Some Kind of Shadow Machines Were Passing by (1990)

In this interview Müller and Kluge explore the East German’s memories of the final days of the war. The session is introduced by a clip from the Russian film maker Sergei Parajanov’s 1961 film entitled The Ukranian Rhapsody. Here a soldier of the Red Army is writing a letter to his fiancee Oskana on the home front, describing to her his imagined vision of listening to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata in the middle of battle. “In the past I rarely listened to Beethoven,” he says, “if he had composed only the Moonlight Sonata, the war would have had to stop in front of it too.” The scene then is interrupted by the arrival of German tanks.

Director: Alexander Kluge
Runtime: 15 min
Release Date:

Cast

Language: Deutsch
Original Language: de
More Films by Director: Alexander Kluge

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Some Kind of Shadow Machines Were Passing by about?
In this interview Müller and Kluge explore the East German’s memories of the final days of the war. The session is introduced by a clip from the Russian film maker Sergei Parajanov’s 1961 film entitled The Ukranian Rhapsody. Here a soldier of the Red Army is writing a letter to his fiancee Oskana on the home front, describing to her his imagined vision of listening to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata in the middle of battle. “In the past I rarely listened to Beethoven,” he says, “if he had composed only the Moonlight Sonata, the war would have had to stop in front of it too.” The scene then is interrupted by the arrival of German tanks.
Who directed Some Kind of Shadow Machines Were Passing by?
Some Kind of Shadow Machines Were Passing by was directed by Alexander Kluge.
Who stars in Some Kind of Shadow Machines Were Passing by?
Some Kind of Shadow Machines Were Passing by stars Heiner Müller.
How long is Some Kind of Shadow Machines Were Passing by?
Some Kind of Shadow Machines Were Passing by has a runtime of 15m (15 minutes).