Asphalt (1929 film)

Infobox Film
name = Asphalt


image_size = 168px
caption =
director = Joe May
producer = Erich Pommer
writer = Hans Szekely
narrator =
starring = Gustav Fröhlich Else Heller Albert Steinruck Betty Amann
music =
cinematography = Günther Rittau
editing =
distributor = Universum Film AG
released = flagicon|Germany March 11, 1929
runtime =
country = flagicon|Germany Germany
language = Silent film
German intertitles
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:136856
imdb_id = 0019655

"Asphalt" is a 1929 German silent film. The film was one of the last silent films released in Germany as the world was entering the era of sound film.

Production

Crew

"Asphalt" was made by UFA; a German studio, and produced by the Erich Pommer who was responsible for producing several films by directors including Fritz Lang (including "Der müde Tod" (1921), "Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler" (1922), "Die Nibelungen" (1924), "Metropolis" (1927), and "Spione" (1928)), FW Murnau ("The Last Laugh" (1924), "Faust" (1926), "Tartüff" (1927).) and other popular films of the era including "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" and "Varieté".

Director Joe May co-wrote the script. The sets were designed by Erich Kettelhut who also worked on "Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler", "Metropolis", ""), with the uncredited assistance of Robert Herlth ("Der müde Tod", "Der letzte Mann", "Tartüff", "Faust") and Walter Röhrig ("Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari", "Tartüff", "Faust"). The cinematographer was Günther Rittau ("Die Nibelungen", "Metropolis", "Der blaue Engel").

Premiere

"Asphalt" was premiered on March 11, 1929 at Berlin's prestigious Ufa-Palast am Zoo. Critics noted the cheap, pulp-fiction nature of the plot but also praised May’s skill and cinematography and editing.

External links

* [http://www.eurekavideo.co.uk/moc/catalogue/asphalt/essay/ Essay on "Asphalt"] at the Masters of Cinema website
* " [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/asphault/ Asphalt] " at Rotten Tomatoes
* [http://film.virtual-history.com/film.php?filmid=2649 Bibliography]