German Expressionism, World War I and The First Horror Film

 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

*Listed in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (S.J. Schneider) - An Art movie to the high class crowds who appreciate innovation, but also a horror movie with a gimmick.

In my essay, I am going to be exploring the conventions used within The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Wiene, 1920) to establish why this film was historically significant. I am going to be focusing on film form, film content and National context. However, before I begin my analysis it is important to establish the meaning of these terms. As stated in the Oxford Dictionary of Film Studies (2012) Film form is ‘’ the constituent elements of a film or films, fictional or non fictional, and the perceivable relationship between them. Form is a critical term referencing an established pattern of literary devices or, more broadly, signals the structure of design in a particular work.’’ (p. 163) This means that, film form and the formal components of a film give the work a distinctive shape and character. 

As shown by Bordwell & Thompson (1993) at the start of World War I, the output of the German film industry was relatively small. During this period in time, the movie theatres were mainly playing French, American, Italian and Danish films. The war had drastic effects on the German film industry as France and American banned German films from their screens immediately. Unfortunately, the German film industry was not powerful and wealthy enough to do the same, as this would result in movie theatres getting closed due to a lack of films being shown. The German government did in fact support the film industry; however, the films were mainly propaganda driven. In the late 1918, with the end of the war, the need for overt militarist propaganda disappeared. Bordwell & Thompson (1993) suggest that, the German film industry mainly focused on making mainstream dramas and comedies, however, they also made adventure serials, sex exploitation cycles, which dealt with ‘’educational’’ topics such as homosexuality. The German industry also attempted to copy Italian historical epics of the pre-war period. The war not only left a mark on society, but it also caused the film industry to suffer, something had to be done in order to keep the spectators entertained. This is when the avant garde movement began with Janowitz and Mayer wanting to make a film that was stylized in an unusual way. As proposed by Bordwell & Thompson (1993, p.460) the company officials wanted to try the avant garde movement, apparently believing that this will be the ‘selling point in the international market.’ The Cabin of Dr. Caligari was made inexpensively and vindicated this view when it created a sensation in Berlin, then the United States, France and many other countries. Due to the major success of the movie, other films in the expressionist style followed, resulting in the movement lasting several years.

Doll (2010) states that the two writers of the film, Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer, who both emerged from World War I, strongly embittered against the wartime government. This resulted in them using the powerful new medium of film, to create an expressionist masterpiece that became highly successful and is generally regarded as one of the first horror films. The German nation was devastated after their defeat in World War I. ‘’ While the nation’s exterior shined of industrialized modernity, the “double wound of war and defeat festered beneath the glittering surface.” The morale and spirits of German civilians were shattered to the point where many were looking for a sense of escape from the realities around them.’’ (Kryah 2015) In Kryah’s article, it is stated that, Janowitz and fellow pacifist Carl Mayer, were both so affected by the war that they wrote The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. The film is a response to the unchecked governmental authority that the war was both born of and nourished by. 

Caligari is established as a masterpiece of German Expressionism. Expressionism (German Expressionism) is a ‘’ term borrowed from painting and theatre, denoting a body of films made in Germany between 1919- 1930. It refers to an extreme stylization of mise en scene, with low key, shadowy lightning, at times high fluid camera movements, which evoke an atmosphere of forbidding, anxiety and paranoia.’’ (Oxford Dictionary of Film Studies 2012, p.151.) 

From the beginning of the film, the audience get a feeling of dread, the opening credits read ‘spirits are all around us’ and the main character begins to tell his story by saying ‘what we have lived through is strange’. This could be argued, to be a direct link to the occurrences of the First World War, as what people have witnessed and experienced can only be described as strange and haunting. In Caligari, the Expressionist stylization ‘functions to convey the distorted viewpoint of a madman.’ (Bordwell & Thompson 1993, p.461) We see the world as the hero does. Kryah (2015) argues that, Expressionists sought to ‘emphasize subjects suggestive of interior states.’ The mise en scene used within this film, presents the audiences with distorted landscapes, the streets are narrow, the pavements are uneven and the walls are slanted. It is possible to argue that, the director chose to design the set in such a way to show the damage done by the terrors of the war and the post war aftermath. Many argue that, expressionists such as Wiene used the film medium to reflect the world, however, they do not try to reproduce the world as purely and simple as it appears to be. Instead, such directors as Wiene focus on ‘feelings and perceptions, which reflect expressionism’s relationship with modernism’ (Doll 2010) Bordwell & Thompson (1993) also propose that, the success of Caligari and other Expressionist films kept Germany’s avant garde directors largely within the industry. The expressionist movement and the massive success of Caligari helped the German film industry to gain respect among the best directors and films. ’ By the mid 1920s, the most prominent German films were widely regarded as among the best in the world.’ (Bordwell and Thompson 1993, p.460)

