Influences Of German Expressionism | Under Lens

German Expressionism went a step ahead of time by using exterior surrounding to express internal turmoil. This worked as a brilliant cinematic device and influenced a whole breed of budding filmmakers across the decades of 30’s to 60’s. Likes of Hitchcock, Welles, Polanski, Curtiz, Burton, Ridley Scott were influenced and used in different proportions in their films.

The tide changed direction in early 20s when German Cinema was exposed to further West. This was the time when Germany went past the isolation phase and cultural exchanges were encouraged. Anti-German emotions were receding away. Italian Futurism was the first influence for German cinema of that era. Bold themes and futuristic outlook encouraged experiments with expressions and mediums. By the end of 20’s, Hollywood was exploring German Cinema like Bollywood was exploring Hollywood.

German Expressionism and influences are characterized by contrast, distortion and symbolism. Nosferatu used shadows to express the emotions of characters. Hitchcock used a similar device in the famous shower scene of Psycho. Tim Burton reinvented it to express gore and greyness in Batman films. Gotham’s angular structures of buildings had Metropolis written all over.  Similar interpretation was with the character Penguin. Nolan too used these elements in the reboot of Batman franchisee.  

As one would have guessed, noir and horror are two genres which are highly influenced by German Expressionism. As an outcome of Great Depression, development of pulp and world cinema, Hollywood explored these two genres in great lengths along with certain subgenres - mysteries and thrillers. As cinema lacked the power of audience’s imagination which novels take advantage of,  German Expressionism provided the means. The psyche of characters was exposed to audience through images and left to audience’s interpretation.

Cinema is a lot about how a filmmaker connects with audience. German Expressionism made it more of a two way communication than a usual dictation.