German Expressionism; The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919)

Take the first 10 minutes of class this morning to read Robert Weine's "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" and F. W. Murnau's "Sunrise" articles--we will cover these fellows during class.

Watch the following video on German Expressionism. Take notes.

Expressionism

“Why should an artist duplicate the real world when it already exists for everyone to see?”

• Expressionism begins in Europe around 1906 in painting and theatre
• Style is unrealistic, stylized
• Attention is often given to angles
• Depicts distorted perspectives
• Narrow, tall streets and buildings, odd angles (set pieces)
• Lighting is “dramatic”; Use of shadows
• Actors are grotesque, exaggerated make-up
• Dark, nightmarish tones & moods suggest horror
• Attempt to show the interior lives of characters through exteriors
• Expressionism influences Futurism (and Modernism)
• Expressionism influences Film Noir in the 1930’s (more on that later...)

Robert Weine's bio

• Cabinet of Dr. Caligari – Robert Weine (director) 1919; Let's take a look.
• Hands of Orlac (1924, trailer); Hands of Orlac (1924, fan review)
• Hands of Orlac (1924, full film--extra credit option)

F.W. Murnau's bio

• F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu (1922); Nosferatu (1922, full film); or Nosferatu with Erdmann's score (better music) 
• F. W. Murnau's Sunrise (trailer, 1927)

The following movies, along with Dr. Caligari, are influential in creating the "horror" genre in film. Why, do you think, is expressionism a good stylistic choice for horror films?

• Paul Wegener's Der Golem (1920), (full film, 1920)
• Carl Laemmle's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923); (full film, 1923), starring Lon Chaney (the man of a thousand faces...  watch this film and the documentary and critique it for extra credit)
• Carl Laemmle's Phantom of the Opera (1925); Phantom of the Opera (full film, 1925) with Lon Chaney (see above)
• Harry Hoyt's The Lost World (really sci-fi/romance/adventure...) (1925) (full film, 1925)
• Paul Leni's' The Cat and the Canary (1927), (full film, 1927)

Contemporary films that use expressionism in part or whole:

• The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1972, trailer & full film)
• David Lynch's Eraserhead (1977, trailer); David Lynch: Surrealist of Americana (short documentary)
• Guy Maddin's Careful (1992, Trailer); Guy Maddin documentary
• Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula (1992, trailer); the making of Dracula (Francis Ford Coppola)
• Shadow of the Vampire (2000, trailer)
• The Call of Cthulhu (2005, trailer)
• Pan's Labyrinth (2006, trailer), interview with Guillermo Del Toro

Screening: The Call of Cthulhu (contemporary silent film model; 2005)

HOMEWORK: Read the two articles in your packet ("The Hays Code" & "Sergei Eisenstein & the Montage") for homework. Take notes on key ideas/information.

Begin planning your silent film project (due early April).