Unit 2 Esasy

8/3/2019 Unit 2 Esasy

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2011

Joey Ku

Unit 2: Space-A Journey to

the Centre of the Earth- b

Jules Verne

11/25/2011

Unit 2: Space

Essay Assignment-Analyzing the production design and visual concept of

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)


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Contents:

Introduction: 3

Main Body: 4

Conclusion 7

List of Illiustrations 7

Bibliography 8


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Main Body:

The most striking features of the film is the German

Expressionism used with its distorted settings, dark

extreme shapes and distorted building that creates the

surrealist illusion of the real world. The whole idea ofGerman Expressionism was to have an art movement

that formed before the First World War which the style is

of an exaggerated representation of reality through the

use of emotions. It is also advancing the theory that

every component of a movie--the photography, scenery,

lighting, costuming and acting--should be intentionally

stylized and even wildly exaggerated in order to achieve a

unified emotional impact. (Kinnard, 1995). The Cabinet

of Dr. Caligaricontrasts the purpose of bringing new

things into the world and instead introduces GermanExpressionism in its purest and extreme form using these advanced elements in creating a

characters world.

Having a film set in the style of German Expressionism not only because of its art movement at

the time, but Wiene wanted his film transformed into a conformist film. This theory is based on

Kracauers theory that German films reflect the mentality of the German people. (Jung and

Schatzberg, 1999: 53). Therefore reflecting this theory into a world set from a mad mans view

of reality.

Ashlin, a critic reviewer on The Cabinet of Dr.

Caligari/Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari describes

the set of the film, Dimensionality is compressed,

leaving theoretically solid and massive objects looking

instead like the stage flats they are. Perspectives are

all wrong, too, with houses, tents, streets, and

especially the carousel at the fairground tilted at

impossible angles. (Ashlin, 2011). The whole sets

and props in The Cabinet of Dr Caligari are obvious

that it is painted onto sheets as art director Hermann

Warm had started with the idea and the looks of a

low budget stage play but had it stylized with dark

sharp shadows painted onto them and are made to look abstract that even furniture, props,

buildings and streets arent in proper scale even with the actors moving around them , which

may have been a challenge for the three designers.

For the three designers to be able to come up with the design idea for the set the only hint given

in their script was, a fantastic, graphic design turned away from the real. The images had to be

Figure 1: uneven roads, exaggerated and

distorted shadows gives a surreal look of

its world

Figure 2: The use of contrasts between light

and dark creating silhouettes and shadows.


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Figure 4: using the German Expressionism elements, Burton has

created a nightmarish Halloween town

visionary, nightmarish (Scheunemann, 1990:137), this was initially at first designed in the style

of Alfred Kubins eerie graphic works, Edvard Munch and Max Reinhardt but was later dropped

and Riemann signed to the role as he was an expressionist painter in theater sets in 1916.

Apart from making the setting look abstract,

neo-romantic and gothic, it is also made tolook like a distorted surreal world in the mind

of a madman from the film. Warm, Riemann

and Rhrigs works on the background design

comprised of sharp edged shapes, straight,

curved lines and uneven ninety degree angles,

which had brought on the idea of creating an

expressionistic setting after reading the script.

The strong but high contrast of black and

white along with shades of grey are used for

exaggeration to depict the outcasts and

terror, Gray and white are employed not to create the illusion of a color palette but to envision

confided and hard edged dimensions and shadows. (LoBrutto, 2005: 63).The chiaroscuro effect

is created using strong lighting and extreme heavy shadows and is also achieved by using heavy

paint strokes. The use of this creates a different perspective and causes a specific psychic

reaction in the spectator (Scheunemann, 1990: 136) the use of distorted shapes and lines

creates tension, anxiety and terror as it reflects on the events that are about to unfold in the

film. The purpose of this style imported onto the film is to strengthen the films emotional

impact of a gloomy tale as well as introducing this style in a film so that it can be accepted as an

art form.

The Cabinet of Dr Caligaris

success in terms of design has

influenced many other

filmmakers such as Fritz Langs

Metropolis (1927) and most

notably, Tim Burton. Burton, a

visionary director whos famous

works consists of gothic, mad

world in the style of German

Expressionism. This is evident in

his films in particular, Edward

Scissorhands (1990) and The

Nightmare Before Christmas

(1993) with strong vibrant

contrasting colours, grotesque lighting and distorted settings that have no right angles.

