Revision as of 18:03, 30 June 2013 editLord Cornwallis (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers460,125 edits →Selected filmography← Previous edit | Revision as of 12:41, 8 July 2013 edit undoJeppiz (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers13,031 edits Standard namesTag: Visual editNext edit → | ||
Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
Trenker was born ''Alois Franz Trenker'' on 4 October 1892 in ], part of the ] in the ]. Trenker studied architecture from 1912 until the outbreak of ]. He fought on the ] side, serving mainly in the ] opposite the Italian ]s. He wrote several books based upon his war experiences, the most important of which were ''Fort Rocca Alta'' and ''Berge in Flammen'', the latter of which was made into ]. | Trenker was born ''Alois Franz Trenker'' on 4 October 1892 in ], part of the ] in the ]. Trenker studied architecture from 1912 until the outbreak of ]. He fought on the ] side, serving mainly in the ] opposite the Italian ]s. He wrote several books based upon his war experiences, the most important of which were ''Fort Rocca Alta'' and ''Berge in Flammen'', the latter of which was made into ]. | ||
After the war, he resumed his studies, and worked in ] as an architect forming a business partnership with the Austrian architect ]. | After the war, he resumed his studies, and worked in ]<nowiki/>o as an architect forming a business partnership with the Austrian architect ]. | ||
His first contact with film came in 1921, when he helped director ] on one of his ]s. The main actor could not perform the stunts required, and so Trenker assumed the leading role. He gradually assumed more roles on the set, and by 1928 was directing, writing and starring in his own films. By now he had abandoned his job as an architect to concentrate on his films. He married Hilde Bleichert, with whom he had four children. | His first contact with film came in 1921, when he helped director ] on one of his ]s. The main actor could not perform the stunts required, and so Trenker assumed the leading role. He gradually assumed more roles on the set, and by 1928 was directing, writing and starring in his own films. By now he had abandoned his job as an architect to concentrate on his films. He married Hilde Bleichert, with whom he had four children. | ||
<!-- | <!-- | ||
]]]--> | ]]]--> | ||
The main theme of Trenker's work was the idealization of peoples connection with their homeland and pointing out the decadence of city life (most clearly visible in his 1934 film "Der verlorene Sohn" / "The Prodigal Son"). This loosely played into the hands of Nazi propagandists, who seized upon the nationalistic elements of his work. However, Trenker refused to allow his work to be subverted as such and eventually moved to ] to avoid further governmental pressure. This, though, was not to be and after a pair of documentary films Trenker returned to ] and quit making movies. The style he had developed in the thirties was not limited to nationalistic, folkloristic and heroic clichès, however; his impersonation of a hungry, downtrodden immigrant in depression era New York was regarded as one of the seminal scenes for future ] by the likes of ]. | The main theme of Trenker's work was the idealization of peoples connection with their homeland and pointing out the decadence of city life (most clearly visible in his 1934 film "Der verlorene Sohn" / "The Prodigal Son"). This loosely played into the hands of Nazi propagandists, who seized upon the nationalistic elements of his work. However, Trenker refused to allow his work to be subverted as such and eventually moved to ] to avoid further governmental pressure. This, though, was not to be and after a pair of documentary films Trenker returned to ]<nowiki/>o and quit making movies. The style he had developed in the thirties was not limited to nationalistic, folkloristic and heroic clichès, however; his impersonation of a hungry, downtrodden immigrant in depression era New York was regarded as one of the seminal scenes for future ] by the likes of ]. | ||
After the war Trenker was accused of fascist opportunism but eventually the charges were dropped. In the mid-1950s he again was able to make movies, though by 1965 he had switched mainly to the documentary form, focusing mainly upon the Austrian province of ] and Süd Tirol (his homeland), now part of Italy. | After the war Trenker was accused of fascist opportunism but eventually the charges were dropped. In the mid-1950s he again was able to make movies, though by 1965 he had switched mainly to the documentary form, focusing mainly upon the Austrian province of ] and Süd Tirol (his homeland), now part of Italy. |
Revision as of 12:41, 8 July 2013
Luis Trenker | |
---|---|
Born | Alois Franz Trenker (1892-10-04)4 October 1892 St. Ulrich in Gröden |
Died | 13 April 1990(1990-04-13) (aged 97) Bozen, Südtirol |
Occupation(s) | Film director, actor, architect |
Years active | 1921-1960s |
Spouse | Hilde Bleichert (1903-1988) |
Luis Trenker (born Alois Franz Trenker, 4 October 1892 - 13 April 1990) was a German-language South Tyrolean (Austrian-Italian) film director, architect, and actor.
Biography
Trenker was born Alois Franz Trenker on 4 October 1892 in Urtijëi, part of the County of Tyrol in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Trenker studied architecture from 1912 until the outbreak of World War I. He fought on the Austrian side, serving mainly in the Alps opposite the Italian Alpinis. He wrote several books based upon his war experiences, the most important of which were Fort Rocca Alta and Berge in Flammen, the latter of which was made into a 1931 film.
After the war, he resumed his studies, and worked in Bolzano as an architect forming a business partnership with the Austrian architect Clemens Holzmeister.
His first contact with film came in 1921, when he helped director Arnold Fanck on one of his mountain films. The main actor could not perform the stunts required, and so Trenker assumed the leading role. He gradually assumed more roles on the set, and by 1928 was directing, writing and starring in his own films. By now he had abandoned his job as an architect to concentrate on his films. He married Hilde Bleichert, with whom he had four children. The main theme of Trenker's work was the idealization of peoples connection with their homeland and pointing out the decadence of city life (most clearly visible in his 1934 film "Der verlorene Sohn" / "The Prodigal Son"). This loosely played into the hands of Nazi propagandists, who seized upon the nationalistic elements of his work. However, Trenker refused to allow his work to be subverted as such and eventually moved to Rome to avoid further governmental pressure. This, though, was not to be and after a pair of documentary films Trenker returned to Bolzano and quit making movies. The style he had developed in the thirties was not limited to nationalistic, folkloristic and heroic clichès, however; his impersonation of a hungry, downtrodden immigrant in depression era New York was regarded as one of the seminal scenes for future Italian neorealism by the likes of Roberto Rossellini.
After the war Trenker was accused of fascist opportunism but eventually the charges were dropped. In the mid-1950s he again was able to make movies, though by 1965 he had switched mainly to the documentary form, focusing mainly upon the Austrian province of Tyrol and Süd Tirol (his homeland), now part of Italy.
He also returned to writing about the mountains. He died at the age 97 on 13 April 1990.
The Museum Gherdëina displays a collection of belongings of Luis Trenker from a bequest of his family.
Selected filmography
- Mountain of Destiny (1924)
- The Holy Mountain (German: Der heilige Berg) (1926)
- The Great Leap (1927)
- Struggle for the Matterhorn (1928)
- The Great Longing (1930)
- The Son of the White Mountain (1930)
- Mountains on Fire (1931)
- The Rebel (1932)
- Der Verlorene Sohn (1934)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025943/
- The Mountain Calls (German: Der Berg Ruft): 1938
- I Condottieri, Giovanni delle bande nere: 1950
External links
- Luis Trenker at IMDb
- Virtual History - Photographs
- Mountain Men (TCM Movie Morlocks on The Challenge)
- 1892 births
- 1990 deaths
- People from Urtijëi
- Italian film directors
- Italian silent film actors
- Austrian film directors
- Austrian silent film actors
- German-language film directors
- Italian people of Austrian descent
- Mountaineering film directors
- Recipients of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- 20th-century Italian actors