The University of Warwick Open Studies Certificate: ‘Introduction to Film and Cinema Studies’; Term 1 “1895-1950: The Birth and Development of Narrative Film"; Week 2 (02/10/10)
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| Rooftops over an imagined "Holstenwall": Das Cabinet Des Dr Caligari (Robert Wiene, Decla-Bioscop AG, Germany, 1919) |
This week’s sessions consisted of a two hour illustrated lecture given by Julia Larden, on German Expressionism. Cinematic texts studied were The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Robert Wiene, Germany, 1919)and Nosferatu (F.W Murnau, Germany, 1921). As well as discussing the artistic and historical context surrounding these films, we also were able to analyse key scenes.
As our analyses were concerned with the mise-en-scène, we were able to interpret cinematic Expressionism, both thematically and aesthetically, in terms of the artistic movements of Romanticism. As filmmaking is a collaborative process we discussed key personnel who help shaped an aesthetic for cinematic Expressionism.
I had already had read copies of the some of the texts which were suggested, including: Kracauer’s From Caligari to Hitler, Lotte Eisner’s The Haunted Screen: Expressionism in the German Cinema (University of California Press, 1974) and Ian Roberts German Expressionism: Short Cuts (Wallflower Press, 2008). This was combined with my own private research. Sadly, I have not been able to read The Haunted Screen in entirety but I am aware of Eisner’s argument of the influences on cinematic Expressionism.
My private study this week has been to use various sources to research the movement of Expressionism which lead me to two further films, Pandora’s Box (G.W Pabst, Germany, 1929) and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (F.W Murnau, USA, 1927), which although not part of the movement per se, were either directed by one of the major directors (Sunrise) or part of the following German film movement, ‘New Objectivity' (Pandora’s Box).
This is not the first time that I have been in contact with German Expressionism as I was fortunately able to study during my A’ Level Studies course (WJEC A2 Film Studies Module: FM4 German Expressionism). As well as studying the artistic, economical and historical context of German Expressionism, we also studied the movements influence on Hollywood cinema, especially as a stylistic trend. Initially we conducted textual analyses of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu and Metropolis (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1927) but we then applied the aesthetic and thematic conventions to later American genre cinema, including: Melodrama, Sunrise (F.W Murnau, USA, 1927); Fantasy, The Fifth Element (Luc Besson, France, 1997); Film Noir, Gilda (Charles Vidor, USA, 1946); Horror, Frankenstein (James Whale, USA, 1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (James Whale, USA, 1935); Science-Fiction, 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, UK/USA, 1968) and Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, USA/Hong Kong, 1982). We also discussed Expressionisms influence on the Tim Burton aesthetic through the consideration of Edward Scissorhands (Tim Burton, USA, 1990) and The Nightmare Before Christmas (Henry Selick, USA, 1993).
As we judged German Expressionism, in its initial form, as both a national and a form of Art Cinema which through its mise-en-scène and editing was an alternative to classical Hollywood continuity, we also studied Soviet (‘Montage’) Cinema of the 1920’s. We did not apply Soviet cinema to American cinema to consider its influence as we just accepted it as an alternative to the mode and style of classical Hollywood cinema.
I have not just treated this week as a refresh of my knowledge as I hope it will spur me to continue my understanding and appreciation of the Expressionist film movement. As I also admire the direction of Fritz Lang, I took it upon myself to investigate some of his earlier German work. I viewed Metropolis (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1927), Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1922), a crime drama set in contemporary Germany, and Spione (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1928) which can be considered as part of the 'New Objectivity' movement.
Hopefully from here I can then privately explore the French Impressionist film movement and French Poetic Realism of the 1930’s.
As our analyses were concerned with the mise-en-scène, we were able to interpret cinematic Expressionism, both thematically and aesthetically, in terms of the artistic movements of Romanticism. As filmmaking is a collaborative process we discussed key personnel who help shaped an aesthetic for cinematic Expressionism.
