slides 3: German expressionism

key event in 1914-1917 germany

• ww1 defeat = end of the german empire

• treaty of versaille = loss of territory and billions in reparations

• Severe economic crisis = hyperinflation, food shortages, unemployment

• political and social unrest = riots

political climate in germany

• weimar republic (1919-1933) 

• communists attempt to exert influence 

• assumed Germany would go communist 

• chaos → art

german expressionism turned social angst → visions of …

• dreams and sleepwalkers

• doubles and devils bargains

• vampires and mad scientists

• forbidden worlds and irrational forces

painted light

film must be drawing brought to life - Hermann warm

german expressionist style

• performance → exaggerated acting, mimicry, overacting 

• visuals → distorted, collapsing sets, painted backdrops, deep shadows 

• themes → antiheroic characters, madness and paranoia, subjective viewpoints, urban decay, criminal underworld 

significance of german expressionism

• simple roles → freudian psychological characters 

• portays inner states and emotions instead of external reality 

major german expressionism films

• Caligari (1920)

• Genuine (1920)

• Nosferatu (1922) 

• Metropolis (1927)

The cabinet of Dr. caligari 

• famous for expressionist settings 

• mix of three dimensional constructions and painted settings 

• subjective view of the main character