Figure 3: uneven shapes and angles giving a surrealist view of a

madman


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The design in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

is reminiscent to design ofThe Cabinet of Dr Caligari,

in particular The Halloween Town which consists of

low key lighting, contrasting colours of light and dark,

and curved shapes like the famous spiral cliff. The

animated set idea was to create a world that is

emotionally dark and uses a dark color palette, with

the buildings sculpted with the narrow bases and

wide tops, giving it a mystical dark look. Though

using German Expressionism, Burton enhanced this

by having most of the characters in the film not have any eyes but dark hollow holes in its place.

As described by Burton, The characters that were signed for Nightmare had the added burden

of not having any eyeballs. The first rule of animation: Eyes for expression. I thought if we could

give life to these characters that have no eyes, it would be great. (Burton, 1990: 116). The idea

design for the film were based on the feelings for as what Burton calls it, Rudolph things but

with a twist of dark gothic art, which also leads to the stylization of German Expressionism.

Very much like The Cabinet of Dr.

Caligari, as said by Matt Stopera,

Johnny Depp's inspiration for

Edward Scissorhands was the classic

movie Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari

(Stopera, 2010) including the

character looks, with the protagonist

acting as an outsider or a monster

dressed in black with dark hair, pale

face and heavy makeup, a female

character dressed in white to represent the fragile and innocent, similar to the likes ofThe

Beauty and the Beast. A live action movie, the film focuses on the contrasts of vibrant pastel

colours of American suburban towns to a dark, gothic mansion set on top of a high hill

reminiscent to the house on the hill in Psycho (1960). The pastel colour scheme used in the town,

conveys the emotions and the feeling of unstableness of behavior among its residents. Burton

casts a kind of unease in his candy-colored suburb, where the tension is visually unmasked

through Edward and his gothic castle perched above the houses. Burton subverts the Caligari

nightmare with his own narrative branding, casting the garish somnambulist as the hero, and

the villagers as the villains. (McLaughlin, 2000) Adding Edward into this makes it obvious that

Edward is out of place due to his dark gothic clothing. Though the interior look of the mansion is

dark, it is filled with distorted windows that have hard lighting through with silhouettes and a

long distorted winding staircase that leads to a small door at the top, gives the feeling that

everythings not normal. However, in contrast to this, the exterior of the mansion shows the

true inner side of the protagonist with vibrant flowers and beautifully cut bushes in different

shapes and of gentle animals like deer etc.

Figure 5: The curved hill

Figure 6: The pastel coloured town with the dark mansion on the hill in

the middle


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Conclusion:

It is noticeable that in Wienes The Cabinet of Dr.

Caligaricontains the elements of German

Expressionism, there were theories behind the

making of this and how it is interpreted into a filmso that the art style of it can be accepted. Kraceur

theorizes that Wienes use of the film into German

Expressionism reverts back to the time of the

Weimar era and that German citizens needed a

tyrant to look up on as well as having German films reflecting the emotions and feelings that

were happening in Germany. With its contrasting colours of white and black along with

distorted shapes and angles, this went on to inspire Tim Burton to recreate this style and The

Beauty and The Beastas well as the elements of sharp lighting, curved settings etc. Burton

mixing this style with dark gothic art together has successfully made films both in live action and

animation like Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas and thus has inspiredother filmmakers as well as creating more films based on this style.

List of Illustrations:

Fig 1: Lowry, M and Dinot, C (2009) The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)(online):

http://malcolmlowryatthe19thhole.blogspot.com/2009/09/cabinet-of-dr-caligari-1920.html-

(accessed on 20/11/11)

Fig 2: Wiene, R (2010) The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) (online):

http://filmmakeriq.com/2010/08/ultimate-filmmakers-guide-to-film-noir/- (accessed on 20/11/11)

Fig 3: Kolar, German Expressionism: The world of light and shadow(online):

http://mubi.com/lists/german-expressionism-the-world-of-light-and-shadow- (accessed on 20/11/11)

Fig 4: Wiene, R (1920) Halloween Town (online):

http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Halloween_Town- (accessed on 20/11/11)

Fig 5: Powers, G (2008) The Nightmare Before Christmas (online):

http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/nightmare-before-christmas-the.html- (accessed on

20/11/11)

Fig 6: Morgan, R (2011) 110-130 (online):

http://rionalovesthevirginsuicides.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html- (accessed on 20/11/11)

