https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/3323697e-6e73-455e-96d0-fdce3fe31a71

https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/aa77e240-e5bb-423e-84a6-f25e5678eea6

Identify at least one other film which appear to have been influenced by the visual style of classic German Expressionist Cinema (illustrate and briefly explain).

German Expressionism is seen in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands (1990). The film incorporates deep shadows, unrealistic and distorted sets and ghostly looking characters which represents the German Expressionist style and genre. The film expresses the psychological turmoil of the characters in terms of the the way they are presented to the audience through their looks, personalities and behaviours. The exaggerated sets create a world of fantasy which is far from the truth through vivid and surreal camera angles, architecture and colours.

Name at least 3 other films from this period which were being directly influenced by classic German Expressionist films (illustrate with pictures).

Name at least 3 other films identified by critics as Classic German Expressionist films (add illustrations).

Why has UFA managed to stay in business?

 UFA was established in 1917 when the German government consolidated most of the nation’s famous studios. This German motion-picture production company that made artistically outstanding films during the silent era and its purpose was to promote German culture, was located in Berlin with the best equipped and most modern studios in the world. It encouraged and promoted experimentation and imaginative camera work and employed directors such as Ernst Lubitsch, known for directing sophisticated comedies.

The company was purchased in 1927 by the financier Alfred Hugenberg, a future Hitler supporter who mandated that the company devote itself to films that promoted German nationalism. But company was pressured to make National Socialist films almost exclusively when the Nazis came to power in 1933. The resulting films proved popular in Germany, but rising production costs and a shrinking international market resulted to large deficits. The government bought the company in 1937 and after started to control film content. The company ceased to exist after the war’s end in 1945. A new company called UFA was launched in 1956, but it eventually went bankrupt.

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).

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” due to its remarkable cinematography and techniques used, which at the time were not demonstrated in films very often or done well enough in order to make an impact on the audience. The script of the characters and their stories were also enhanced and illuminated by the lighting, deep focus and camera positions used. A number of camera angles and shot lengths were used in order to portray and reveal Kane’s story. The dim and mysterious lighting also played a role in order to show Kane’s true narcissistic and materialistic personality.

Citizen Kane is considered “the best film”, due to the way the plot structure, cinematography and editing were incorporated to form the end product. One shot that was revolutionary and made the film stand out to critics so much was the deep shot of a young Charles playing outside in the snow, while his mother spoke with someone inside the house. The deep focus effect was created in order to form a shot that was easily viewable and clear to the audience, which was rare in Hollywood at the time. The camera movements established by crane shots also inspired other directors for future Hollywood movies to achieve the same effect.

Another scene that stood out to the audience is the beginning scene that shows the death of Charles Kane. Instead of a still camera, his death is portrayed with a fish angle lens shot from the perspective of a snow globe that Kane’s was holding as he passed away. As he passes, Kane drops the snow globe, allowing the audience to see as one of his caretakers finds his body.

Welles told the story of Kane through multiple point-of-view shots and scenes from the people who knew Kane best (such as his previous wife) or were closely working with him giving the viewer insight on those peoples thoughts and perceptions of Kane which ultimately lead to a new type of unique storytelling in filmmaking.

Instead of having long scenes to show the deterioration of Kane’s marriage, a montage of the couple having breakfast is used to show how their marriage becomes worse over time and how they become further apart at the breakfast table symbolising the coldness and distance of their marriage.

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 from Citizen Kane is the deep focus scene, a flashback to Kane’s childhood in his parent’s home. This scene had a significant contribution to cinematography at the time as it used deep focus meaning every aspect of the scene was in the frame, including the background. This scene is impressive as the cinematographer is required to mix lighting, the type of camera les and composition in order to produced the final product.

The deep focus technique, makes the scene clarifies and illustrates the whole space in the scene, without causing confusion in the audience and allowing the viewer to gain for information and context. deep focus also illustrates Kane’s loss of control even when he is being taken away from his family.

His life story being told in flashbacks that are given from the perspective of other characters, which gives the impression of Kane being a mysterious, difficult individual and ultimately not answering any of the viewer’s questions, but leaving them more confused about his upbringing and life story. But overall the flashbacks established a picture of how unhappy Kane’s life was despite all of the power and wealth he has.