GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM

In German expressionism, it all started at World War I and their film industry was not that huge, even though some impressive pictures had been made there. Since America and France banned German films from their screens immediately, German government supported their film industry.

Films imports were banned except from neutral Denmark because of the war and an outbreak of murders occurred, has make this an opportunity for the film makers to expression their emotion and frustration into films. There are three popular genres used in German films. First was the internationally popular adventure serial, featuring spy rings, clever detectives, or exotic settings. Another was a brief sex exploitation cycle, which dealt "educationally" with such topics as homosexuality and prostitution.

While in 1919, Erich Pommer’s Decla took an interest to produce a move named The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari. The film is written by Carl Mayer and Hans Janowitz.

Expressionism started in painting in 1910 then taken up in theatre, literature and architecture. German Expressionism depends mostly on mise-en-scene. The first film of the movement is Caligari, it is also one of the most typical examples.

                                                                                                                     

In the film Caligari, the characters apply heavy make up and move in unrealistic patterns such as jerky, slow or sinuous way. Also the film makers use Expressionist stylization to show the audience the distorted viewpoint of a madman. 

Since Expressionism becomes accepted phenomenal filmmakers, they didn't motivate Expressionist style as the narrative point of view of mad characters. In German Expressionism, there are four styles and these are the framing; refer to unexpected camera angles and oblique camera angles. Second is chiaroscuro lighting, it is contrast of light and shadow for various effects. Next is surreal content, means unrealistic and exaggerated sets design. Lastly, are characters with heavy makeup, jerky and slow movement. The end of this industry, the Hollywood films began to create their films with a mark of expressionism.