German Expressionism

What is German Expressionism• German Expressionist Films were a set of special

cinematic art that was one of the greatest achievements in early cinema history.

• Nearing the end of World War I, the German government and military set up the UFA (Universumfilm Aktiengesellschaft) to support the local film industry and propaganda creation. Since the borders were closed for importing, therefore all entertainment had to be produced from inside the borders.

• With so little resources from the inside and no help from the outside, the films made were unique in their own way. Portraying and translating emotions of the locals into a moving art, so much that they can relate the films to their post world war lives.

History and Influence• The extreme non-realism did not last long, it faded away after a few

years, but the themes were mixed into the later film of the 1920’s and 1930’s. From that, it created more control over the artistic environment to enhance the mood of the film.

• Many German filmmakers travelled to Hollywood, due to the Nazi’s rising in power. The filmmakers found that American studios willingly accepted their ideas. Many German directors and cameraman prospered and made a huge impact by producing a range of films.

• Horror film and film noir (stylish Hollywood drama) was heavily influenced by German Expressionism. Karl Freund help set the style and mood of the universal monster movies with the dark and designed sets, which because the model structure of horror films in the later generations.

• Fritz Lang, Billy Wilder, Otto Preminger, Alfred Hitchcock, and Michael Curtiz are directors that introduced the Expressionist style to crime dramas of the 1940s which expanded the influence on modern film making.

Metropolis

• A 1927 German Expressionist Science-Fiction film Directed by Fritz Lang.

• This story is basically about JohFrederson, the father of Freder. The differences between the rich and the poor life, the fight for more pay due to the amount of work they have worked for. Frederbasically becomes the person that calms everyone and reveals the true which the workers have been oblivious to.

Nosferatu• Translation: A Symphony of

Horror• It is a 1922 German Expressionist

Horror film. Directed by (Friedrich Wilhelm) F.W. Murnau.

• The whole story is about Thomas Hutter meeting a new client Count Orlok, which is a Nosferatu, aka Vampire. Count Orlok ships himself in a coffin to Wisborg, where he seeks Ellen, who is Hutter’s wife. Orlakforgets about the sunrise whilst he drinks her blood, and vanished into smoke. Thus, the end of the Count Orlak.

Did German Expressionism die out?

• It is said that German Expressionism was most intense between the 1920 and 1924, and during the final time where two films were released. Both made by Ufa: Murnau’s Faustand Lang’s Metropolis. The last releases in January 1927 marked the end of the German Expressionism.

• The two factors that caused the decline were the high budgeting of the films and the departure of expressionist filmmakers that went to Hollywood.

So has it really died out?

• I don’t believe it has died out, it seems more that it has integrated into the Hollywood filmmaking.

• Especially Horror films that are made, they follow up with the dark mood and scenery that the German Expressionists has came up with.

• There are many people that were influenced by the German Expressionist film.

– Alfred Hitchcock, who filmed The Blackguard.

– Norman Bates, filmed Psycho

– Tim Burton, A Nightmare Before Christmas

References• Bordwell, David; Thompson, Kristin. Film Art:

An Introduction (5th Edition), McGraw-Hill, 1997