Identify at least one other film which appears to have been influenced by the visual style of classic German Expressionist Cinema.

Corpse Bride appears to have been heavily inspired by German Expressionist Cinema, taking place in a vivid and distortedly crafted world. The films content is surreal and gothic revolving around an unnatural reality with a bizarre plot of Victor accidentally marrying a deceased, murdered, Emily.

Angles, lighting/shadows:

The film uses Dutch angles which was common within German Expressionist films in order to depict psychological tension/uneasiness.

German Expressionism also combines warm and cool lights, contrasting the two to achieve a dramatic effect as seen in the film when Victor’s first taken to the underworld.

The film also uses shadows which were common within Expressionist films such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

Makeup:

Furthermore, the characters appear unnatural, being stylised to reject naturalism, with their appearance’s exaggerated making them appear disfigured/abnormal.

Setting:

The setting in which the story takes place is reminiscent of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari as it establishes a gothic mood with its use of gothic architecture.

Why has UFA managed to stay in business?

The UFA was founded in December 1917 during World War I as part of an effort to create greater competition against foreign films and as part of the German Empire’s propaganda machine. However after the war the company focused on popular genres. (e.g. Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis.”)

In 1921 UFA merged with Decla-Bioscop AG, Germany’s second largest film company. Decla was the company that started the era of “expressionist” film in 1919 with The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari.

Following a financial crisis, UFA is taken over in 1927 by the Scherl Group- Alfred Hugenberg.

In 2008 there’s the launch of UFA Cinema with UFA once again producing feature films.

https://variety.com/2017/film/global/ufa-history-production-powerhouse-1202615699/

https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/ufa-tv-film-produktion-gmbh

Between the years 1918 and 1933, Germany were trying to recover from the damages of WWI, such as having to pay back reparations as agreed in the Treaty of Versailles. This economic disruption ultimately produced an expressionist style in German film-making. These films often having unrealistic sets and featuring exaggerated acting techniques. The shortage of funding meant these atmospheric films had to be made on small sets with low budgets.

The sets and style of the films often reflected societies feelings of anxiety caused by WWI. Social, political and cultural factors played a huge role in the shaping of German Expressionism as a movement. It was built from discontent and the rejection of modernity, rather than technique or subject matter.

Artists often borrowed (stylistically) from what they saw, such as, including geometric ornamentation and shapes, decorative patterning and shadows.

Expressionist artists often employed swirling, swaying, and exaggeratedly executed brushstrokes in the depiction of their subjects. These techniques were meant to convey the emotional state of the artist reacting to the anxieties of the modern world.

Overall, the German Expressionists style was notable for its harshness, boldness, and visual intensity.