Asphalt (1929 film)

Asphalt
File:ASPHALT orig colour.jpg
Directed by	Joe May
Written by	Hans Szekely
Produced by	Erich Pommer
Starring	Gustav Fröhlich Else Heller Albert Steinruck Betty Amann
Cinematography	Günther Rittau
Distributed by	Universum Film AG
Release dates	March 11, 1929
Country	Germany
Languages	Silent film German intertitles

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, Berlin: Symphony of a Great City), 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

• Essay on Asphalt at the Masters of Cinema website
• Asphalt at Rotten Tomatoes
• Bibliography