JOURNAL ARTICLE

HANGING ON, DRIFTING OFF, TREADING WATER: Christian Petzold's Undine; or, Toward an Awkward Romanticism.

  • Published In: Velvet Light Trap: A Critical Journal of Film & Television, 2023, n. 92. P. 52 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: MÖRKE, LUISE 3 of 3

Abstract

This article positions Christian Petzold's feature Undine (2020) in relation to German Romanticism. It considers the film as a turning point in Petzold's oeuvre, offering a way out of alienation: love engenders a comportment that is radically different from the rules of existence dictated by capitalism, the schedules and demands that mold life into a rigid form. The fluidity of water, I argue, is an analogy for a different mode of life-a floating that mirrors his own desired mode of creativity and contemplation, described by him as "a state of hovering" and by others as "abeyance." But who can float above the neoliberal city, and who must go on kicking to keep from drowning? Through this question, a different kind of romanticism can be glimpsed, one that is less resolved than Undine might suggest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Velvet Light Trap: A Critical Journal of Film & Television. 2023/09, Issue 92, p52
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:0149-1830
  • DOI:10.7560/VLT9206
  • Accession Number:171577862
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Velvet Light Trap: A Critical Journal of Film & Television is the property of University of Texas Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.