german expressionism, film noir & horror

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German Expressionism, Film Noir & Horror By Hayley Overing

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Page 1: German expressionism, film noir & horror

German Expressionism, Film Noir & Horror

By Hayley Overing

Page 2: German expressionism, film noir & horror

DEFINITION

German Expressionism is a cultural movement that is challenging to define as it is not distinguished by a singular style or method of creation, but rather is better described by both the mind-set of the artist creating the work and the generation he or she lived in.

Page 3: German expressionism, film noir & horror

BACKGROUND

German Expressionism came into the cinema and architecture artwork. Expressionist films often revealed things such as sharp edges, tall buildings, crowded environments etc. Two genres which were influenced by German Expressionism are horror and film noir. There is an unusual approach to how these films are set.

Page 4: German expressionism, film noir & horror

EXPRESSIONIST FILMS

Expressionist films were used with absurd and non-realistic sets, including abstract shapes and shadows. German expressionist films dealt with intellectual films such as, insanity and madness. The expressionist influences in its scenography and perspective.

Page 5: German expressionism, film noir & horror

GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM IN ‘FILM NOIR’

Hostile, threatening world. Difficulty of determining truth or reality. Protagonist must solve a sensational crime, usually murder. The alluring, independent, usually dangerous woman is often a mystery,

requiring solution. Sexuality a driving force. Expressionist distortion of protagonist’s perceptions, state of mind,

obsessions, anxieties, desires. Hard-boiled, cynical, disillusioned characters. Strong sense of insecurity, betrayal, or being trapped, with an unhappy

ending. Use of shadows and deep focus to express the protagonist’s isolation. Filmed in black and white, often at night. Extreme tracking shots. Voice overs. Examples: DOA, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity,

Touch of Evil, Strangers on a Train, Maltese Falcon, Key Largo, The Big Sleep, The Third Man

Page 6: German expressionism, film noir & horror

FRITZ LANG

Fritz Lang was born in Germany and was a Jew. He was a German-Austrian filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. He converted to Catholic and moved to America because of the Nazis outbreak. Once he got to America, people knew about his films and he was signed to MGM Film Studios. His first film was Fury which was a crime-drama genre (Film Noir).

Page 7: German expressionism, film noir & horror

ROBERT WIENE

Robert Wiene was an important film director of the German silent cinema. He is particularly known for directing the influential German silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and a succession of other expressionist films. Wiene also directed a variety of other films of varying styles and genres.

Page 8: German expressionism, film noir & horror

TIM BURTON

Tim Burton is a massively famous film director. Some of his most popular films are Edward Scissorhands, Alice in Wonderland and The Nightmare Before Christmas. We can see from those three films that Burton was widely influenced by the German Expressionism.

Page 9: German expressionism, film noir & horror

Some German Expressionist Films

The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920)

Nosferatu (1922)Last Laugh (1924)Faust (1926)Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

(1927)Metropolis (1927)M (1931)The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

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