german expressionism

i've been researching avant-garde lately, and as i am in the pre-production process of a video series (hope to start shooting in march!) i've decided to be more daring and experimental than usual. that said, i've been watching some very interesting films- clearly not all avant-garde, but interesting! one of my favorites so far has to be Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari). AMAZING.

some background- made in 1920, directed by Robert Wiene. Some regard it as the first true horror film, and an influence on film noir. it is noted for the distorted set design and distinctive mise-en-scene which set a dark, bleak mood (properties of german expressionism). the development story on wikipedia is fascinating.

You can watch Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari on Netflix or at Google Videos.

(i took the top stills from Netflix- two moments that really capture the "feel" of the film. there is a restored authorized version available but the distorted bar at the top of the film is a defect of the master negative.)