Figure 7: Dark mansion on a hill with vibrant greenery
http://malcolmlowryatthe19thhole.blogspot.com/2009/09/cabinet-of-dr-caligari-1920.htmlhttp://malcolmlowryatthe19thhole.blogspot.com/2009/09/cabinet-of-dr-caligari-1920.htmlhttp://filmmakeriq.com/2010/08/ultimate-filmmakers-guide-to-film-noir/http://filmmakeriq.com/2010/08/ultimate-filmmakers-guide-to-film-noir/http://mubi.com/lists/german-expressionism-the-world-of-light-and-shadowhttp://mubi.com/lists/german-expressionism-the-world-of-light-and-shadowhttp://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Halloween_Townhttp://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Halloween_Townhttp://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/nightmare-before-christmas-the.htmlhttp://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/nightmare-before-christmas-the.htmlhttp://rionalovesthevirginsuicides.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.htmlhttp://rionalovesthevirginsuicides.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.htmlhttp://rionalovesthevirginsuicides.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.htmlhttp://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/nightmare-before-christmas-the.htmlhttp://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Halloween_Townhttp://mubi.com/lists/german-expressionism-the-world-of-light-and-shadowhttp://filmmakeriq.com/2010/08/ultimate-filmmakers-guide-to-film-noir/http://malcolmlowryatthe19thhole.blogspot.com/2009/09/cabinet-of-dr-caligari-1920.html


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Fig 7: Burton, T (1990) Edward Scissorhands (1990) (online):

http://www.hdwarez.com/edward-scissorhands-1990.html- (accessed on 20/11/11)

Bibliography:

Provart, M (2008) The Lean Forward Moment: Production Design (online):

http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1317546- (accessed on 20/11/11)

Eggleston, W. (2008) The Lean Forward Moment: Production Design (online):

http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1317546- (accessed on 20/11/11)

Crossley, L (Unknown) What is Visual design?(online):

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5873013_visual-design_.html- (accessed on 20/11/11)

KINNARD, R (1995) Horror in Silent Films (online):

http://eric.b.olsen.tripod.com/caligari.html - (accessed on 18/11/11)

Jung, U. Schatzberg, W (1999) Beyond Caligari: the films of Robert Wiene. Oxford: Berghahn Books-


Ashlin, S (2011) The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari/Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari (1919/1921) (online):

http://www.1000misspenthours.com/reviews/reviewsa-d/cabinetofdrcaligari.htm - (accessed on

18/11/11)

LoBrutto, V.(2005) Becoming Film literate: the art and craft of motion pictures.USA,Praeger

Publsihers - (accessed on 18/11/11)

Scheunemann, D. (2006) Expressionist film--new perspective (2nd

Ed) USA: Camden House - (accessed

on 18/11/11)

Burton, T. Salisbury, M. Depp, J (2006) Burton on Burton (2nd

Ed) London: Faber and Faber Limited-


Stopera, M (2010)12 Things You Probably Didnt Know About The Movie Edward Scissorhands

(online):

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/12-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-edward-sc- (accessed

on 18/11/11)

McLaughlin, N (2000) German Expressionism- 1910 to 1940s Germany(online):

http://virtualology.com/hallofartmovements/germanexpressionism.org/(accessed on 22/11/11)
http://www.hdwarez.com/edward-scissorhands-1990.htmlhttp://www.hdwarez.com/edward-scissorhands-1990.htmlhttp://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1317546http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1317546http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1317546http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1317546http://www.ehow.com/facts_5873013_visual-design_.htmlhttp://www.ehow.com/facts_5873013_visual-design_.htmlhttp://eric.b.olsen.tripod.com/caligari.htmlhttp://eric.b.olsen.tripod.com/caligari.htmlhttp://www.1000misspenthours.com/reviews/reviewsa-d/cabinetofdrcaligari.htmhttp://www.1000misspenthours.com/reviews/reviewsa-d/cabinetofdrcaligari.htmhttp://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/12-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-edward-schttp://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/12-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-edward-schttp://virtualology.com/hallofartmovements/germanexpressionism.org/http://virtualology.com/hallofartmovements/germanexpressionism.org/http://virtualology.com/hallofartmovements/germanexpressionism.org/http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/12-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-edward-schttp://www.1000misspenthours.com/reviews/reviewsa-d/cabinetofdrcaligari.htmhttp://eric.b.olsen.tripod.com/caligari.htmlhttp://www.ehow.com/facts_5873013_visual-design_.htmlhttp://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1317546http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1317546http://www.hdwarez.com/edward-scissorhands-1990.html

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Unit 2 Esasy