Name at least 3 other films identified by critics as classic German Expressionist Films:

The Spiders (1919) by Fritz Lang

It is a German silent two-part adventure film. It was released in two parts in 1919 and 1920. Two more parts were originally planned but never made. It was believed to be a lost film, but it has been rediscovered and restored.

The Street (1923) by Karl Grune

The Street is a German silentdrama film. The movie follows two distinct plot lines until the two eventually merge: the first is that of the bored middle-aged man seeking a departure from monotony in his life; the second is that of the blind man and the little boy, his grandson, who are interdependent. None of the characters have been given names and are therefore referred to only by description.

Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (1924) by Fritz Lang

Die Nibelungen is a two-part series of silent fantasy films.

The title character Siegfried, masters the art of forging a sword at the shop of Mime. Siegfried hears the tales of the kingdom of Burgundy, the kings who rule there, as well as of Kriemhild, the princess of Burgundy. Siegfried announces he wants to win her hand in marriage.

Why has UFA managed to stay in business?:

UFA was a German motion-picture production company. It created outstanding and technically brilliant films during the silent era. Located in Berlin, its studios were the best equipped and most modern in the world. It encouraged experimentation and imaginative camera work.

UFA was established in 1917; Its purpose was to promote German culture and enhance Germany’s international image in the years following World War I.

In 1923 the studio acquired one of the world’s most extensive production facilities. This, however, overlapped with the increasing popularity in Germany of Hollywood films and resulted in financial crises that compelled the studio to produce mostly inexpensive documentary films for the next few years.

On the brink of financial ruin, the company was purchased in 1927 by Alfred Hugenberg, a future Hitler supporter who mandated that the company devote itself to films that promoted German nationalism. The resulting films proved popular in Germany, but rising production costs and a shrinking international market led to large deficits causing them to shut down. A new UFA was launched in 1956 but eventually went bankrupt.

Describe some of the stylistic conventions associated with the expressionist art movement. Post some additional examples of Expressionist Art:

Expressionism is an artistic style in which the artist wants to depict not objective reality but the subjective emotions that objects or events cause within a person.

The artist does this through distortion, exaggeration, and fantasy and through the vivid, or dynamic application of elements.

Expressionism can be seen in Germanic and Nordic art particularly in times of change or spiritual crisis, as it is a way for artists to show their emotions or thoughts to the world around them.

Some examples of expressionist art include:

“This bent and sightless man holds close to him a large, round guitar. Its brown body represents the painting’s only shift in color. Both physically and symbolically, the instrument fills the space around the solitary figure, who seems oblivious to his blindness and poverty as he plays. At the time the painting was made, literature of the Symbolist movement included blind characters who possessed powers of inner vision. The thin, skeleton-like figure of the blind musician also has roots in art from Picasso’s native country, Spain. The old man’s elongated limbs and cramped, angular posture recall the figures of the great 16th-century artist El Greco.” – https://www.pablopicasso.org/old-guitarist.jsp

“Death and Fire suggests that abstraction and representation have been mutually accommodating, or otherwise complementary means of expression, since time immemorial.

Knowing that the end was near, Klee painted his own grimacing death mask without compassion. A silhouette moves forward from the background on the right, and in the foreground, dominating the work, a death’s head on top of a skeleton comes out of the earth, brandishing a golden ring with which it tries to catch the attention of the silhouette, which is going to go across the fire of life. But this is merely an interpretation; whereas the shock of the image hits one immediately. Using well-tried plastic means, Klee managed to transpose the ultimate human challenge into artistic form. Death’s face recalls the tormented features of a pastel self-portrait of the same year subtitled Hold Fasti.” – https://www.paulklee.net/death-and-fire.jsp

Why, in your view do you think Citizen Kane is regularly cited by critics as "The Greatest Movie Ever Made"?

Citizen Kane is believed to be “the greatest movie ever made” for countless reasons. These consist of the cinematography, editing and lighting techniques used in the film. One of the biggest reasons this film was so spectacular at the time and remains a significant part of film history is because Orson Welles created many techniques that were entirely new for that era of film and are still being used today. Since there were so many new things that had never been seen on screen, that was a massive part of why so many people wanted to watch this masterpiece.

The first reason this was a highly viewed film is because of its use of cinematography. One revolutionary shot that made the film stand out to critics was the scene of young Charles playing outside in the snow while his parents were discussing his new living situation. In this scene, a long continuous tracking shot was used to show the movement of the characters and allowed for an unbroken line of dialogue, giving a sense of realism to the movie, which was enticing for the audience. This took a lot of planning as they had to ensure that the blocking of the characters and props, such as the table, was not in the way of the camera. This scene also portrayed a deep focus allowing the audience, for the first time, to be able to choose where to look rather than the director telling them what to look at. This was similar to going to a play, which was an extraordinary thing to watch at the time.

the film, which was new to the film industry. Orson Welles did this to communicate the emotions and status of a character in a scene. For example, a low angle shows that Kane is an influential figure who looks down on others. This shows the bildungsroman genre as we see him grow from a frail child to someone who now has power and status.

