Dr. Caligari Mise En Scene

I feel Robert Wiene’s 1920 film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, is one of the most influential films of all time as it successfully encapsulates the sociopolitical context in it was created, that is a nation burdened by the intrinsic issues of identity, insanity, lies and betrayal. This is seen through the exploration of plot, mise en scene, foreshadowing and film movement. Wiene’s cinematic masterpiece is a perfect example of how society throughout the 1910’s-20’s decade has influenced films at the time – especially those in Germany, i.e. Fritz Lang’s Metropolis.

The choice of this film is based on the direct link of German post-war tension and paranoia to the film’s plot and subtext. Dr. Caligari’s plot deals with insanity, betrayal and

Caligari encapsulating citizen’s fears, strained identity and social disillusionment as a result of political unrest, Wiene’s employment of elements of mise en scene contributes to the film’s visual communication of a metonymic image that depicts this temporal epoch. Wiene’s identifiably expressionistic examples of mise en scene include the camera movements and angles, low-key lighting and chiaroscuro, iris and voyeuristic transitions, stylized set, makeup and costume. This expressionistic vision was born out of budgetary restraints, forcing crew to paint the lighting effects directly onto the scenery, as the required light sources could not be produced. As a result, harsh irregular, artificial shapes were created and a hard contrast of white and black rays on the walls alluded to a nightmarish set. Wiene took this opportunity to extend the elaborately ridiculous set to the architecture of the houses and walls – curving down onto the streets and entombing theme in shadows. Such an unrealistic view of the world creates its own reality and perhaps replicates nightmares of Germans at the time. Wiene’s experimentation with expressive lighting effects, subjective camera shots, and set design externalizes the character’s inner thoughts – in this case distress, gripped by insanity, paranoia, insecurity, disorientation, etc. The blue filter over the original film sets a gloomy mood, geometrically absurd sets and sharp angular objects reflect the tension in German

Post-war Germany experienced deterioration in identity and in attempt to increase national pride – cut the country off from the world of international influences – putting a ban on foreign films and other forms of artistic expression, with the help of the nationwide abolition of censorship in 1919 and the intellectuals’ adoption of cinema, a new way of expressing forced Germany to create its own content, leading to the early expressionistic genre influence of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927), the ‘first horror film’ Nosferatu (1922) and of course Dr. Caligari (1920). Such films are united by highly stylized visuals, strange asymmetrical camera angles, atmospheric lighting and harsh contrasts between dark and light and all capture the cry of a broken nation and people who were horrified by the everyday reality. The new freedom that came from Expressionism, which was already a developing art movement in Germany, inspired filmmakers like Wiene in the application of techniques: unrealistic sets, theatrical composition, lighting, self-conscious/obtrusive camera angles, etc. In complete isolation from the outside world, Germany only knew the Classicism and Realism art forms that was admired by the National Socialists and thus, used Expressionism as an answer to the grim reality of daily