I had already had read copies of the some of the texts which were suggested, including: Kracauer’s From Caligari to Hitler, Lotte Eisner’s The Haunted Screen: Expressionism in the German Cinema (University of California Press, 1974) and Ian Roberts German Expressionism: Short Cuts (Wallflower Press, 2008). This was combined with my own private research. Sadly, I have not been able to read The Haunted Screen in entirety but I am aware of Eisner’s argument of the influences on cinematic Expressionism.
My private study this week has been to use various sources to research the movement of Expressionism which lead me to two further films, Pandora’s Box (G.W Pabst, Germany, 1929) and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (F.W Murnau, USA, 1927), which although not part of the movement per se, were either directed by one of the major directors (Sunrise) or part of the following German film movement, ‘New Objectivity' (Pandora’s Box).
This is not the first time that I have been in contact with German Expressionism as I was fortunately able to study during my A’ Level Studies course (WJEC A2 Film Studies Module: FM4 German Expressionism). As well as studying the artistic, economical and historical context of German Expressionism, we also studied the movements influence on Hollywood cinema, especially as a stylistic trend. Initially we conducted textual analyses of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu and Metropolis (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1927) but we then applied the aesthetic and thematic conventions to later American genre cinema, including: Melodrama, Sunrise (F.W Murnau, USA, 1927); Fantasy, The Fifth Element (Luc Besson, France, 1997); Film Noir, Gilda (Charles Vidor, USA, 1946); Horror, Frankenstein (James Whale, USA, 1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (James Whale, USA, 1935); Science-Fiction, 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, UK/USA, 1968) and Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, USA/Hong Kong, 1982). We also discussed Expressionisms influence on the Tim Burton aesthetic through the consideration of Edward Scissorhands (Tim Burton, USA, 1990) and The Nightmare Before Christmas (Henry Selick, USA, 1993).
As we judged German Expressionism, in its initial form, as both a national and a form of Art Cinema which through its mise-en-scène and editing was an alternative to classical Hollywood continuity, we also studied Soviet (‘Montage’) Cinema of the 1920’s. We did not apply Soviet cinema to American cinema to consider its influence as we just accepted it as an alternative to the mode and style of classical Hollywood cinema.
I have not just treated this week as a refresh of my knowledge as I hope it will spur me to continue my understanding and appreciation of the Expressionist film movement. As I also admire the direction of Fritz Lang, I took it upon myself to investigate some of his earlier German work. I viewed Metropolis (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1927), Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1922), a crime drama set in contemporary Germany, and Spione (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1928) which can be considered as part of the 'New Objectivity' movement.
Hopefully from here I can then privately explore the French Impressionist film movement and French Poetic Realism of the 1930’s.
Further research to be conducted in relation to German Expressionism:
- David Cook, History of Narrative Film, Chapter 4 (‘German Cinema of the Weimar Period 1919-1929’).
- Thomas Elsaesser, Weimar Cinema and After: Germany’s Historical Imaginary (London: Routledge, 2000), Chapters 1, 2 & 3.
- Thomas Elsaesser, Metropolis (London: BFI, 2000).
- Joseph Garncarz, Art and Industry: German cinema of the 1920s’, in The Silent Cinema Reader, pp.389-400.
- Andreas Huyssen, “The Vamp and the Machine: Fritz Lang's Metropolis” in After the Great Divide: Modernism, Mass Culture and Postmodernism (Basingstoke, Macmillan Press, 1992).
- Anton Kaes, “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: Expressionism and Cinema” in ed., Ted Perry, Masterpieces of Modernist Cinema (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2006) pp.41-59.
- Anne Leblans, “Inventing Male Wombs: The Fairy Tale Logic of Metropolis” in Kenneth S. Calhoon (ed.) Peripheral Visions: The Hidden Stages of Weimar Cinema (Wayne State University Press, 2001).
