CIN201Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: German Expressionism, Tyrant
TA: Daniel Oct. 14, 2016
CIN201 TUTORIAL 5
KRACAUER’S THESIS “From Caligari to Hitler”
• German Expressionist films were reflective of the German psyche
- Helps understand Hitler’s ascendance
- Reflect the particular mental state of Germany, but also a broader social context
- 3 themes of German Expressionism
1. role of the tyrant
2. inevitability of fate
3. indulgence in chaotic behaviour/delving into chaos
- they desired a controlled environment, indoor sets
- Kracauer also said that film is a COLLECTIVE ENTERPRISE, so it is more
reflective of a collective nation (collective mentality)
- Also addressing a MASS AUDIENCE
- However, a lot of these films were not successful in Germany
- Did Kracauer cram to make all of the films fit?
- The films are NOT POSITIVE, there is NO REDEMPTION
• Expressionism Art a PUSHBACK against Naturalism and Romanticism
- Expressionism in cinema “drawings brought to life”
- Expression of a macabre feeling (SPIRITUAL DEGREDATION)
DR. CALIGARI is Expressionist because…
- Sets are essentially expressionist paintings (no straight lines, everything is painted,
canted, twisted-looking)
- Makeup is very expressionist (dark eyes, makeup in hair for exaggeration, etc.)
- Expressionism in a theatrical way
- in the acting, emotion takes over everything
- film itself is an expression of one man’s insanity
- Expressionism characteristics
role of the tyrant in Dr. Caligari
inevitability of fate in being told as a flashback (everything has already happened)
indulgence in chaotic behaviour through the murder fantasy and mob scenes as
well as man’s insanity
- the tyrant seems reasonable amongst the chaos
NOSFERATU is (German) Expressionist because…
- The sets were most accurate (outside was really outside, not just a painting of the outside)
- Setting is more natural
- Interior made exterior
- Subject Matter gruesome, resolution is unsatisfying (a lot of people die, someone has
to sacrifice herself, etc.)
- Not optimistic totally despondent, people are full of despair
- Undead things infiltrate into society (theme of the Plague)
- Mob-mentality (indulgence in the chaotic) fits Kracauer’s thesis
- Nosferatu has a way of making his environment look like him (expressionism in set
design)
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Document Summary
Kracauer"s thesis from caligari to hitler : german expressionist films were reflective of the german psyche. Reflect the particular mental state of germany, but also a broader social context. 3 themes of german expressionism: role of the tyrant, inevitability of fate, indulgence in chaotic behaviour/delving into chaos they desired a controlled environment, indoor sets. Kracauer also said that film is a collective enterprise, so it is more reflective of a collective nation (collective mentality) However, a lot of these films were not successful in germany. The films are not positive, there is no redemption: expressionism art a pushback against naturalism and romanticism. Expressionism in cinema drawings brought to life . Expression of a macabre feeling (spiritual degredation) Sets are essentially expressionist paintings (no straight lines, everything is painted, canted, twisted-looking) Makeup is very expressionist (dark eyes, makeup in hair for exaggeration, etc. ) Expressionism characteristics in the acting, emotion takes over everything film itself is an expression of one man"s insanity.
