Symbolic Power: Berlin through the Movie Camera Lens

Berlin has an extraordinary history with its wall marking the division in Europe during the Cold War. A remarkable number of movies have used this historical context and portentous atmosphere. This is why in this article, Giles Scott-Smith explores how Berlin has been portrayed in Western popular culture in the post-WWII period. To answer this question, Scott-Smith divides the subject into four relatively distinct periodization’s: Berlin as City of Destruction (1940s); as City of Intrique (1950s,1960s); as City of Despair (1970s,1980s); and as City of Possibility (1990s, 2000s).

Auteur

Giles Scott-Smith

Tags

Analysis, Giles, Scott-Smith, Berlin, Cold War, movies, representation, Western popular culture, analyse, Berlijn, Koude, Oorlog, films, representatie, westerse, cultuur, 2019, AP6, AP6-2019

Photo: Flickr/Pawel/CC BY 2.0