Express Yourself ..

I seem to be in something of a German phase at present (expect this to continue). I have been watching a lot of German expressionist movies this week and have recently finished reading a biography about Leni Riefenstahl, which in turn, has led to an interest in Wiemar era Berlin and the incredible surge of decadence and creativity which took place there after the first world war and lasted until the rise of the Nazis. (more about Leni later)

The breathtaking Das Cabinet Des Dr Caligari (1919)

Although the film itself is poor quality, not having being digitally restored like Metropolis or Nosferatu, the expressionist painted sets are a delight. One can only hope (like the finest film snob) that someone gets round to restoring this slice of cinematic history.

Many of the German directors, cameramen, cinematographers and designers from this period ended up in Hollywood as the Wiemar republic ended and Hitlers persecution of the Jews and purging of 'degenerative art ' drove Germany's' film makers abroad. Lucky Hollywood! You can see their work stamped all over Universal Horror movies and film noir of the 30s and 40s.

Set design by Hermann Warm and painted by Walter Reimann and Walter Röhrig.

When producer Eric Pommer began to have doubts about how the film should be designed, they had to convince him that it made sense to paint light and shadows directly onto set walls, floors and background canvases and to place flat sets behind the actors. The studio at the time only had a limited supply of lights and electricity!

The star of the film was undoubtedly Conrad Veidt, an actor who later on ended up in Hollywood himself after leaving Germany and living in Britain for a while. Conrad left Das Reich shortly after marrying his Jewish girlfriend.

One of Conrad's later roles 'The Man Who Laughs ' (1928) ended up being the inspiration for The Joker in the Batman comics. The movie was a silent film made in America and was directed by German expressionist filmmaker Paul Leni.

Looks familiar huh?