In conclusion, through my in-depth analysis of The cabinet of Dr. Caligari, as well as an analysis of the historical background of the film, it is possible to argue that this film had a major influence on the German film industry. The expressionist movement was believed to be a selling point, and this is exactly what the German film industry needed during the post-war period. Due to the horrific events of the war, the German film industry lost a lot of respect from other countries, resulting in their national films getting banned. However, due to the brave movement and the support of the companies, German Expressionism was able to flourish. The avant garde movement gave the spectators what they were hungry for, a novelty, an insight into the character’s perspectives, internal desires and emotions. There is no doubt that Caligari offers exactly that to its audiences. Butler (2002) suggests that, the movement was a ‘direct influence on Alfred Hitchcock who worked in Germany in the mid 1920s.’ Butler also argues that, most of the expressionist practitioners immigrated to America, where they influenced first the Universal horrors of the 1930s, and then the look of Film Noirs. This shows that, such films as Caligari had a major influence on the development of new cinematic styles as well as establishing new genres worldwide. The bravery and the creative inventions of the Expressionist directors are praised, as without them the audiences would have never been able to not only watch films, but to feel a part of their world.

Bordwell, D. & Thompson, K. (1993) Film Art: An Introduction. 4^th edn. London: McGraw-Hill.

Butler, M. A. (2002) The Pocket Essentials: Film Studies. Herts: Pocket Essentials.

Doll, M. (2010) The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Available at: https://modernism.research.yale.edu/wiki/index.php/The_Cabinet_of_Dr._Caligari (Accessed: 20th August 2016)

Kryah, K. (2015) The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: Dark Relationship With Postwar Germany. Available at: http://the-artifice.com/the-cabinet-of-dr-caligari-dark-relationship-with-postwar-germany/ (Accessed: 23^rd August 2016)

Kuhn, A. & Westwell, G. (2012) A Dictionary of Film Studies. 1^st edn. Oxford University Press.

A Story Of A Lonesome Man

A Single Man

What initially drawn me to this movie was the exceptionally exquisite cinematography and editing. I recall seeing a few images of the film and I just knew I had to see it. The film affected me on such a emphatically personal level. 

The film is set in the 60s and follows the story of a college professor George, who recently lost his lover Jim. The film takes its audience on a journey through pain, the pain of a man who loved and lost. The film beautifully portrays the 60s era with the mise en scene. The colour palette used within this film is rather nostalgic, but fits perfectly within the periodical spectrum.  The film is packed with a dazzling cast: Collin Firth (best actor at Venice film fest), Matthew Goode, Julianne Moore, Jon Kortajarena and of course, Nicolas Hault. Collin Firth is a rather versatile actor. From staring in Bridget Jones, a light-hearted rom-com (which we all love) to the King’s Speech, Firth manages to capture and portray the ‘real’ emotion of the single man, which Tom Ford was aiming to show in his directorial debut.  I was not sure what to expect from this film as Tom Ford is relatively new to the film scene, although, he is a well-known designer. The film’s trailer is rather visually pleasing and demanding at the same time due the lack of dialogue. The trailer captures the raw emotions that the film conveys. The astonishing mise en scene combined with the angelic and rather tragic music creates a heavy hearted fairytale of a man. The film explores issues of loneliness, acceptance, homosexuality and most importantly, love and death.

I would highly, highly recommend this film. It’s been almost a year since I have seen this magnificent masterpiece and the film is still fresh in my memory. Tom Ford has a great future ahead of him. His new release (Nocturnal Animals) featuring one of the best actors of our century Jake Gyllenhaal, along with Amy Adams is set to attract a wide range of audiences! Without a doubt, Ford is a true artist, a perfectionist who pays attention to every detail of his masterpiece. From analysing the cinematography, it is clear that Ford has been influenced by masters such as Hitchcock.

