Some weak details

Archibald 2022-03-22 09:02:01

German expressionist film "Dr Caligari"

1. Irregular composition of the background. It stems from Expressionism's opposition to the mechanical imitation of objective reality, emphasizing the importance of artistic expression and form, and pursuing the use of planes and lines; especially one of the representatives of Cyclonus, another important stronghold of German expressionist art activities, Kokoschka excels at reflecting mental torment with strong dynamic and swirling brushstrokes and distorted object deformations.

2. All the government officials who appear are sitting on high stools, even if their heads are against the wall and it is inconvenient to go up and down, after all, they are symbols of power. In the scene in the police station, the tables and stools are extremely symmetrical, resembling a scale, which can be understood as an equal presentation of rights to the outside world.

3. In the second act, the background begins to be sharp, the windows and doors are sharpened geometric shapes, with a grotesque and fantasy style, reflecting some painful and repressed emotions.

4. Ask a question: I don’t quite understand the scene where the monkeys are frequently appearing in the market in the second act. Does the monkey have any symbol?

The above is my personal understanding. If there are any mistakes, please correct me, welcome answers, and welcome discussions.

Although it is a silent film, it has been a hundred years ago, but it can still be shocked in many aspects such as the setting, plot, and character acting. Every frame can be painted.

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Extended Reading
  • Lyda 2022-04-23 07:02:31

    Viewing inventory: I can't believe that such a work existed a hundred years ago, and I can't imagine what kind of scenery Berlin was like back then. We have no idea what kind of mental outlook the Weimar Republic had after the trauma of World War I. Many people say that they can feel it from the movies, but for ordinary audiences like me who are not film schools, they cannot perceive it. Maybe a special history student may have more experience.

  • Summer 2022-01-03 08:01:11

    Avant-garde film movement. Cyclonus Club. Expressionism requires breaking through the appearance of things, showing the inner essence of things, breaking through the description of temporary phenomena and displaying eternal qualities and truths. Influenced by Kant's philosophy, Bergson's intuitionism and Freud's psychoanalysis, it emphasizes the use of special methods to reflect the real world. Subjective idealism, self-expression; emphasis on forms and techniques; not seeking similarity, emphasis on freehand brushwork; pessimism and fatalism.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari quotes

  • Dr. Caligari: I must know everything. I must penetrate the heart of his secret! I must become Caligari!

  • [first lines]

    Man in garden: Spirits surround us on every side... they have driven me from hearth and home, from wife and child.