Westfront 1918 – Pabst’s Sonic Nightmare of the Trenches
Authors: Helmers, M.
Journal: Music, Sound and the Moving Image
ISSN: 1753-0768
Abstract:In film-historical terms, Pabst’s film has sunk into the shadows, and whenever an early sound film about the subject matter of the First World War is needed, all eyes and ears fall onto Lewis Milestone’s Remarque adaptation of the same year, All Quiet on the Western Front . Whilst there are similarities between the two films, there are also striking differences. This article sheds light onto the remarkable achievements of Westfront 1918 as an early German sound film. It focuses on Pabst’s use of the aural domain to bring to life his version of the Westfront’s trenches and provides further insights as to why Westfront 1918 was considered a must-see film in 1930. The visceral effect of sonic components transcended the cinematic space and profoundly affected its contemporary audiences. Westfront 1918 invites wider recognition as a tribute to Pabst’s creative achievement in terms of the great director’s own journey into film sound.
Source: Manual