03 - Great German Silents: 1919 - 1928

Question 1

What was the German cinematic movement that took place during the 1920’s?

Answer 1

Expressionism

Question 2

In 1920’s Germany, historians have identified 3 prominent themes (all dealing heavily with architecture imposing on the narrative/psyche/theme). What are they?

Answer 2

1. Historical/Mythological films - “Historical Fantasies”
   history treated psychologically & spectacularly rather than realistically.
2. Expressionist: Sinister, Fantastic, Macabre films; emphasis on the importance of decor.
3. Kammerspiel (“chamber play”) & street films

Post-Expressionist: Neue Sachlichkeit (new subjectivity)

Question 3

What were the Kammerspiel & street films, and what was their biggest contribution?

Answer 3

Marked by unity of time, place, and action, with virtually no inter titles; few characters, usually lower middle class; sparse decor, with objects given extraordinary importance; and intimate psychological content.

Advanced film technique concerning the camera: subjective and moving camera, psychological aspects: low and high angles creating larger or pitiable figures, respectably; lenses to suggest mental and emotional states

Question 4

What were the Germans primarily concerned with during the 1920’s?

Answer 4

ARTISTIC: manifestations of the inner psyche

& POLITICALLY: enhance Germany’s prestige through artistic accomplishment - before the eyes of the world

Question 5

One big way in which Germany furthered world cinema was through technical advancements. What were these advancements? (3)

Answer 5

CAMERA - more of a profound part of the story; Narrator / subjective camera (taking on char. p.o.v)

LIGHTING - “painting with light” - opposed to Griffith-type “crisp” oriented.
** Key Light used more for Aesthetic & calling attention

SCRIPTS - (emphasis on preproduction) planning out production.

Question 6

What was the original epicentre for art and film in Germany? Where was the German studio equivalent to MGM during the 1920’s?

Answer 6

First, in Berlin. The studio, Babelsberg, was located in Neubabelsberg

Question 7

What general concepts did Expressionism explore (as opposed to American films)?

Answer 7

The psychological and Pictoral

Question 8

What two directors are known for the Historical/Mythological films?

Answer 8

Fritz Lang & Ernst Lubitsch

Question 9

What was the last truly expressionist film?

Answer 9

Metropolis (1927)

Question 10

What are two examples of film genres that are rooted in German Expressionism?

Answer 10

film noir & horror

Question 11

Provide three films (discussed in-class) that exemplify the expressionist aesthetic.

Answer 11

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) - Wiene
Nosferatu (1922) - Murnau
Metropolis (1927) - Lang

Question 12

When was The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari released?
Who was the director? 
Writers? (2)
Production company?
Who played Cesare?

Answer 12

1919 (actual
Robert Wiene - D.
Carl Mayer & Hans Janowitz - W.
Decla Film-Gesellschaft - Berlin
Conrad Veidt

Question 13

When did the German Silent period take place? When was the “high” period? What were the social conditions that created and came to affect the films?

Answer 13

From 1919-1928, and from 1922-1924 (as stated by Wexman). Repercussions from WWI led to inflation, poor economy, unemployment, food shortages -> hardships affected film and the “high point” was at Germany’s “lowest point”, before order began again in 1925.

Question 14

What did the expressionistic aesthetic seek to do?

Answer 14

Objectify inner consciousness, through a world that represented more a stated of mind than reality; the world distorted and stylized to express how it may be felt and processed.