Revised - Characteristic and Stylistic of German Expressionism

Expressionism art had existed long before the term was applied to art in the early 20th century. Nonetheless, Expressionism generally refers to a series of art movements that share a common interest in depicting emotions and emphasizing subjectivity, frequently through the use of vivid coloration and dynamic or distorted forms in paintings. Each movement pushed the art form in a slightly different direction but, on the whole, they all share these characteristics.

Chiaroscuro Lighting

Still image from The Cabinet of Dr Caligari

It’s mean that the arrangement of the light and dark elements in a pictorial work of art. The example of this is low-key lighting that can create dramatic shadow and used to convey mystery, and also monsters lurking in shadows. 

Visual Distortion

The story of German expressionism films always matched with the visuals in terms of darkness and disillusionment, which mean that the distorted visuals included in this topic, for an example, the actors’ movement, or the set design of the film.  

Still image from The Cabinet of Dr Caligari

Therefore, distortion is also commonly used in both expressionism and later horror films, employed through make-up, camera angles, costumes and strange backdrops. Image below is the example of Dr Mabuse directed by Fritz Lang.

Animating Objects (Anthropomorphism)

Lotte Eisner remarks that “the German they have an eerie gift for animating objects,: and she notes in expressionist films not only an obsession with bewitched objects and animate automata but also a general approach to settings-especially, buildings, streets, and rooms as dynamic entitled that “seem to have an insidious life of their own” (Eisner 23). These kinds of movement give rise to a geometry of diagonals, extreme angles and jagged edges. In the reference of German language, the objects have a complete active life, which means that they are spoken with the same verbs that human being used to communicate with each other. They give the same qualities to audience that they similar with the people attitude, their act and react are also in the same way.

Still image of Corpse Bride

Slanting lines and curves

Cinematic Lyricism was inspired by the photographic technique. A line appears then curves and changes. The use of marionettes or scale 3-D models which could be animated image by image, in slow or rapid motion depending on the speed of the montage. Now the idea of the fantasy realm could be obtained by configuring it on a smaller almost microscopic in contrast to the original size of the object.

Still image from The Cabinet of Dr Caligari

Besides that, there are the oblique camera angles and gothic looking types. The films are often in mood and featuring characters from a corrupt under world of crime.
Furthermore, there is a style named “Rahmenhandlung” which is in German, it is a style for German Expressionism; its also known as framing treatment. Next, the depth setting in emotion of character and space, by distorting perspective on set that becomes in the same line or closing up with the character.
The next will be stylization of the actor which means the gestures of the character in the film. This is to rule by the sets and the absence of the language. The characters adapt themselves in a pattern of physical body movement and  facial movement to enhance the mise-en-scene of the film. 
Last but not least, there is color filming, by creating a toned layer of the actual film to signify night, day or romance.
Nowadays, modern films shown the influence of German Expressionism, especially in horror films. The style of German Expressionism is ideal for portraying horrid subject matters.
The theme of  German Expressionism are revolt, self-analysis, madness, primitive, sexual savagery. Revolt means the rules or instructions that people followed or the aspect of live. Self-analysis means the character always question themselves in the film. Madness portrays  the point of view of madness man is bad. Besides that, the primitive and sexual savagery,which includes weapons or maybe unsureal.

Still image from Metropolitan

Metropolis  is one of the movie which including all the theme of German Expressionism. In the industrial society depicted in Metropolis, the citizens are either “thinkers” or “workers”; the exaggerated gap between them serves as Lang’s commentary on Capitalistic society. The plot combines social commentary, science fiction, and even a love story, making Metropolis a classic of epic proportions.