What is German Expressionist Cinema? How Is This Style Defined?

When a country falls into war, every industry within it is impacted, or at least faces the risk of transformation. After World War I, German cinema grew more bizarre and darker in tone. Government bans on foreign films further isolated the German film industry. It was in this context that German Expressionism emerged. So what exactly is German Expressionism in film? Let’s take a closer look.

A Brief History of German Expressionism

To define this style, we need to understand its origins and why it differed so sharply from other styles of the same period. After clarifying the definition and a short history, we’ll look at some examples.

What is German Expressionist Cinema?

German Expressionism is a distinct artistic style that first appeared around 1910 in poetry and theater. In the decade following the end of World War I, it rose to prominence in cinema. It partly grew out of German Romanticism and presents a subjective view of the world. Through distorted, nightmarish imagery, it gives concrete form to Germany’s collective anxieties. Expressionists were not concerned with aesthetic pleasure. This style flourished in the wake of the horrors of World War I and the subsequent economic collapse. The earliest films that can be called purely German Expressionist include The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Metropolis.

Characteristics of German Expressionism

• High angles

• Deep shadows / high-contrast lighting

• Extreme canted (tilted) camera angles

• Impossible sets

Given the reality of postwar Germany, it’s no surprise that art and film became so dark.

German film critic Lotte Eisner called it “helldunkel,” which she defined as “a kind of twilight of the German soul, expressed in dark, mysterious interiors or hazy, ethereal landscapes.”

German Expressionist films use strong contrast between light and shadow to create nightmarish scenes, often lighting them with chiaroscuro. Let’s look at some classic works that laid the foundation for this shadow-driven aesthetic.

Representative Works of German Expressionism

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer, drawing on their personal experiences in World War I and their distrust of authoritarian rule. The filmmakers deliberately distorted reality, aiming to create a mood of the times rather than to pursue realistic depiction, in order to disorient the audience.

Nosferatu (1922)

Metropolis (1927)

Fritz Lang’s silent film uses Expressionist imagery to explore how technology devours society. The film’s heavy use of exaggerated visuals heightens the emotions that drive the narrative forward.

German Expressionism fundamentally changed film history. Notably, its use of high-contrast lighting was carried forward and developed into the essence of film noir and horror cinema. Undeniably, it laid the visual foundation for entire film genres.

Chiaroscuro in film: definition, techniques, and examples

If you’re looking for a perfect example of the legacy of German Expressionism, look no further than the films of Tim Burton.

Edward Scissorhands is a direct heir to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. This can be seen in the tilted and fractured set designs, the extreme use of light and shadow, and the design of Edward himself. Look at Tim Burton’s other works and you’ll find that the unsettling spirit of German Expressionism is still very much alive.