PRESENTATION BY CHRIS SCHLOEMP GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 1919 Weimar government sought to revitalize the film industry give Germany new image subsidized film – allowed Germany to compete with other countries ranked 2 nd (to Hollywood) in technical sophistication and world influence/popularity by mid-20s

BY 1933… Control tightened over the industry many German film makers left for the US

ARTISTIC BACKGROUND A work of art where the representation of reality is distorted in order to convey an inner vision Seeks the essence of things, rather than the way things appear Reality is entirely the creation of minds and wills…

KEY FEATURES OF GERMAN EXPRESSIONISTIC FILM Emphasis on shapes, forms, and patterns distorted and/or exaggerated settings use of oblique angles and nonparallel lines Hypnotic and nightmarish worlds Unnatural costumes, hairstyles, and make-up Highly stylized acting Use of chiaroscuro

KEY FILMS The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920) Nosferatu (1922) Metropolis (1927)

THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI Novelty made it popular not just Germany Frame story (common) Stylized sets – strange distorted buildings painted on canvas backdrops Actors made little attempt at realistic performances jerky, dance-like movements began the horror-film genre

THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI Francis, a young man, recalls in his memory the horrible experiences he and his fiancée Jane recently went through… It is the annual fair in Holstenwall and Francis and his friend Alan visit The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, an exhibit where the mysterious doctor shows-off the somnambulist Cesare, and awakens him for the show. When Alan asks Cesare about his future, Cesare answers that he will die before dawn. The next morning Alan is found dead. Francis suspects Cesare of being the murderer, and starts spying on him and Dr. Caligari….

MISE-EN-SCÈNE… French term, literally: "put in the scene." For film, it has a broader meaning, and refers to almost everything that goes into the composition of the shot: framing, movement of the camera and characters, depth, proximity, size and proportions of the places and objects, lighting, set design and general visual environment, even sound. The overall look and feel of a movie, the sum of everything the audience sees, hears, and experiences while viewing the movie.