The night of the hunter is a 1955 american thriller film directed by charles laughton, and. This is one weird, troubling movie, all the more so for being released in 1955. Jul 09, 2012 the film, shot in 1921 and released in 1922, was an unauthorized adaptation of bram stokers dracula, with names and other details changed because the studio could not obtain the rights to the. An introduction to german expressionist films artnet news. Contemporary enthusiasts can trace all kinds of influences here.
Subsequent german expressionist movies retreated from the extreme aesthetics of caligari but were still filled with a mood of violence, frustration and unease. Created for school under fair use terms and conditions and not for profitmonitization. Combining stark realism with germanic expressionism, the movie is a. Hollywood has produced plenty of classic blackandwhite horror movies, from dr. Germany had just lost world war i, most of its film industry had undergone statesponsored consolidation, and independent filmmakers who didnt want to make largescale costume dramas the genre of choice to distract the public from the countrys poverty and disorder had to find a new way not just to. With robert mitchum, shelley winters, lillian gish, james gleason. Thus, the influence of german expressionism on early hollywood films is profound and readily evident. Nov 28, 2016 i wouldnt know whether carpenter, cunningham, etc. Klinger set his tale of sexual desire at berlins central skating rink, which had recently opened and provided fresh opportunities for fun, both chaste and erotic.
Charles laughtons the night of the hunter, revisited. These are, i believe, the two most important factors in many types of film, as they truly help to define a film and can place it in a specific genre. German expressionism emphasizes on design or miseenscene, uncanny atmosphere, and composition which transforms reality as we know it through photography which uses unexpected camera angles with very little camera movement, this aims to abstract from realistic details and contingencies and also bring out the essence of an object. It is, to say the least, a masterpiece and not just because it was the only movie directed by flamboyant actor charles laughton or the only produced solo screenplay by the legendary critic james agee who also cowrote the. Adapted by james agee from a novel by davis grubb, the night of the hunter represented legendary actor charles laughtons only film directing effort.
Having traveled through many european capitals including the geographical magic point where switzerland, france, and germany meet, argento. Winter landscape in moonlight suggests the unusual spectrum of color produced by a bright moon over slopes blanketed with snow. The night of the hunter critics consensus featuring robert mitchums formidable performance as a childhunting preacher, the night of the hunter is a disturbing look at good and evil. Its the unmistakable look of german expressionism, and its emotional triggers are powerful enough to influence filmmakers of. Murnaus brilliantly depressing the last laugh 1924 is about a proud doorman at a highend hotel who is unceremoniously stripped of his position and demoted to a lowly bathroom attendant. Although lenis output was slight he died in hollywood in 1929, he was an important link between the german and american cinemas. Familiarity with movements of the past is crucial to understanding of current cinematic trends. The film image must become graphic art hermann warm. In this episode the boys are joined by storyboard and comic book artist gabriel hardman to discuss charles laughtons 1955 macabre fairy tale the night of the hunter starring robert mitchum, shelley winter, and lillian gish.
And the expressionism of night of the hunter heightens its sense of dread. There are a few shots of the film that stand out as among the most powerful in the film. Expressionist themes could be seen in all types of work such as visual art, architecture, literature, but most notably expressionist ideals were conveyed in the cinema. Yet while the night of the hunters visual language is clearly indebted to the german films of the.
The above image shows a harsh pointed room which really reminds me of a gothic like. Burton is maybe the most mainstream director to clearly reference german expressionism throughout his whole work. Everything you need to know about german expressionism. Dec 17, 2010 the night of the hunter breaks every stereotype of old movies. The fourth work from curator barron on the german art of the interwar years after german expressionism, 19151925, 1988. Go beyond the mansion and see how the tones of film noir and german expressionism shaped the story of white night. Realism, started by the lumiere documentaries, is all about showing the actual world. This essay has examined the resonances of german expressionism and film noir that are apparent in christopher nolans batman trilogy, looking essentially at style and characters. This was a laughably bad film on release, when it was panned by the critics, and it remains just as bad today. Here is the list of best directors who carried torch for german expressionism. Many great movies are by great directors, but laughton directed only this one film, which was a critical and commercial failure long overshadowed. German expressionism began in the early days of film, at the beginning of the twentieth century. That murder certainly gestures towards the classics of german expressionism. But it is also a clear descendant of a movement from across the atlantic.
The two fall in love and attempt to transplant marshalls brain in to the muscular body of a retarded servant stephen, in order to prolong the aging marshalls life. A short documentary on the rise and fall of german expressionist cinema. Ludicrous script credited to james agee, who in other contexts was a fine writer. How german expressionism influenced cinemas dark side. The scene is done in contrasting colors black and white. You can click on the images to see them in magnified detail. Caligari onwards the principal films of this period were characterized by two influences. German expressionism is a cultural movement that is challenging to define as it is not distinguished by a singular style or method of creation, but rather is better described by both the mindset of the artist creating the work and the generation he or she lived in.