 Anna Gaszkowska

Psychology for Halloween ?

The nights are getting longer, days become shorter and colder. Yes, Halloween is just around the corner, which means it’s another opportunity to binge watch films! Any opportunity is good to sit down, relax and enjoy a film, but for me, autumn is the time of the year where I find myself wanting to see more films, even films that I wouldn’t normally pick. I’m certainly not the typical ‘horror’ fan, for me fear comes from something deeper. Indeed, if you tell me to watch a typical horror, I will scream and I will get paranoid (yes I will sleep with the lights on, who knows maybe the Annabelle doll is out to get me?) but the film will not have a major affect on me. When I want to watch something that will affect me on a deeper, subconscious level I tend to pick a classic thriller, or a psychological horror. I will not be recommending popular films such as: Saw, Paranormal Activity etc. I want to show you a different side of fear, the kind of fear that grows in our consciousness, forces us to over think, dwell and think outside the box.

Here we go!

Roman Polanski, 1968.

·       My first choice simply had to be Rosemary’s Baby. I have to admit, I didn’t expect much from this film on the spectrum of dread and fear. My dad, who is a massive film buff, told me I need to see it. Growing up in a Polish household, I was aware of Polanski. He is regarded as one of the best directors to come out of Poland. I was amazed how powerful this film is. Mia Farrow, who plays the lead role of Rosemary, is simply outstanding. Her physique, her hair cut, he delicate beauty really adds to the hair rising atmosphere of the film. I do not want to spoilt the film; therefore I will not go into detail. The film really is a real ‘mind fuck’ (excuse me for my inappropriate use of language). We have the creepy neighbours, the typically normal husband, who yet gives out a devilish persona; we have the dame in distress (and of course the baby). This film is a perfect example that what we don’t see has the power to scare us on a deeper level.

Jonathan Demme, 1991.

·       My second recommendation is Silence of the Lambs. I believe that you cannot simply go through life without seeing this film! I remember being a little girl and seeing this DVD lying around in our house, I begged my parents to let me see it, well now I know why. Before I watched this movie, I thought it would be gory, gut wrenching, but to my surprise it’s elegant, poetic and beautiful in a bizarre manner. This film is certainly on my top 10 films list. Anthony Hopkins is a phenomenal actor; he is rather flexible in his roles. Jodie Foster and Hopkins is a match made in heaven. The film is captivating; Dr Lecter lures you into his uncanny world, what really strikes me the most in this film, is the sexual tension between Lecter and agent Starling. It’s the typical young girl/ teacher fantasy which really adds to the power of the film! On a side note, I highly recommend Hannibal TV series.  The cinematography and overall aesthetic of the series is simply breath taking, also Mads Mikkelsen is just creepy, but beautiful!

Stanley Kubrick, 1980.

The third film, which I would like to recommend to you, is The Shining. Once again, my dad talked about this endlessly stating it’s such a powerful and enigmatic classic. Let me just say I wasn’t disappointed. The film devours its audience, its swallows them into a labyrinth of disbelief, dread and torment. Kubrick was an outstanding director, his films were distinctively haunting, but yet captivating and highly entertaining. There are many factors, which make the Shining so damn creepy and haunting. The main reason, of course, is Jack Nicholson, there is no doubt, he is one of the greatest actors that the world had the privilege of watching perform. Everything within this film is provoking its audience to feel uneasy. The films iconic mise en scene provokes the audience to feel uneasy, to feel a sense of contradiction, as we want to see and know more, but yet we fear to see what will come next. Also, Shelly Duvall portrayal of Wendy deserves a standing ovation! 

David Lynch, 2001.

·       Another film that I highly, highly recommend is Mulholland Drive. It is not regarded as a horror, or even a thriller, however, for many this film was a haunting nightmare. This is arguably David’s Lynch most successful and recognised film yet. The cast includes the young, lost Naomi Watts, Justin Theroux and many more familiar faces. Arguably, all Lynchian films are bizarre, wrong and just gobsmacking, and certainly that is the case with Mulholland Dr. At first glance it’s another surreal art house flick, but as the plot unveils its darkness, the audience begin to realise that the film is rather frightening. The music, overall aesthetic, cast and, of course Lynch, create an eerie and obsessive atmosphere that will but many viewers into a state of confusion, arousal and fear.

