The Context Post-war mood in Germany Production context
Post-war mood in Germany Development of horror cinema Fear of the outsider Chaos Useless authority
Production context Writers: Carl Mayer and Hans Janovitz The two men considered the new film medium as a new type of artistic expression – visual storytelling that necessitated collaboration between writers and painters, cameramen, actors, directors.
Janowitz – memory of a fairground murder in 1913
Mayer – War experiences with military doctors
Producer – Erich Pommer Commercial considerations Initial director – Fritz Lang Changes to the framing narrative
To what extent does an understanding of context influence our understanding of a sequence from Caligari?
Homework Choose a Weimar film from the list. Research plot, link to other contemporary films and any key features of expressionism. Der Student Von Prag (The Student Of Prague) (1913)– Paul Wegener/ (1926) - Henrik GaleenHenrik Galeen Faust – 1926 F. W. Murnau Der Lestze Mann (The Last Laugh) 1924 – F. W. Murnau The Joyless Street (Die Freudlose Gasse) Georg Wilhelm PabstGeorg Wilhelm Pabst Schatten - Eine nächtliche Halluzination ("Shadows - a Nocturnal Hallucination", also known in English as Warning Shadows) Arthur Robison.1923 Arthur Robison Der Mude Tod (Destiny) 1921 – Fritz Lang Secrets Of A Soul (Geheimnisse einer Seele) Georg Wilhelm PabstGeorg Wilhelm Pabst Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett) 1924 – Paul Leni The Niebelungen 1924 – Fritz Lang Dr Mabuse, The Gambler 1922 – Fritz Lang Phantom (1922) - F. W. Murnau1922F. W. Murnau From Morn To Midnight (1920) - Karl Heinz Martin Genuine: A Tale Of A Vampire (1920) - Robert Wiene The Hands of Orlac (Orlacs Hande) (1925) Robert Wiene