Since the Freep is having their film festival why not have our mini-version. What follows are two films by German director Dieter Marcello [and friend] shot in Detroit in 1988 and 1991. He is releasing them on Vimeo for pay but is making them available for free by word of mouth on the DetroitYES through Friday March 28. Enjoy.

American Beauty, Ltd [Not to be confused with the later-made Hollywood film American Beauty] drew its name from the giant sign atop the former, now demolished, American Beauty Electric Iron Company factory on Woodward]. It is an immigrant-themed docu-feature film that moves back and forth in time. The opening shots from the open Detroit People Mover and many other Detroit scenes combined with archival footage are sure to thrill you. A number of Detroiters cameo in the film including Ken Cockerel with an eighties heavy cell phone, George N'Nambi, Joel Slivers and even me as an artist.

American Beauty, Ltd.


American Beauty, Ltd. was nominated for Best Film and Best Cinematography for the 1990 Deutsche Film Preiz, the German Academy Awards.

It won the latter award and with the cash that came with it Marcello created the documentary Albert Kahn, Architect of Modern Times. Having been inspired by Kahn’s Detroit architecture and the fact that Kahn was German-born and an immigrant provided the inspiration. The little known fact that Kahn also built the industrial backbone of the USSR is highlighted with dramatic footage of the Kahn-designed steel city of Magnitogorsk to go along with the extensive Detroit coverage.

Albert Kahn, Architect of Modern Times