·      

Richard Kelly, 2001.

         Donnie Darko is a cult classic that I simply cannot not recommend. The overall theme of the film loosely revolves around Halloween, although it is not the main theme that drives the plot. The film gives us the enormous, chilling rabbit that haunts the audience through the film. The narrative is nonlinear, it’s not a simple problem : climax ratio. Initially, when the film was first released it was simply misunderstood, mocked and quickly forgotten. Luckily it managed to attract a wide variety of audiences that promoted the film to gain its cult status. I find this film to be rather nostalgic, we get to see the young, quirky Drew Barrymore, the enigmatic Jake Gyllenhaal, I mean what more could we ask for?

·     

Alfred Hitchcock, 1960.

        Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, simply needs to make an appearance on this list. I have had the pleasure of watching many Hitchcock’s films. Some I liked more than others, but my all time, favourite Hitchcock masterpiece is Psycho. Psycho is an ageless classic. I could always recognise which decade the films I was watching came from. The film aesthetic changed throughout each decade and there are clues to be found within films that indicate the production date. Strangely, when I watched Psycho for the first time, I simply could not believe that the film was a 60s classic. I mean, of course the most obvious indicator is the lack of colour, which confuses the audience as the film was shot in black and white (although this was a personal choice). The film is flawless, stylish and artistic. It’s packed with surprises and keeps the audiences at edge, but what could we expect from the master of suspense after all. Whether you’re a film buff, or not, you are probably aware of the iconic shower scene, the earring and piercing music that               accompanies the scene. I can promise you, you will not be disappointed with this film.

Anna Gaszkowska

The Haunting Beauty of La Haine

Police representation in La Haine

La Haine, changed the way I view films. This film is a perfect example that enables us to see that, films are in fact more than just pretty pictures, and the film medium is a powerful tool that can be used to change our world. The film provokes its audiences to feel something, the film entertains us through its satire, but it’s not a film you watch to be simply entertained, you watch this film and you get the urge to change the world, stand up, and fight for your rights. When I first encountered this film, I was amazed, frustrated and saddened at the same time. Throughout watching this film, I felt a sense of real world issues, the film itself is filmed in a documentary style; it uses real life footage in the opening credits. In my opinion everything about this film is perfect. Marley’s music complements the French culture, who feels oppressed, lost and pushed to their extremes. In my opinion, the film is ageless; it tackles issues that somehow always seem relevant. This makes me wonder, how we should feel about this. It’s been over two decades since the film was released, but yet nothing has changed, perhaps the world has evolved, but we are still faced with the same horrendous issues. From a sociological point of view, the film is a masterpiece, through its astonishing cinematography, use of dialogue and sound it creates a haunting tale, a tale about three young guys, three trouble makers. However, those three troubles makers represent more than we think. Each one of them is us, each bullet piercing their bodies goes through us, not directly, but metaphorically.

The beginning of the film, instantly shows the audience the division between the good (police) and the bad (rioters).The opening sequence, shows large crowds; who are full of rage and at this point, the audience are likely to question why are these people so angry, also police are representatives of law, therefore people should feel safe. 

The music, that accompanies the opening sequence highlights police as brutal, as we hear things such as ‘uniforms of brutality’, this allows the audience to pick up on the fact that, in this film the police are the bad guys. The audience, are also able to see an armed police officer, dragging someone across the street, and although the audience may be aware that police must do their job, they are able to see that perhaps, the police is overusing its power. The audience are also able to see many hateful posters, which are aimed to show how the police is seen by the oppressed underclass. The opening sequence introduces the audience to the ‘real’ world, where there is a huge division between police and the rest of the society, the audience can see that the police is always stood opposite the rioters, and this suggests that although, they are all French citizens they are not equal. This can also cause the underclass to feel alienated from society.

