With reference to two films, analyse the relationship between Expressionist Art and Film. In what ways can German Expressionist cinema be considered a graphic art? Lyonel Feininger, Street Lantern (1918) Otto Dix, Streetcar (1920)
Fashioning ‘artificial worlds of light and shadow’ expressionist film, during the early twentieth century, and its stark contrast to the prosaic Hollywood films of the period gave the audience a relatively new visual and sensory experience by ‘creat[ing] a unique approach to mise-en-scène.’ Adopting aspects of expressionistic styles from the art world the expressionist film incorporated graphically dynamic elements into their films. Angular set design, theatre-like two-dimensionality and stilted movement from the actors, challenged …show more content…
The blurring then clears and the bank doors open magically by themselves. The film cuts quickly to the graphic text, introducing the cashier. A further set of doors, more elaborately decorated than the first slowly open by themselves. No one is there. From nowhere the faded image of a man occupies the shot, he stands there for a moment looking directly into the audience’s gaze before slowly faded out. He disappears and the doors close. Director Heinz Martin, having already directed stage performances of From Morn to Midnight, transports the stage to screen. Heinz Martin comments how the film is ‘reminiscent of the terribly distorted black and white prints of modern graphics.’ Here Heinz Martin directly links his artistic intentions for the film to those of graphic art from the time. The questioning stage aesthetics of the real and unreal are challenged by the two-dimensionality that has been created by Heinz Martin. Every aspect, from set-design to costume and make-up is stylised. Simplistic bold forms, furniture painted to look two-dimensional, faces painted white, clothing painted, form suggested through abstract jagged scenery, invites stylized graphic
Fashioning ‘artificial worlds of light and shadow’ expressionist film, during the early twentieth century, and its stark contrast to the prosaic Hollywood films of the period gave the audience a relatively new visual and sensory experience by ‘creat[ing] a unique approach to mise-en-scène.’ Adopting aspects of expressionistic styles from the art world the expressionist film incorporated graphically dynamic elements into their films. Angular set design, theatre-like two-dimensionality and stilted movement from the actors, challenged …show more content…
The blurring then clears and the bank doors open magically by themselves. The film cuts quickly to the graphic text, introducing the cashier. A further set of doors, more elaborately decorated than the first slowly open by themselves. No one is there. From nowhere the faded image of a man occupies the shot, he stands there for a moment looking directly into the audience’s gaze before slowly faded out. He disappears and the doors close. Director Heinz Martin, having already directed stage performances of From Morn to Midnight, transports the stage to screen. Heinz Martin comments how the film is ‘reminiscent of the terribly distorted black and white prints of modern graphics.’ Here Heinz Martin directly links his artistic intentions for the film to those of graphic art from the time. The questioning stage aesthetics of the real and unreal are challenged by the two-dimensionality that has been created by Heinz Martin. Every aspect, from set-design to costume and make-up is stylised. Simplistic bold forms, furniture painted to look two-dimensional, faces painted white, clothing painted, form suggested through abstract jagged scenery, invites stylized graphic