Introduction
The
Expressionist movement began in Germany around the 1900’s. Originally the idea
was for the artist to produce a piece of work entirely from a subjective point
of view. Popular examples are: The Scream by Edward Munch, and Starry Night by
Van Gogh.
Expressionism in
architecture also began in Germany around the early 1900’s. It refers to
German, Dutch, Czech, Austrian and Danish Avante Gard from 1910-30. Architecture
showing original, unique design was popular. Research from Sigmund Freud and Karl Jung
helped start the Expressionist movement. There was more focus on the
psychological effects of form and space when designing. Socialist government
was repressing towards art, it was a way to act out for the
artists/architects.
Characteristics:
- Distortion of the form to invoke emotion
- Striving to be new and original
- Heavy use of ‘Artisan Craftsmanship’
- The idea of architecture as a work of art
Some e.g. of
buildings:
- Einsteins tower - This was built by Erich Mendelsohn
and is the most iconic representation of expressionism in architecture.
- Goetheanum - This can be found in Dornach, Switzerland.
It is the world centre for anthroposophical movement. Designed by Rudolph Steiner, this
building is basically a perfect definition of expressionist architecture.
Cinema
and Architecture
Many critics see a direct tie between
cinema and architecture of the time, stating that the sets and scene artwork of
Expressionist films often reveal buildings of sharp angles, great heights, and
crowded environments, such as the frequently shown Tower of Babel in Fritz
Lang’s Metropolis.
This film movement paralleled
Expressionist painting and theater in rejecting realism. The creators of the
time sought to convey inner, subjective experience through external, objective
means. Their films were characterized by highly stylized sets and acting; they
used a new visual style which embodied high contrast and simple editing. The
films were shot in studios where they could employ deliberately exaggerated and
dramatic lighting and camera angles to emphasize some particular affect - fear,
horror, pain.
So I discuss two films belonging to the
early Expressionist phase (1920’s and 30’s): The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), and Metropolis (1927).
Films then were highly symbolic and deliberately surrealistic portrayals of
filmed stories. The extreme non-realism of Expressionism was short-lived, and
it faded away (along with Dadaism) after only a few years. However, the themes
of Expressionism were integrated into later films of the 1920s and 1930s,
resulting in an artistic control over the placement of scenery, light, and
shadow to enhance the mood of a film. Therefore I discuss two recent films
influenced by German Expressionism: Blade Runner (1982) and Batman Returns (1992)
in my paper very briefly before I end.
The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920)
With
this movie, director Robert Wiene created a masterpiece. Not only is the
story interesting and engaging, but nearly every shot in the movie looks like
an Expressionist painting. The sets, designed by Hermann Warn along
with to painters, Walter Rohrig and Walter Reinmann, are filled with strange
angles, triangular doors, and crooked roofs. Complex and intricate
architecture, odd stairways, and bizarre props such as giant stools near
enormously tall desks all serve to give the film a unique look. The entire
production feels like the dream of a madman.
The
characters too have been worked upon. The heavy, exaggerated make-up with
sharp angular lines painted across the characters faces and the triangular
costumes serve to accent the sets and props. No film has ever
captured insanity so well. The lighting is very important in this film, and a
key aspect to expressionist film. The stark, harsh, shadow filled
lighting gives all of the scenes a nightmarish quality. The sets are
painted with shadows which makes the movie even more eerie and otherworldly
than it would have been otherwise. In one of key and often imitated
moments in the film, a murder is shown only as shadows on a wall.
This scene demonstrates the effect created through the Expressionist
technique of using angular structures to help represent a disjointed mood and a
nightmarish atmosphere.
Cesare’s movements were stiff and robotic. His makeup was excessive and
overdone. Some of the shadows in this scene were created by wall paintings to
enhance contrast between light and dark. The “Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” employed
the Expressionist technique of using dream sequences and flashbacks to twist
reality and warp chronology.
The
unnatural and exaggerated character of Cesare carried out frightening acts
during the dream sequences.
Designed by the Expressionist Bahaus School, the films’ sets were contorted and
artificial. The distorted designs helped to develop the atmosphere of disorientation.
Metropolis (1927)
Fritz Lang's film Metropolis demonstrates
a visually progressive 'Futurist' society dealing with relevant issues of 1920s
Germany in relation to labour and society. It
contains a lot of weird, futuristic elements that have stuck with science
fiction ever since they first appeared in this movie, and the shots of the
robot with electricity in circles around her has become quite iconic.
In keeping with Expressionist concepts, Lang portrayed women in the
unnatural form of machines.
Huge sets that dwarf the actors is very
well evidenced by the enormous power plant and glimpses of the massive yet
pristine 'upper' city.
Lang accentuated the dark mood of the film by including lighting
practices characteristic of Expressionist cinema.
Blade Runner (1982)
Many analysts believe that Expressionist media
often contains an underlying and ambiguous social critique. In the science fiction movie, “Blade Runner”,
directed by Ridley Scott, poetic speeches
contained vague political themes and ideologies.
In the manner of Expressionism, Ridley Scott
incorporated dark shadows, hazy lighting and odd camera movements into the
film. In
addition to the parallels to movie “Metropolis”, “Blade Runner” imitated
sequences from other German Expressionist films. Bladerunner’s emphasis on the
degraded, alienating city resembled that of many expressionist "street
films" taken together. Some propose that “Bladerunner” was a remake of Lang's
Metropolis.
Similar to the earlier Expressionist film, “Metropolis” (above), “Bladerunner”
portrayed a futuristic city as bleak and dark (below).
Ridley Scott contrasted light and dark and used straight angles and
silhouettes.
Batman Returns (1992)
Ambitious
adaptations of the style are depicted throughout the contemporary filmography
of director Tim Burton. His 1992 film Batman Returns is often cited as a modern
attempt to capture the essence of German Expressionism. The angular building
designs and severe-looking city squares of Gotham City evoke the loom and
menace present in Lang’s Metropolis. The angular building designs and severe looking
city squares of Gotham City bore resemblance to Lang’s futuristic city. The
urban design of Gotham
city resembled a dream or
nightmare like landscape. A variety of
architectural styles including Expressionism were borrowed from in the
creation of the city.
Conclusion
I would conclude
with the following quote which sums up Expressionist movement as a whole:
“The Expressionist does not see, he has visions”
-
German Expressionist writer, Kasimir Edschmid,
(1919)
