The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
In this essay, I will firstly provide a brief definition of German Expression in Cinema. Secondly, I will provide a brief explanation of how German Expression is applied to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. I will then provide an analysis of three key scenes in the light of Hake’s observation. The analysis will exemplify my argument that the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is an external world where the internal political conflicts and ambivalences of the artists and society are projected on to. It provokes fear and desire through the use of mise-en-scene to destabilize the subjects at the centre of the narrative.
The tragedy suffered by Germans during World War one left a deep psychological scar on German society; having to adjust to the collapse of the imperial dream and having to suffer with the damaging effects of the war. (Eisner, 1973: 9) This damaged the German frame of mind which gave rise to the German expressionist movement which had established a manner of expressing political beliefs and personal visions of individual’s psychological states through the art of painting and film. German expressionism in cinema initially came through the work of painters that used abstract imagery to communicate their political viewpoints and to express visions of their inner torment.
From an artistic point of view Expressionism is the opposition of impressionism (which is merely displaying concrete meaning) by creating ambiguity and diversity through the techniques of abstraction. (Eisner, 1973: 10) Abstraction is a form of art expressing abstract thoughts of artists, thoughts that are more concerned with ideas and multifaceted concepts rather than objects with concrete meaning. (Eisner, 1973:13) Expressionism does however contain contradictions since certain artists believe in ‘intensive Expressionism’ which conforms to absolute individuality since the artist expresses a self obsessed world. On the other hand, certain expressionist artists
In this essay, I will firstly provide a brief definition of German Expression in Cinema. Secondly, I will provide a brief explanation of how German Expression is applied to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. I will then provide an analysis of three key scenes in the light of Hake’s observation. The analysis will exemplify my argument that the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is an external world where the internal political conflicts and ambivalences of the artists and society are projected on to. It provokes fear and desire through the use of mise-en-scene to destabilize the subjects at the centre of the narrative.
The tragedy suffered by Germans during World War one left a deep psychological scar on German society; having to adjust to the collapse of the imperial dream and having to suffer with the damaging effects of the war. (Eisner, 1973: 9) This damaged the German frame of mind which gave rise to the German expressionist movement which had established a manner of expressing political beliefs and personal visions of individual’s psychological states through the art of painting and film. German expressionism in cinema initially came through the work of painters that used abstract imagery to communicate their political viewpoints and to express visions of their inner torment.
From an artistic point of view Expressionism is the opposition of impressionism (which is merely displaying concrete meaning) by creating ambiguity and diversity through the techniques of abstraction. (Eisner, 1973: 10) Abstraction is a form of art expressing abstract thoughts of artists, thoughts that are more concerned with ideas and multifaceted concepts rather than objects with concrete meaning. (Eisner, 1973:13) Expressionism does however contain contradictions since certain artists believe in ‘intensive Expressionism’ which conforms to absolute individuality since the artist expresses a self obsessed world. On the other hand, certain expressionist artists
References: Eisner, L.H. 1973. The Haunted Screen: Expressionism in the German Cinema and the Influence of Max Reinhardt. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press: (9-5, 17-27). ISBN: 0-520-02479-6 Kracauer, S. 1946. From Caligari to Hitler: A Psychological History of German Film. Princeton: Princeton University Press: (61-76). ISBN: 978-0-231-13055-4