Let the films begin! 8 films about advertising, printing and more.
Now that the days are getting shorter and we’re settling down cosily on the sofa in the evenings, we’ve put together a list of our personal favourite streaming series and films for you. We wouldn’t be druck.de… if it weren’t for the connection to advertising, printed materials and printing companies. In other words, here you’ll find a small selection of films in which printed materials and the like have played a decisive role, or which offer an insight into the world of printing and advertising. And we’ll admit, our personal druck.de The whole family’s in on the film fun. So, grab the popcorn, nachos and other snacks, and off to the sofa we go. Enjoy your binge-watching.
1 | Mad Men
The seven-series show, starring Jon Hamm as the boss of the ‘Sterling Cooper’ agency, is set in the advertising industry of the 1960s. The chain-smoking womaniser is the epitome of the macho man of that era and, drawing on real historical events, consistently evokes the spirit and aesthetic of the time. However, it also offers an insight into Customs and stereotypical behaviours that have long since disappeared. From today’s perspective, this can sometimes seem rather bizarre. So, for anyone wishing to venture into the advertising madness and sexism of the 1960s, this binge-watching experience comes highly recommended.
If you’ve already seen the series, we recommend this compilation of the quirkiest moments from Mad Men.
2 | The Devil Wears Prada
A toast to magazine culture, featuring a truly diabolical Meryl Streep as editor-in-chief of the fashion magazine ‘Runway’, who, as a perpetually dissatisfied boss, keeps her assistants – played by Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt – on their toes. A hell of a lot of fun, including a glimpse into the world of glossy fashion magazines. And now, pull up your skirts, touch up your make-up and make way for Miranda Priestley.
Book recommendation: Incidentally, the film is based on the book of the same name by Lauren Weisberger, in which she describes her work experience as an assistant to the legendary Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
3 | Catch Me If You Can
This outstanding crime comedy centres on Frank Abagnale (Leonardo DiCaprio), a con artist and cheque forger. He engages in an amusing game of cat and mouse with FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), who, despite his best efforts, is unable to catch him. His forged cheques, in particular, are a true masterpiece – which, incidentally, he produces on a Heidelberg printing press. Without giving away any spoilers, the showdown itself takes place in a print shop. Incidentally, the story is based on true events; the likeable cheque forger is said to have managed to swindle several million dollars by the time he turned 19.
4 | American Psycho
Warning: This film is not suitable for the faint-hearted. Christian Bale gives a masterful performance as the Wall Street yuppie Patrick Bateman, who leaves a truly murderous trail in the wake of his luxurious lifestyle. The film opens with what is arguably the most famous scene in cinema when it comes to business cards. A group of men exchange their business cards, and Patrick Bateman becomes utterly absorbed in the perfection of the cards presented to him. The role of the business card in the business world is deliberately exaggerated in this scene, and this plays a key part in driving the lead character mad. Once again, the film is based on the novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis.
5 | Thor: Ragnarok
Admittedly, with this film recommendation, we had to go the extra mile to find a connection to the world of printing. But we found one. Right at the start, thanks to a business card, Thor meets Dr Stephen Strange, who helps him find his father. Things then move at breakneck speed, and Thor is swept up in the most fast-paced and funniest adventure in his film series. As the icing on the cake, it’s all accompanied by a bombastic soundtrack. Just the right sort of entertainment for dreary, misty-grey Sunday afternoons. And before we forget, we’ve also spotted a promotional item. On Earth, Thor disguises his hammer, Mjolnir, as an umbrella. It’s impossible to tell whether it’s printed or not. 😉
6 | The Name of the Rose
What is this crime thriller doing in this series? Even though it features no printing press, advertising agency or promotional item, a book nevertheless plays a significant leading role. The story is set before the invention of the printing press, when monks still wrote books by hand. In this film by Jean-Jacques Annaud, Sean Connery plays the monk William of Baskerville, who must solve a series of mysterious murders in a monastery. A film that keeps you gripped right to the end. On cold winter nights, you might also enjoy reading Umberto Eco’s book in true style by a crackling open fire. Those who prefer the TV series format can watch the series of the same name starring John Turturro and Rupert Everett.
7 | I’m quitting tomorrow
The Lehmann family is on the brink of financial ruin. How fortunate that they own a printing business. So their money worries are swiftly resolved by printing counterfeit fifty-euro notes – though not without creating new problems in the process. In this drama series, Bastian Pastewka plays the family’s father in distress.
8 | Sex and the City
When it first aired, the series centred on Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte caused quite a stir. Now, six series and two films later, it ranks amongst the classics of TV history. Carrie is a columnist for the New York Star and later goes on to write for the glossy magazine Vogue. The plot is easy to summarise: episode by episode, the series recounts the experiences of single women in the Big Apple. The four of them stick together through thick and thin. No matter what happens, they stick together – usually over a Cosmopolitan. A spin-off series, titled “And Just Like That”, is now in production and premiered in December 2021.