Further research to be conducted in regards to Weimar era film theory (including: Béla Balázs, Erwin Panofsky and Siegfried Kracauer):
- Balázs, Theory of the Film [1930] (New York: Dover, 1970), pp. 39-45, 52-77 and 89-92.
- Panofsky, ‘Style and Medium in the Motion Pictures’ [1933], in Gerald Mast and Marshall Cohen, eds., Film Theory and Criticism (New York: Oxford University Press, 1985), pp. 151-69.
- Siegfried Kracauer, The Mass Ornament (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1993): ‘Photography’ [1927], pp. 47-64; ‘Film 1928’ [1928], pp. 307-22; ‘Cult of Distraction’ [1926], pp. 323-28.
Bibliography
Bordwell, David., Thompson, Kristin. 2006. Film Art: An Introduction. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. pp. 440-450.
Bordwell, David., Thompson, Kristin. 2009. Film History: An Introduction. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, Chapter 5 ‘Germany in the 1920s’, pp. 87-104.
Casey Benyahia, Sarah. Gaffney, Freddie and White, .John., 2009. A2 Film Studies: The Essential Introduction. 2nd ed. Abingdon: Routledge. pp.162-183.
Coleclough, S. (2009). German Expressionism, FM4. [Lecture notes] German Expressionism. A2 Film Studies. Stafford College, Media Studies Department, Room T24, September.
Larden, J. (2010). German Expressionsim, [Lecture]. Introduction to Film and Cinema Studies. The University of Warwick. Open Studies Certificate. Stone Hall Adult Education Centre, 1083 Warwick Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, 2nd October.
Hayward, Susan. (1996) Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts. Abingdon: Routledge. pp. 192-198.
Knight, Julia., Kuhn, Annette. 2008. ‘Weimar Cinema’. In: P. Cook, ed. The Cinema Book. London: BFI Publishing, pp. 208-211.
Kracauer, Siegfried. (1974) From Caligari to Hitler: A Psychological History of German Film. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Marriott, James. (2004) Horror Films. London: Virgin Books. pp. 5-15.
Roberts, Ian. (2008) German Expressionism. Short Cuts. London: Wallflower Press.
Robinson, David. (1997) Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari. London: BFI Publishing.
Filmography
Das Cabinet Des Dr Caligari (Robert Wiene, Decla-Bioscop AG, Germany, 1919)
Das Cabinet Des Dr Caligari (Robert Wiene, Decla-Bioscop AG, Germany, 1919)
Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (Fritz Lang, Uco-Film,Germany, 1922)
Faust (F.W Murnau, UFA, Germany, 1926)
Metropolis (Fritz Lang, UFA, Germany, 1927)
Nosferatu (F.W Murnau, Prana-Film, Germany, 1921)
Pandora’s Box (G.W Pabst, Nero-Film, Germany, 1929)
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (F.W Murnau, Fox Film Corporation, USA, 1927)
Spione (Fritz Lang, UFA, Germany, 1928)
A2 Film Studies Filmography
2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Polaris, Stanley Kubrick Productions, UK/USA, 1968)
Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, The Ladd Company/ Shaw Brothers/Warner Bros. Pictures, USA/Hong Kong, 1982)
The Bride of Frankenstein (James Whale, Universal Pictures, USA, 1935)
Edward Scissorhands (Tim Burton, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, USA, 1990)
The Fifth Element (Luc Besson, Gaumont, France, 1997)
Frankenstein (James Whale, Universal Pictures, USA, 1931)
Gilda (Charles Vidor, Columbia Pictures, USA, 1946)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (Henry Selick, Touchstone Pictures/Skellington Productions Inc./Tim Burton Productions, USA, 1993)
Further Course Information:
Image Source:
‘Rooftops over an imagined "Holstenwall"' [online] Available at: < http://cinemasights.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/month-in-review-august-2010/> [Accessed 10 November 2010]
‘Rooftops over an imagined "Holstenwall"' [online] Available at: < http://cinemasights.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/month-in-review-august-2010/> [Accessed 10 November 2010]
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