German Expressionism

German Expressionism is a film style that was common in Germany in the 1920s, shown in films like 'Nosferatu' and 'The Cabinet Of Doctor Caligari'. It has influenced film making hugely, and even modern films use features from the films.

The key features of German Expressionism include distorted sets and props, like the strangely-shaped rooftops in 'The Cabinet Of Doctor Caligari', and dramatic lighting with emphasis on shadows, like the scene in 'Nosferatu' where Count Olaf's shadow is seen going up the stairs. In some scenes in German Expressionist films, the shadows were painted on the sets to make them more distinctive. In many films of that genre, the characters and their actions are symbolic, and the acting is very exaggerated and over the top, partially due to the need to show what is happening, despite the restrictions of lack of sound and very basic film equipment. The actors usually have a very distinctive appearance, with very dark makeup around their eyes.
Due to the technological restrictions of the time, the editing is very straightforward, with fairly long cuts, and the sound is restricted to the music used throughout.

The influences of German Expressionism are seen in many film styles over time. Film Noir used the same dramatic, shadowy lighting techniques, as do a lot of modern horror films, particularly those after a gothic/gloomy feel. The distorted sets and props are used in many films when a surreal feel is needed in many genres. The acting style has since mostly disappeared when dialogue was added to films, and cameras became better, allowing for actors to show emotions in more subtle ways.
There are also a lot of direct references to specific films, or scenes in those films, especially the two films mentioned above, such as the video for Living Dead Girl by Rob Zombie, which is extremely similar to 'The Cabinet Of Doctor Caligari'.
The appearance of characters from German Expressionist films has also influenced modern films like 'Edward Scissorhands' and 'The Crow', both of which use the shadowed eyes and dark clothing on their main characters. These films also use shadowed lighting and strange sets.