Copyright Free on Youtube(Make sure you watch a subtitled version)
Enter into the macabre world
of "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," a silent horror film shot in 1920 by
director Robert Wiene. This was a cornerstone film for German
Expressionism and it merged visual style with psychological complexity that
the screen has yet to let go of.
Elements to look out for:
German Expressionist Visuals
Light and Shadows
Unreliable Narrator
Themes of Madness and Authority
Discussion Questions:
- How does the German expressionist set design enhance the atmosphere of the film and the psychological state of its characters?
- How does the unreliable narrator affect your view of what is occurring in the movie?
- Explain the cultural context and influence of this film (think about the time when it was made). Give an example of another movie you've seen that is similar to this film.
- Did you like this movie? Why/Why not?
1. Everything on the set is jagged and distorted which enhances the tense, uneasy, and confusing atmosphere within the film. Some of the character’s psychological state is that of scared and insane as we see the development of some of the characters within the movie.
ReplyDelete2.We don’t know what has really happened at times and sometimes we know things that the other characters don’t know about at the time. We don’t know why certain events such as the murders are occurring until much later into the movie.
3. This movie was filmed two years after the Great War(WW1) and the treaty of Versailles had greatly affected the German economy and society as the treaty created many economic and social problems throughout the country.
4. I didn’t like the movie as it didn’t really feel scary and there was very few pieces of dialogue that we got to see throughout the story.
1. In The Cabinet of Dr Caligary, the abstract set design is an indicator of German expressionism. The events that take place in the movie are being recalled by the main character. These events have left him distraught and disoriented. The director of the movie, Robert Wiene, makes use of crooked asymmetrical angles of the set to portray this disorientation. The set is painted to look cartoonish as a way of communicating the abnormality of the situation that is initially associated with Dr Caligary, his somnambulist and the recent murders. The walls and floors aren't bare, they have certain patterns on them which increase throughout the movie to draw attention to the protagonist's declining mental state.
ReplyDelete2. As the movie begins, the viewer only has skepticism toward Dr Caligary because he is painted this way by the tellings of Francis. Once the audience learns that Francis is a patient of the asylum, they are made to doubt the validity of his point of view. The audience was so convinced of the director’s insanity that when Francis faces the same happenings, this conviction shifts to Francis.
3. The Cabinet of Dr Caligary came out two years after World War One. It is a German made movie. Its uneasy tension mirrors how people felt at the time post WWI, it represents the disillusionment that came after the war. A film that is reminiscent of this movie is Doctor of Doom by Tim Burton. It shares the haunting look of the characters and the concept of a Madman using a vessel to commit crimes.
4. I did like the film because I stayed engaged the whole time and was curious to see what was next. I was not disappointed in the end, it served as an unexpected, reasonable outcome. The fact that it was an old film also brought interest to me because it is interesting to observe a difference in acting then versus now. The acting of that movie was more theatrical and exaggerated than what is normal these days.
-Loren de Guzman
Delete1. The German Expressionism this movie uses is present in their set design and atmosphere. The use of this design allows us to take a peek at the inner mind of the characters. The set itself makes houses and buildings jagged and at odd angles. It shows the deteriating pyschye of the characters as they struggle to know whats real.
ReplyDelete2. The unreliable narrator makes us seemingly distrust what is happening in the movie. We know he is unreliable as he simply is trying to recount things from inside of an insane asylum. We also know his mind is broken from the ending of the movie. This makes us realize he may be recounting false events, especially with the twisted set. All of this builds up in the audience and makes us reflect on what really happened and what didnt.
3. This film was published shortly after WW1. It was meant to reflect on how the German people felt which was disoriented, sad, and confused. It was also a presentation on how the mental state of the men who came back was altered. It helped bring awareness to the mental health of them and how the crumbling country also affected them. The ways it affected returning soldiers could've been healthcare or economic support, as we saw a fairly poor presentation of each in the film.
4. I thought the movie was interesting. For modern times it doesnt hold up well but when you just take a moment to understand and watch it its fun. Its great to try and think about if what your seeing really is true and how this could've been happening to someone in real life.
1. The German Expressionist set design directly reflects the psychological state of the characters, as the surreal environment registers as unnatural for viewers, instilling them with the same amount of confusion a person with an altered mental state may feel. Additionally, the atmosphere of the film is constructed through the setting, as it brings the audience in with captivating yet eerie landscapes, and the detailed patterns which can all force viewers to keep their eyes on the film.
ReplyDelete2. The unreliable narrator assists the filmmakers with creating an uneasy environment, which in turn leads to viewers inevitably questioning the validity of the content they are seeing. When the audience learns that the narrator, Francis, is in fact a patient at a mental asylum, this doubt is reinforced in viewers.
3. This film was released two years after World War One, which is very evident when viewers watch the film with this fact in mind. This context clarifies the reasons for the specific emotions conveyed by the filmmakers. When in war, civilians can feel powerless or disillusioned, as the atrocities committed by man regularly exceed their own expectations. All of these ideas are seen in the film, with the viewer feeling powerless behind the will of an unreliable narrator, or the film going beyond a slasher film, and becoming psychological warfare. This movie is very reminiscent of Eraserhead by David Lynch, as it is difficult to understand, including a main character whose trustworthiness is nearly impossible to gauge, and an off-putting integrated set.
4. Although I enjoy the heavy symbolism in this film and the ways it goes about conveying its information, I found this film extremely difficult to watch. I did not find it aesthetically pleasing which led to me missing out on a lot of the visual symbolism hiding in plain sight. I think this film is extremely impressive, but it's not for me in any way.