans Detlef Sierck – arrived in Hollywood, he had already made several films in his native Germany.
In his directorial debut – the comedy April Fool! – a businessman and shameless social climber is subjected to a cruel April Fools’ Day prank when he is led to believe a noble prince intends to personally inspect his pasta factory. Then, in Sirk’s first melodrama The Girl from Marsh Croft, a farmer falls in love with a disreputable young maid – much to the dismay of his fiancée. Finally, in Pillars of Society, wealthy Norwegian shipbuilder Bernick must face up to a lifetime of corruption and deceit when a farmer returns to Norway after a twenty-year absence and discovers that Bernick has smeared his good name.
these three features – all released in 1935 – alongside Sirk's shorts, showcase the burgeoning talents of a filmmaker who would go on to become one of the most important figures in the history of Hollywood cinema.
Three feature films:
April, Fool! (1935)
The Girl from Marsh Croft (1935)
Pillars of Society (1935)
Three short films:
Two Greyhounds (1934)
Three Times Before [Silent & Sound versions] (1934)
The Imaginary Invalid (1935)
Limited Edition contents:
- Limited Edition of 2000 copies
- O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork
- Collector’s booklet featuring a new extended essay on Sirk’s early works by German cinema expert Tim Bergfelder
Special features include:
- Audio commentaries on all three features by Sirk expert David Melville Wingrove
- Interview with film historian Sheldon Hall on Sirk’s career from Germany to Hollywood
