Peter Lorre described himself as merely a 'face maker'. His own negative attitude also characterizes traditional perspectives which position Lorre as a tragic figure within film history: the promising European artist reduced to a Hollywood gimmick, unable to escape the murderous image of his role in Fritz Lang's M. This book shows that the life of Peter Lorre cannot be reduced to a series of simplistic oppositions. It reveals that, despite the limitations of his macabre star image, Lorre's screen performances were highly ambitious, and the terms of his employment were rarely restrictive. Lorre's career was a complex negotiation between transnational identity, Hollywood filmmaking practices, the ownership of star images and the mechanics of screen performance.
| ISBN: | 9780857454416 |
| Publication date: | 1st February 2012 |
| Author: | Sarah Thomas |
| Publisher: | Berghahn Books |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Pagination: | 213 pages |
| Series: | Film Europa: German Cinema in an International Context |
| Genres: |
Film history, theory or criticism History |
Peter Lorre described himself as merely a 'face maker'. His own negative attitude also characterizes traditional perspectives which position Lorre as a tragic figure within film history: the promising European artist reduced to a Hollywood gimmick, unable to escape the murderous image of his role in Fritz Lang's M. This book shows that the life of Peter Lorre cannot be reduced to a series of simplistic oppositions. It reveals that, despite the limitations of his macabre star image, Lorre's screen performances were highly ambitious, and the terms of his employment were rarely restrictive. Lorre's career was a complex negotiation between transnational identity, Hollywood filmmaking practices, the ownership of star images and the mechanics of screen performance.
Peter Lorre, Face Maker features in the following genres: Film history, theory or criticism, History
Peter Lorre, Face Maker is available in Paperback, Ebook, Hardback
Peter Lorre, Face Maker was written by Sarah Thomas and published by Berghahn Books
Peter Lorre, Face Maker has 213 pages
Yes it is part of Film Europa: German Cinema in an International Context series
£89.10