Secondly, this is considered a fantastic film because of its lighting skills. Orson Welles frequently used cameo lighting. In fact, throughout the film, Welles uses lighting to give his settings dynamic gradients and compelling shadows. The dim and mysterious lighting played a massive role in authenticating Kane’s true egocentric and materialistic personality. Simply put, the high contrast light and dark style affect the scene’s composition. Chiaroscuro lighting is one way to create a three-dimensional quality on a two-dimensional plane, with the pools of darkness contrasting with pools of light.

Another reason why this movie is a part of the greats is because of its use of storytelling. Citizen Kane also uses a non-linear narrative structure. The film is told through the perspectives and memories of people in his life using flashbacks. This is another reason which adds to the film’s intrigue, as the audience is trying to piece together his life to figure out the big question “what/who is rosebud”.

Lastly, Citizen Kane’s editing created an excellent production. The film was the first to use “the wipe” editing technique. This editing technique is used continually to overlap the front pages of newspapers with Susan’s opera performances. This shows the passing of time and exposes the relationship between Kane and Susan, as it is evident that he is forcing her to do as many shows as humanly possible even though it’s not what she wants.

However, the most effective editing technique was used at the very beginning of the movie when the newsreel played. This is because it was typical of the time that it was filmed to have a newsreel before the movies. This establishes the time in which the movie is set and also intrigues the audience to learn about a character as though they are authentic, creating a sense of false reality and incising the audience even more.

In conclusion, Welles was a fantastic director. He took every aspect of a great film and created a Frankenstein of techniques to create the perfect movie possible.

Choose your favourite scene from the film and explain why this is the case. You should consider Welles’ use of microelements in your answer.

My favourite scene was when Mr Thomson visited Ms Alexander at El Rancho. This beginning scene sold me why most people declare this is the best movie ever made. This is because most directors and cinematographers weren’t willing to do complex transitions and camera movements such as those shown in this scene. Most directors in the 50s and 60s were stuck using hard swipes for transitions.

Some techniques used in this scene consist of a crane shot (high angles), which was uncommon at that time. This could be a reason why Citizen Kane is so loved. It gave a new viewing perspective that people in the audience had never seen before. Secondly, an over-the-shoulder shot was used, looking over Mr Thomson, giving the audience a direct view of Susan. This shot, again, was new to the time era.

Lastly, the use of chiaroscuro lighting was extraordinary. It was used only to light Ms Alexander, showing us a clear view of her emotions and making it clear that she is the one that holds the power of knowledge in this situation. Also, the lighting strikes create an eerie atmosphere placing the viewers in the scene with the characters.

1. How the political, social and economic context of the Weimar Republic affected the production and content of classic German Expressionist Cinema

The Weimar Republic is the name given to the German government between the end of the Imperial period which started in1918 and ended in beginning of Nazi Germany in the year 1933.

German Expressionism was a visual arts movement. Its language was one of jarred lines, crooked shapes, violent, unnatural colours. Especially after the first world war, it concentrated on the more distorted physical human characteristics in an expression of the horrors of war.

2. Some of the stylistic conventions associated with the expressionist art movement

Extreme angles, flattened forms, harsh colours, and distorted views distinguish were major components of the art expressionist art movement.

It delved deep into surrealism not trying to look like the actual world as expressionist art tried to convey emotion and meaning rather than reality

In order to express emotion, the subjects are often distorted or exaggerated.

4.Films identified as classic German expressionists films by critics.

Destiny (1921)

From Morn to Midnight (1920)

A cashier is a small bank gives in to the power of money by stealing from a rich old lady.

The Hands of Orlac (1924)

5. Films from the 40s, 50s and 60s influenced by German expressionism.

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Touch of Evil (1958)

Blast of Silence (1961)

6. 2 Films that appear to gain inspiration from German Expressionism.

The whole movie is using low key and high contrast lighting.  The setting in this movie is typically German Expressionism and appears to be quite Gothic. From the shots of the London streets which is reflected by the setting and the way the character dress are all in black and white which evokes German Expressionism with its dark Mis-en-scene.

The Crow takes many influences from German expressionism including the dark, well designed and elaborate costumes, the use of makeup also matches the types of makeup worn by actors in films from the German expressionism movement.

The expressionist fine art movement
Describe some of the stylistic conventions associated with the expressionist art movement. Examples of Expressionist Art.

In expressionist art, distorted, messy lines are used in artwork as well as rapid brushwork and strong, bright colours to depict subjects in crowded, agitated and chaotic compositions and surroundings, in order to express their emotional turmoil and instability and their emotionally charged atmosphere. Extreme angles and shapes are often used to portray these emotions and colour tends to be intense and exaggerated or unrealistic.

