Minutes – January 23, 2002

            A scene from Leni Riefensthal’s Triumph of the Will was compared to Battleship Potemkin.  The Nazi’s resemble the Czar’s troops in the Odessa step sequence, except that the Nazi’s were not shooting anyone. 

            We then viewed the step sequence in Triumph of the Will (1935).  Was this made to frighten?  Audience at the time did not always pick up on the fear element.  During this time, the films were pre-war.  Nazi’s have been in power for only a year at the time.  Film introduces them.  Message to the world – “Leave us alone”.

German Expressionism in Film

1919-1926

            German expressionism came from art.  It’s noted for high contrast lighting, use of deliberate artificial sets and scenery, exaggerated acting (also intentional), and there is no attempt to show that they are filming reality.  Influence, ideas, and technology were being shared from all around the world.  Different countries had their different traits.  Germany had expressionism.  These traits influence films that are currently being made. 

            Robert Wiene’s Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) is a story told by a madman.  His ideas of authority are obscured.  In the end, authority becomes the healing power.  Reflects political and social issues at the time in Germany.  It was made two years after the end of WWI (there was chaos and madness in the streets).  The scenes are obstructed with extreme diagonals and were meant to look phony.  The makeup of the killer mirrors the lines on the window, his shadow on the wall, and his dagger.

            During the 1920’s, music is starting to be composed for the films.  Before, the distributor of the film might tell the theatres what type of music to play during particular scenes or theatres decided on their own.  Sometimes, there would be a live orchestra performing during the film. 

The Bauhaus movement united film, dance, music, and art.

French Film

1920’s

            The French felt like they could compete with Hollywood.  They did a lot of experimentation by using the camera, lighting, and story line in different ways (art house product).  Used surrealism (reality beyond reality).

            Louis Bunuel (from Spain) and Salvador Dali (from Russia) both came to France.  They made Andalusain Dog (1926).  Film at the time was considered an art form, not commercial.  Dali and Bunuel wanted to explore Freudian ideas, and use melodrama (less tense) by “freeing the camera”.  They achieved this through deep focus, blurring, and flashbacks.

Thus, the class ends.