The police is shown as very powerful, the audience always see them in large groups. When Said is shown for the first time, the audience see him stood opposite a crowd of police officers, when the camera zooms in; the audience can see that the police officers all look similar. None of the police officers are smiling, and it is clear that they want people to be scared of them; this suggests to the audience that the police are not interested in keeping people safe, but they use this as an excuse to gain a status. The audience then see Said, writing a hateful message on the police van, this gives the audience an idea of what they can expect from the three main protagonists. It is possible to argue that, the media is trying to brainwash people; as the audience get to see things from two different perspectives, when the riots are mentioned in the news, the main topic that is spoken about is injured police officers. The rioters are shows in a negative light, however, when the audience see things from the protagonist’s perspective, they are able to see that in fact, the rioters suffer more and although they seem to be hateful they are fighting for their rights. This allows the audience to compare the societal reaction to the rioters, and the police because in the news the police are shown as heroes, but in reality they are the bad guys. Throughout the film, the audience are able to pick up the negativity felt towards the police; as they are referred to as ‘pigs’ by most of the underclass. In one of the scenes, Vinz refuses to shake hands with a police officer because ‘he doesn’t shake hands with pigs’, this shows the audience that, perhaps the underclass have been conditioned to hate the police, because the police officer actually helped Vinz, Said and Hubert so they should be grateful; however due to the inequality within society people are made to believe that all police officers are bad.

Most of the police officers shown in this film are white, French, middle class men. They all seem to be targeting the youths, as they suspect everyone to be a criminal. However, the Arab police officer, who helped the trio, suggests that not all police officers are bad. The audience can see, that he is treating people with mutual respect because he, himself was most likely treaded with inequality due to his origins. Although, the overview of the film is showing the police in a very negative way, there is still ‘hope’ because police officers, who once experienced poverty, are more likely to treat people equally. The film, raises the issue of misrepresentation of people in the media, as whenever the trio see police acting nice they are somehow shocked. In one of the scenes, they are called ‘sir’ by a police officer, and they find it hard to believe that for the first time, they have been shown respect by a police officer. The stolen police gun plays a significant role in the film, as it suggests to the audience that the police are the cause of the riots. We can suspect, that the police officer must have been irresponsible and didn’t do his job properly, and that’s why the gun was stolen. It is possible to argue, that the police are bad role models because they carry weapons, and this can make people feel like they can use guns as well because that’s how problems are dealt with in today’s world.

One of the most significant scenes in this film is when Said and Hubert are captured by the police, and later on they are tortured. This scene shows the audience what really goes on behind the closed doors. It can be found as shocking, to see agents of law acting so brutally towards other people. This also highlights the fact that perhaps, police cause the hatred because this allows them to take their anger out on innocent people as they are not equally human as them, simply because they are poor. This scene shows that younger police officers are more reluctant to use violence against the underclass, but the older, more experienced officers are their role models. This suggests that, not all police officers start off as being bad, but they simply take on the role and just get lost in the power they behold. The police officers, are behaving in an animalistic way, one of them even says that the hardest part is stopping; this shows the audience that the uniform changes people so much that they forget how to be a human. The film, offers the audience an explanation to why the riots happened, as the audience get a close insight of the division between the police and underclass.

The narrative of the film, reveals to the audience that people are made to hate other people, and because of the media, people feel the need to be aggressive. Towards the ending of the film, the audience can see that the hatred is getting out of control, as the only thing that drives Vinz, is to kill a pig as this will set him ‘free’. The film is so successful, because it really shows the ‘real’ lives of people, and many people can relate to the three main protagonists. The ending of the film is shocking, but somehow, the audience could suspect what was going to happen as there was a war between the police and the underclass, therefore it was just a matter of time to see who wins. The film shows that the police shouldn’t be treated any differently, they are even more brutal in their actions but compared to normal, working class people they can justify their animalistic behaviour, by stating that they had to behave in such a way because this is what their job requires them to do. Often, police are glorified in the media as they are always the heroes, but La Haine, reveals the shocking truth that is hidden away from the society. The ending of the film, reveals how irresponsible police really are as Said and Vinz were stopped for no reason, in fact the audience may even feel that Vinz has changed because he gave the stolen gun to Hubert and he no longer feels the need for revenged. Although, the police officer didn’t intentionally kill Vinz, the shooting foreshadows where society is going, as the brutality of the police is having a major impact on the oppressed people and one thing leads to another bad thing. It is heart-breaking to see Hubert, who seemed to be the most rational out of the three, to take justice into his own hands because he simply had enough.

In conclusion, the film offers the audience a clear picture of how society is structured. The audience see the clear division between classes and police, there is constant rivalry between groups. The film reveals that often, society trusts the wrong people as the ones who are here to protect us are the ones killing us.

Anna Gaszkowska