The Weimar Republic
Explain how the political, social and economic context of the Weimar Republic affected the production and content of classic German Expressionist Cinema.

The economic disruption of the Weimar period created an expressionist style in German film-making, meaning films had unrealistic sets and featuring exaggerated acting techniques in order to create a dark and sinister atmosphere, mood and emotion. Due to the lack of funding, atmospheric films were made on small sets with low budgets.

Expressionist film-makers prefered darker storylines and themes such as horror and crime genres in order to represent the economic struggles at the time. The most popular film directors of the time were Fritz Lang and F.W. Murnau and the most famous films of the period were The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920), Nosferatu (1922 – based on the Dracula story), Phantom (1922), The Last Laugh (1924) and Metropolis (1927).

Explain how the political, social and economic context of the Weimar Republic affected the production and content of classic German Expressionist Cinema:

Weimar Germany’s political and social instability, as well as its economic shortages, had a great impact on post-war German culture. Expressionism was most obvious in film. German cinema recovered quickly in the 1920s as people looked for cheap entertainment and escapism from reality.

Unable to afford the huge sets, ghastly costumes and props German film-makers looked for new ways to convey atmosphere, mood and emotion. As a consequence, German expressionism gave birth to two new cinematic genres: the Gothic horror movie and film noir.

Task 1 – Explain how the production context of Citizen Kane influenced the “look and feel” of the end product.  

Before ‘Citizen Kane’ Orson Welles achieved a level of notoriety through his acting and direction of many theatre performances across the UK and America. His direction of the radio drama ‘The War of the Worlds’ (1938) shocked American audiences with his ‘authentic’ adaptation of the classic, prompting RKO productions to offer Welles a film contract with almost complete creative control; this project became ‘Citizen Kane’. Welles’ in-depth understanding of theatre and creative control over a substantial budget heavily influenced the final look and feel of the film, as the film showcased many camera techniques and editing styles not yet popular in western cinema; for example, the use of deep depths of field to increase the naturalistic view of the movie, used to mimic how the eye would see a certain scene. Welles also collaborated with industry-leading cinematographer Gregg Toland and renowned editors Robert Wise and Dede Allen to allow ‘Citizen Kane’ to have a high-quality and polished look throughout, in addition to incorporating experimental camera techniques for the period.  

Task 2 – Choose your favourite scene from the film and explain why this is the case. You should consider Welles’ use of micro elements in your answer.

My favourite scene from Orson Welles’ ‘Citizen Kane’ would have to be the “Campaign promises” scene as Kane conducts his speech for Governor. Welles uses this scene to effectively depict Kane at the pinnacle of his career, with sweeping pans and medium-paced zooms beginning the scene, setting the grandeur of the ceremony. Gregg Toland utilises low-angle shots to accentuate the political and social power Kane has developed up to this point in his career; in these shots he is portrayed as significantly taller than the rest of his party on stage, further portraying his power over them and showing their dependency on Kane for their own prosperity. The editing in this scene is also heavily significant, with the scene beginning on wide shots of a theatre full to brim with Kane supporters, then to Kane’s speech, then a cut to his watching wife and son. I believe this may be an attempt to foreshadow the downfall of Kane’s career (his infidelity with another woman) as Robert Wise juxtaposes his promises to become elected with shots of his family, possibly to demonstrate that these two parts of Kane’s life cannot co-exist harmoniously.

Task 3 – Why, in your view do you think Citizen Kane is regularly cited by critics as “ the greatest movie ever made” ?

Citizen Kane, unlike many other classic movies of the genre, gained heavy notoriety both from modern audiences and from the movie-goers of the 40’s, as it was said to be one of the most heavily anticipated movies of 1941. Orson Welles’ expertise in the theatrical world allowed for the movie to gain major recognition for its use of staging and acting to reflect changing character dynamics. In addition, ‘Citizen Kane’ also featured camera and lighting expertise from renowned cinematographer Gregg Toland and innovative editing techniques from Robert Wise, elevating Welles’ creative vision. Many critics regard ‘Citizen Kane’ as “the greatest film ever made” as a result of its technical expertise which was regarded as well ahead of its time. In my opinion, ‘Citizen Kane’ is regularly honoured with this title as it reflects the essence of an expertly crafted film which also withstands the test of time; the film’s experimental and ground-breaking nature which shocked audiences during its’ premiere still holds up on modern audiences, portraying how a traditional yet experimental film should be edited and shot. The film blurs the lines between the industries’ standard 2-hour feature film and an excellently crafted cinematographic experience, which hints at subtleties in the changing character dynamics and stays committed to its overall aesthetic and themes. The now overly replicated nature of ’Citizen Kane’ demonstrates its well-deserved titles and accolades, leaving a significant imprint on the industry and spawning many great films in its’ wake.