German Expressionism: Cinema or Theatre?

German Expressionism: Cinema or Theatre?

German expressionism’s most iconic attribute is undoubtedly it’s visuals. The jagged set design in films such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Wiene, 1920), the harsh shadows such as in Nosferatu (Murnau, 1922), accompanied with the exaggerated acting and facial expressions of the actors due to the restrictions silent era of cinema calling for it. These aspects are what makes the entirety of German expressionism so stylistically different from almost any kind of cinematic experience.

Because of these visual elements, it is arguable that German expressionism is far more based on the cinematic aspect of its construction. The opening scene within The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari represents why the film is based more on the cinematic side rather than the theatrical side. The film’s establishing shot denotes a somewhat realistic setting with two characters sitting down in what appears to be a park. However, the film then almost immediately transitions to the typical imagery of what an audience would expect from a German expressionist film, a stylistically gothic and jagged set accompanied with a painted backdrop is then presented. This stark contrast between the two settings almost mimics what German expressionism essentially is, it’s a type of cinema that wanted to escape reality and contrast against the real world. Coates argues that the appearance of expressionist cinema is that of a ‘demonic fun fair’ (Coates, 1991), which is evident in this scene through the set design itself. The set itself is deeply surreal and accompanied with the gothic painting as the backdrop it presents an almost hellish landscape, however, the scene has an undeniable likeability and charm to it. The unique and highly typical mise-en-scene for expressionist cinema is undeniably dark and influential towards horror, however it’s design very much immediately grabs the audience’s attention and has an almost comically gothic appearance to it and because of the the whole film is, in essence, very much entertaining for an audience to look at.

If one tried to recreate this immediate transition through the medium of theatre, it would either most likely be impossible or the effect would be far lessened due to the limitation of having to set up the set itself, rather than just cutting to a different scene immediately. Furthermore, it is arguable that another reason for expressionist cinema to stay cinematic is the ability for the film to gain access into foreign markets, whereas if the film were to be a theatre play, it would be impossible for them to penetrate a foreign market. In the case of Caligari, it was able to access a large foreign audience due to its unique approach to mise-en-scene, and the film was well received within the foreign markets, Caligari had almost a kind of prestige to it at the time for audiences (Roberts, 2008).

Overall, I believe that it’s evident to say that German expressionism is a very much cinematic experience. It would simply not work with the limitations of theatre as it very much needs the aspects of cinema, such as the technological side for the themes of expressionism to be as effective.

References:

Coates, P. (1991). The Gorgon’s Gaze: German Cinema, Expressionism, and the Image of Horror. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Roberts, I. (2008). German Expressionist Cinema: The World of Light and Shadow. London: Wallflower.

Wiene, R. (1920). The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari [Motion Picture]. Germany Decla-Bioscop AG