TCF 112 1st Edition Lecture 4 Outline of Last Lecture I Editing and Early Soviet Cinema a Historical Overview b Editing i Continuity editing ii Jump cuts iii Computer aided editing c Overview of Soviet Cinema d Lev Kuleshov i Kuleshov Experiment ii Lessons of Kuleshov Experiment e Sergei Eisenstein i Eisenstein Film Clips ii Eisenstein Aesthetic f Dziga Vertov Outline of Current Lecture I Golden Age of German Cinema 1919 1933 a Historical Context of Ufa b Ufa s Major Contributions i Epics ii Expressionistic Films 1 Social and Cultural Atmosphere 2 Impressionism a Expressionism vs Impressionism b Mise en scene iii Realistic Street Films 1 The Last Laugh 2 Cinematic Contributions of M a Sound Transitions in M 3 Cinematic Significance of Langs Metropolis 1927 c German Golden Age Characteristics i Formal Style ii Thematic meaning d Overarching Themes e Putting it all Together These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute f End of German Golden Age g Lasting Impact on HW Current Lecture Golden Age of German Cinema 1919 1933 Historical Context of Ufa Glass studio Unparalleled magnet for film talent in the 1920 s This golden age lasted from about 1917 to 1933 Ufa competed with HW for international supremacy Ufa s Major Productions 1 Epics Historical and Mythological Ex Madame Dubarry Ex Siegfried 2 Expressionistic Films influences a Social Cultural Atmosphere Expressionism dominate artistic mode in the 20 s Government bans military censorship explosion of artistic expression b Impressionism Began in the 1860 s in Paris Ex Water Lilies by Claude Monet Creative impulse the artist capturing external world and interpreting these sensations on the canvas c Impressionism vs Expressionism Expressionism Expressionism began around the 1890 s Artists expression of turbulent inner feelings captures subjective emotions and depicts them dramatically Provides means for representing subjective reality internal feelings in a medium that s been good at depicting external reality Ex The Cabinet of Dr Caligari 1919 most quintessential expressionism film of German era Ex Nosferatu 1922 one of the first vampire films d Mise en scene Ex Frankenstein 1931 Includes everything in the frame Literally translated as putting into the scene May Include Lighting Set construction Art design Costuming Blocking of actors 3 Realistic Street Films a The Last Laugh 1931 1 Sets new standard for camera movement Becomes the unchained camera 2 Subjective camera Records characters POV Depicts character s emotional and psychological distress Gets beyond physical reality to subjective reality b Cinematic Contributions of M Cinematic storytelling film begins using empty frames to communicate Elsie s death Disappearance montage Inventive use of sound 1 Lang resisted making sound films at first but used sound as a key component in M 2 Lang uses sound to connect shots and scenes and uses sound as a narrative clue or device Sound Transitions in M Sound Bridge Same sound used across an edit sound fx dialogue is a common element across shots Cut with Picture Sound changes when image changes Sound Advances Cut Sound changes before image hear next shot before seeing it Sound Delay Cut See shot while hearing sound from a previous image c Cinematic Significance of Lang s Metropolis 1927 Echoes political themes of Battleship Potemkin 1925 SFX innovator and arguably most important film for Sci fi genre Schufftan Process Most expensive film of its time Architecture and set design mix of modernism and art deco German Golden Age Characteristics Making connections between aesthetics artistic choices and meaningfulness social import 1 Formal Style Low key lighting Lots of shadows and high contrast Ex Nosferatu 1922 Sin City 2005 Oppressive Set Design Ex Edward Scissorhands 1990 Massive Architecture Ex Metropolis 1927 Bladerunner 1982 Cluttered Set Design Ex Blue Angel 1930 Stair Motif Ex Vertigo 1958 The Last Laugh 1924 2 Thematic Meaning Recurring narrative patterns that point towards cultural or social preoccupation or concern Overarching Themes Ambivalence regarding authority good or bad both neither Characters caught between good and evil moral confusion Obsessed characters unable to control desires lack of moral will Putting It All Together Siegfried Kracaucers From Caligari to Hitler A Psychological History of the German Film 1947 One of the first cultural film theorists Thesis sexual obsession moral degradation death Influential attempt at social film criticism End of German Golden Age Financial Problems Ufa became part of Paramount and MGM Parufamet Rise of the Nazis cinema now used mainly for propaganda German Exodus Lasting Impact on HW Influx of amazing talent Genre shaping films Crime dramas Science fiction Horror Mise en scene becomes an acceptable recognized and standard means of communicating internal moods and various states of consciousness