German expressionist films 1920s1930s initially, highly symbolic and stylized nonrealistic sets, sometimes geometric, filmed indoors dark human experiencesmadness, betrayal, paranoia, obsession. It was an extremely influential genre that demonstrated cinema could be an art form, and not just entertainment. See more ideas about dr caligari, silent film and german expressionism film. See more ideas about dr caligari, german expressionism film and silent horror. The golden age of german cinema began at the end of the first world war and ended shortly after the coming of sound.
The night of the hunter 1955 the criterion collection special edition bluray towering above all others. The 10 best nonnoir movies influenced by german expressionism. In a good film noir, we expect to encounter feverish desire and transgression, portrayed by sympathetic antiheroes who remain outside society, in an underworld of misdeeds. In memory, the night of the hunter stands out as a chase moviewhich is strange because much of it actually stays put. Frankenstein is killed by a monster he created, his daughter and his lab assistant marshall continue his experiments. Murnau on the mental map of berlin in the twenties, home of some of modernisms most vital avantgarde directors, then expressionist cinema connotes a rebellious artistic intervention. German expressionism was an artistic movement that started before world war i in germany, and culminated in the 1920s with expressionist cinema. A short documentary of the german expressionist cinema movement. And as the only film directed by actor charles laughton, its very existence is somewhat haunting. Two of the most recognizable expressionist films are nosferatu murnau, 1922, and. The night of the hunter by charles laughton charles laughton. Expressionism stylization that abstracts and transforms reality as we know it from the conventions of realistic art through. The screenplay by james agee was based on the 1953 novel of the same title by davis grubb.
Jan 24, 2006 in the entire history of american movies, the night of the hunter stands out as the rarest and most exotic of specimens. The night of the hunter is a 1955 american thriller film directed by charles laughton, and starring robert mitchum, shelley winters, and lillian gish. Through the intimate collaboration of production design and cinematographer, an expressionist battle between good and evil. The legacy of the night of the hunter indiana university. Download charles laughton the night of the hunter 1955. The world that the filmmakers built feels rooted in the 1950s, but it also feels like it could have come from. Gianetti, 3 this means there is often a handheld camera or. Caligari as it does to jean cocteau and grimm fairy tales. Most directors truly concerned about film art knew of the german expressionistic films and learned from them. This video essay, a collaboration by press play and no film school, will be the first in a series on different film movements, their histories, and their enduring influence. German expressionism consisted of a number of related creative movements in germany before the first world war that reached a peak in berlin during the 1920s. Winter landscape in moonlight detroit institute of arts museum. Very gothic, night of the hunter really takes its inspiration from the german expressionism films, taking the noir elements and turning them into a dreamlike nightmare.
Apr 14, 2017 the 100 best horror movies streaming on shudder. German expressionism refers to a number of creative movements starting in germany before the first world war that reached a peak in berlin, during the 1920s. As the movie progresses you see various special effects, sounds, music, camera angles, and surroundings. Influential international survey of avantgarde movements including futurism, orphism, cubism, and expressionism. Btw, im currently reading the night of the hunter book by davis grubb, and so far its amazing, thousand times better than the movie. The 100 best horror movies streaming on shudder paste. The journey of german expressionism from art cinema to the hollywood mainstream began with the exile and expulsion of many film producers, directors, writers, actors, and music composers from germany after hitler came to power in january 1933. You run into it time and time again when reading about film history. Darkened corners, perilous modern landscapes, and distorted, threatening figures. See more ideas about degenerate art, artist and modern art.
Not impressed the night of the hunter 1955 discussion. It doesnt mean they do show the actual world, but they try to make it look that way. There were two main groups of german expressionist. But theres a good reason for that trick of the mind. It pops up even more than french new wave, another term that tends to make peoples eyes glaze over.
Some good ones to project would be beckmanns the night and dixs flanders and skull. Which hitchcock does a perfect example of portraying in his film psychobut more particular the famous shower scene view above clip. This video covers the expressionism found in charles laughtons the night of the hunter, its importance, and its history. The night of the hunter directed charles laughton, was a major step into the cinematography industry. In terms of form, the night of the hunter is a bit scattershot, as if. Our first clue to this is how the movie was shot in black and white and kept that way.
Aug 27, 2001 argentos deliriously artificial horror film owes as much to georges melies and german expressionism specifically the cabinet of dr. It is, to say the least, a masterpieceand not just because it was the only movie directed by flamboyant actor charles laughton or the only produced solo screenplay by the legendary critic james agee who also cowrote the african queen. Sharp angles, highcontrast hard lighting, and deep shadows amplify form, or rather distort reality, and as such project human experience as an exaggeration of the emotional. This could also include some german expressionist painting both of the battlefield and german life during the period. To build an emotional responseunease, dread, hateso deep it stays with you long after the credits have run. But greater than them all is the impact of the motion picture itself. Advertisement since this was written, agees 293page firstdraft screenplay, about double the size of the script published in agee on film, volume ii, was found in a box in a manhattan brownstone.
