Revised - Influence and impact on contemporary film

Although German Expressionism has ended in the year 1926, there are some directors have used German Expressionism as a reference to produce their film. Some of the films directed by Tim Burton,Alex Proyaz and Fritz Lang are well known as influenced by German Expressionism. The movies that they produced are more likely depend heavily on mise-en-scene, which include strong characteristics and style of German Expressionism. For instance movies like Batman Returns, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Flee Street, Edward Scissorhands which directed by Tim Burton and Dark City and The Crow which directed by Alex Proyaz and The Woman in the Window, Scarlet Street, The Big Heat which directed by Fritz Lang are highly influenced by German Expressionism (IMDB n.d). 

These films were united by highly stylized visuals, strange asymmetrical camera angles, atmospheric lighting and harsh contrasts between dark and light. Shadows and silhouettes were an important feature of expressionism, to the extent that they were actually painted on to the sets in The Cabinet of Dr Caligari.

 A French phrase literally meaning "black film" that developed in the early 40s; refers to a genre of mostly black-and-white films that blossomed in the post-war era in American cinema, with bleak subject matter and a somber, downbeat tone; the plot (often a quest), low key lighting often in night scenes, camera angles (often canted and high angle shots), the setting (the gloomy underworld of crime and corruption), iconography (guns, urban settings), characters (disillusioned, jaded), and other elements combined to present a dark atmosphere of pessimism, tension, cynicism, or oppression. (Film Noir Studies, n.d).
Perhaps the most prominent film movement to pull from German Expressionism is Film Noir. Usually attributed to the 1940s, Film Noir was a series of stylish. Like the German filmmakers, noir directors purposely shot their films through grinding teeth, voicing discontent in the wake of yet another World War. (Sweeney.G n.d.) Characters in these films were either criminal-minded or victims who were randomly selected by the universe to endure the worst that life has to offer. There was no in-between, it was kill or be killed.

Besides, the story lines always matched with visual in term of darkness and disillusionment.Many modern films demonstrate the influence of German expressionism, particularly horror films. The style of German expressionism is ideal for portraying macabre subject matters. Devices such as low key lighting are used to convey mystery, and monsters lurking in shadows. Distortion is also commonly used in both expressionism and later horror films, employed through make-up, camera angles, costumes and strange backdrops.(Strozykowaski,2008)


The lightings that always been used is low key light, to create shadow and mystery scene. According to both Thomas Elsaesser and Lott Eisner, lighting and the style of chiaroscuro (extreme high and low tones) is possibly the single most important element of cinematic Expressionism (Elsaesser, 2000:25, Eisner, 1969:17-20) . However, Dietrich Scheunemann disagrees, claiming that many of  the films described under the banner of Expressionist are simply not, and no amount of lighting will make them so. Also, in Scheunemann’s opinion, the cinematography of Caligari is also distinctly unimpressive. He instead recognises that “[i]t is through the curved walls, oblique windows, slanting doors and strange radial patterns on the floor that the film establishes its nightmarish atmosphere” (Scheunemann, 2006:136-7).

Besides that, the shapes are distorted and exaggerated. For instance, the buildings in those films are highly distorted and it’s abnormal from the reality. The make up in German expressionism’s film are in heavy makeup or gothic style. In the olden days, all of this component are use to create the madness character and story, but nowadays, there are different director apply these and produce as a horror film. Moreover, the actor with heavy makeup (special character) often moves in jerky or slow, sinuous patterns. The outlook of the characters in those films is similar with the original German Expressionism movie Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, for instance, Edward Scissorhands is inspired by the character of Cesare.