Film noir is a genre that is characterized by high contrast lighting, non-chronological storylines, and hard-boiled main characters (Barsam 94-96). But, what gave rise to the Genre? Many will argue that is was German expressionism that inspired Film Noir. “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (Wiene, 1919), is a silent film that followed a mentally ill man’s perspective through troublesome times. “Sunset Boulevard” (Wilder, 1950) follows a struggling screenwriter that is put into a unique position when he stumbles upon the house of an old Hollywood star. When comparing act 1 of Wiene’s “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”, and the first 20 minutes of Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard”, there are parallels that suggest the German influence on Film Noir. “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”, begins with a young man talking about his future bride, and how much they had been through together. The scene then fades out and the main storyline is told as a memory. This method of telling the story gives the viewer information that they do not yet understand and foreshadows what happens in the story. Similarly, “Sunset Boulevard” opens with the ending of the story, the struggling screenwriter dead in a pool.
…show more content…
Caligari” are very different. “Sunset Boulevard” is set in the real world, and the film feels like it is actually taking place right in front of the viewer. The opening scene of “The cabinet of dr. Caligari” feels the same way; however, the flashback is far from realistic. For instance, there is a mountain in the background that is white painted with harsh and sharp black lines. Similarly, the windows on buildings are misshapen, often as oblong triangles. This unrealistic representation of the world may be a reflection of how the mentally ill protagonist sees the world, but it also reminds the viewer that they are watching a film. With this, we see that not every aspect of German expressionism was used as inspiration for Film
Caligari” are very different. “Sunset Boulevard” is set in the real world, and the film feels like it is actually taking place right in front of the viewer. The opening scene of “The cabinet of dr. Caligari” feels the same way; however, the flashback is far from realistic. For instance, there is a mountain in the background that is white painted with harsh and sharp black lines. Similarly, the windows on buildings are misshapen, often as oblong triangles. This unrealistic representation of the world may be a reflection of how the mentally ill protagonist sees the world, but it also reminds the viewer that they are watching a film. With this, we see that not every aspect of German expressionism was used as inspiration for Film