Lambert found that laughton was too much under the influence of griffith and german expressionism, but that. The night of the hunter remains a film that is ahead of its time laughtons move from acting to directing a horror film is reminiscent of jordan peeles, and its womanhating villain feels unsettlingly timely. The modern city offered an unparalleled richness of new experiencesand places to encounter new people. Aug 19, 20 kitab albulhan, or the book of wonders flick through the readable version above kitab albulhan, or book of wonders, is an arabic manuscript dating mainly from the late 14th century a.
The german cinema of the weimar republic is often, but wrongly identified with expressionism. Those movies were exotic and hardrealistic which still are a textbook for film noir movies. Download mp3 download ogg thirtyfive years after its initial release, nosferatu the vampyre, werner herzogs haunting tone poem of death and loneliness is as potent today as it was in 1979. German expressionism is the term used to describe the movement that embodied works of art by germans during the weimar republic. German expressionism was an early twentieth century german art movement that emphasized the artists inner feelings or ideas over replicating reality, and was characterised by simplified shapes, bright colours and gestural marks or brushstrokes. The massive film movement from germany, which had taken place between in 1920s which had brought german cinema in to the lime light of world cinema.
In the entire history of american movies, the night of the hunter stands out as the rarest and most exotic of specimens. The night of the hunter breaks every stereotype of old movies. Best directors from german expressionism a listly list. The american horror film and the influence of german. Robert mitchum, shelley winters, lillian gish, james gleason movie quality. These developments in germany were part of a larger expressionist movement in north and central european culture in fields such as architecture, dance, painting, sculpture, as well as cinema.
German expressionism is about distorting color, scale and space. The night of the hunter incredibly, was the only film the great actor charles laughton ever directed and is truly a standalone masterwork. Griffith, while the visual lyricism draws on german expressionism, particularly in the silent era. His depiction of gotham in his batman returns 1992, his choice of style for the factory in edward scissorhands 1990 and the narrative use of shadows in corpse bride 2005 are clear examples out of many, many more of this. The night of the hunter is a fable that passes from darkness to light, but we are left in no doubt that the wolf is forever at the door. The night of the hunter 1955 the night of the hunter exists in a fog of obscurity, combining murder, sex, and religion in a southern gothic backdrop. The night of the hunter is nearly as demented as its lead villain, and i mean that as a compliment. Another worthy kino international restoration of a masterpiece of german expressionism which for the first time on home video is presented in its full length. It is interesting to see how the new levels of savagery and inhumanity during that period gave rise to new forms of artistic expression. German expressionism in psycho german expressionism in film. But it was not so much a direct relay of life to art. The creativity of german expressionist film, like so much creativity, arose from limitations. German expressionism is an artistic genre that originated in europe in the 1920s, and is broadly defined as the rejection of western conventions, and the depiction of reality that is widely.
But the night of the hunter is also a film that feels out of time. Laughton was clearly influenced by silents films and film noir. These developments in germany were part of a larger expressionist movement in north and central european culture in fields such as architecture, painting and cinema. During the first world war expressionism found its stride, and by the early twenties it had peaked. Cinematography in the night of the hunter writework. Charles laughtons the night of the hunter is an american classic. If there is a predominant aesthetic, its a combination of surrealism and german expressionism. Its lowkey black and white style is significantly recognizable, influenced by german expressionism and 1930s gangster movies. Erster deutscher herbstsalon first german autumn salon. Kitab albulhan, or the book of wonders ars, arte et labore. Oct 07, 2011 episode 42 the night of the hunter posted on october 7, 2011 by malpractice4 in this episode the boys are joined by storyboard and comic book artist gabriel hardman to discuss charles laughtons 1955 macabre fairy tale the night of the hunter starring robert mitchum, shelley winter, and lillian gish.
In the episode we discuss such topics as the evils of religion, the influence of silent film and german expressionism, what makes a horror movie work, and much more. Laughton drew on the harsh, angular look of german expressionist films of the 1920s, which is especially. Combining stark realism with germanic expressionism, the movie is a brilliant goodandevil parable, with good represented by a couple of farm kids and a pious old lady, and evil literally in. It is based on a novel by davis grubb, whose mother, a former social worker, had witnessed depressionera hardship and. German expressionism, unlike futurism and other art movements that appeared in numerous countries, was almost entirely limited to germany, or germanic areas, so we should first have a basic understanding of where germany came from before the first part of the. Daydreams and nightmares one part of the weimar cinema is classified as german expressionist film, especially the films between the years 1920 and 1927 but not all. The furniture, by daniel walber, is our weekly series on production design. Charles laughtons the night of the hunter 1955 is one of the greatest of all american films, but has never received the attention it deserves because of its lack of the proper trappings. Orange wednesdaystyle free cinema tickets are back, when you switch your bills. But id rather you didnt watch it there the quality is pretty bad. I love how much it brought back the expressionist visuals of old german cinema from the silent era. Released in 1955, it would become the only film directed by renowned actor charles laughton, who approached filmmaking in the same manner as acting, with the perceptive observations and layering of a master painter. We go through them all the highlight the best classic horror films you should stream right now.
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