Sunrise

Question 1

What is German Expressionism?

Answer 1

Art movement from early 20th Century Germany that made use of expressionistic techniques to explore themes of:
Identity // Authority/Agency
Social decay // Criminality
Psychology //
G.E. was based in the postwar cultural pessimism felt in the Weimar Republic.

Question 2

What is Melodrama?

Answer 2

Film style characterised by heightened emotions, extreme circumstances and moral conflicts - often providing social commentary by depicting clear ‘good’ and ‘bad’ characters and examining romantic or familial relationships through the use of moral dilemma.

Question 3

Define Bazin’s Cinematic Realism.

Answer 3

Bazin, founder of Cahiers-du-cinema, Argued that cinema ought to strive to reproduce reality as faithfully as possible, this belief was based somewhat in his spiritual outlook as a devout catholic.

Through Techniques such as:
Long takes // Deep focus // Cont. Edit.

Question 4

What is Expressionism?

Answer 4

Expressionism is an art movement concerned with expressing internal states by meaningfully distorting the external world it presents.

Question 5

What makes Sunrise a German Expressionist film?

Answer 5

+Murnau’s background
+Expressionistic externalisation, reflecting the internal states of characters.
+Aesthetic similarities:
-The C.W.’s host house
-The ‘Helldunkl’ Marsh
+Mind-Control Sub-theme in the form of the Seductress
+Innovative Cinematography/Editing: Impr. Tracking shots, Overlays, flashbacks
+Monster-esque Physicality from George O’brien in opening

Question 6

What makes Sunrise a Melodrama?

Answer 6

+Moral Dilemma Wife vs. Seductress repr. Trad. Vs. Mod.
+Triangular Setup (love triangle)
+Expressionistic, Theatrical performance of heightened emotion.
+Sensationalist themes
+Themes of Victimhood and Sacrifice
+The Husband’s Redemption
+Stereotypical chars. To represent universal truths

Question 7

What makes Sunrise an example of Realism?

Answer 7

+Human-centric narrative
+Realistic/tangible set design
+Long takes
+Continuity editing: Shot Reverse-Shot, Eyeline match etc
+Deep Focus

Question 8

What makes Sunrise NOT a German Expressionist film?

Answer 8

Not produced in Germany. Mostly grounded in the real world, with a narrative tied to the believable (tho exaggerated) emotional experience of relatable characters. Optimistic narrative is aberrant.

Question 9

What makes Sunrise NOT a Melodrama?

Answer 9

Experimental/Expressionistic visuals, lack of a clear antagonist, complex characters(?), themes of redemption (narrative optimism), deeper symbolic meanings.

Question 10

What are Sunrise’s contexts vis-a-vis melodrama?

Answer 10

+Silent film calls for exaggerated performances.
+Murnau’s background and the expressionist/melodrama overlap.
+Romantic Melodramas popularity in contemporary theatre.
+Modernity vs. Tradition oft exagg. The Jazz age’s “New Woman” as threat to familial stability. (Comservative values)