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Sepp Allgeier


Foto anonym von 1926

1895 - 1968

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The cinematographer Sepp Allgeier belonged to the most important cinematographers in Germany whose abilites were especially used for outdoor recordings and expeditions under difficult circumstances. Especially his works for the popular mountain movies of the 20s and 30s are outstanding examples of his work.

First Sepp Allgeier did an apprenticeship as a textile drawer before he worked as a cinematographer for the first time in 1911 for the Freiburger Express-Film-Gesellschaft, normally for newsreels. He realised documentaries of travels abroad, among other in the Balkan States in 1913 where he filmed the Serbian-Turkish war.

The enthusiastic mountain climber and skier Sepp Allgeier already shot his first movie in the mountains with "Alpine Technik des Kletterns im Fels" (12), one year later followed "4628 Meter hoch auf Skiern - Besteigung des Monte Rosa" (13) where he was not only active as a cinematographer but also responsible as a director together with Arnold Fanck. Together with Fanck he worked often together for successful movies in the next years. Also in the same year he followed the expedition of Theodor Lerner who was searching for the polar explorer Herbert Schröder-Strantz. The search failed and Schröder-Strantz remained lost.
Sepp Allgeier was also a war correspondent during World War I and followed the 5th army.

His breakthrough as a feature movie cinematographer followed in the 20s. In those years Sepp Allgeier filmed the successful productions "Das Wunder des Schneeshuhs" (20), "Im Kampf mit dem Berge" (21), "Der Berg des Schicksals" (24), "Der heilige Berg" (26), "Im Luxuszug" (27), "Frau Sorge" (29), "Milak, der Grönlandjäger" (28), "Der Kampf ums Matterhorn" (28), "Tagebuch einer Verlorenen" (29) and "Die weisse Hölle vom Piz Palü" (29). In these movies he used the camera in a virtous way - he let overroll the camera by an avalanche or mounted it on a snowshoe. So he was able to create unusual pictures by then.

Sepp Allgeier continued his film career in the 30s and he shot the movies "Stürme über dem Mont Blanc" (30), "Berge in Flammen" (31), "Der Rebell" (32), "Wilhelm Tell" (34) and Leni Riefenstahl's "Triumph des Willens" (35).

Till the end of war followed the productions "Friesennot" (35), "Standschütze Bruggler" (36), "Der Berg ruft!" (38), "Feldzug in Polen" (40), "Das sündige Dorf" (40) and "Wetterleuchten um Barbara" (41).

After the war he realised only few more documentaries and short movies as a cinematographer like "Helden der Landstrasse" (50), "Grenzstation 58" (51), "Die Passion" (51) and "Achtung! Ruhe! Aufnahme!" (59).

His son Hans-Jörg Allgeier became a cinematographer too.


Other movies from Sepp Allgeier (Cinematographer):
Jiu-Jitsu – Die unsichtbare Waffe (21) Die deutschen Kampfspiele (22) Pömperly's Kampf mit dem Schneeschuh (23) 1000 Dollar Belohnung (23) Die weisse Kunst (24) Alpentragödie (27) Der grosse Sprung (27) Das weisse Stadion (28) Der Sieg des Glaubens (33) Liebe in St. Moritz (34) Escape Me Never (35) Jugend der Welt (36) Ewiger Wald (36) The Great Barrier (37) Peter im Schnee (37) Der Westwall (39) Midnattssolens son (39) Ein Robinson (40) Wehrmachtsfilm (41) Der grosse Bergpreis (49) Heimat, die uns blieb (50)

Director:
4628 Meter hoch auf Skiern – Besteigung des Monte Rosa (13) Heldne der Landstrasse (50) Heimat, die uns blieb (50)

Actor:
Das Wunder des Schneeschuhs (22) Milak, der Grönlandjäger (28)

Writer:
Helden der Landstrasse (50) Heimat, die uns blieb (50)

 
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