In 1913, GerÂmany, flush with a new nation’s patriÂotÂic zeal, looked like it might become the domÂiÂnant nation of Europe and a real rival to that globÂal superÂpowÂer Great Britain. Then it hit the buzÂzÂsaw of World War I. After the GerÂman govÂernÂment colÂlapsed in 1918 from the ecoÂnomÂic and emoÂtionÂal toll of a half-decade of senseÂless carÂnage, the Allies forced it to accept draÂconÂian terms for surÂrenÂder. The entire GerÂman culÂture was sent reelÂing, searchÂing for answers to what hapÂpened and why.
GerÂman ExpresÂsionÂism came about to articÂuÂlate these lacÂerÂatÂing quesÂtions roilÂing in the nation’s colÂlecÂtive unconÂscious. The first such film was The CabÂiÂnet of Dr. CaliÂgari (1920), about a malevÂoÂlent travÂelÂing magiÂcian who has his serÂvant do his murÂderÂous bidÂding in the dark of the night. The stoÂryÂline is all about the FreudiÂan terÂror of hidÂden subÂconÂscious driÂves, but what realÂly makes the movie memÂoÂrable is its comÂpleteÂly unhinged look. Marked by stylÂized actÂing, deep shadÂows paintÂed onto the walls, and sets filled with twistÂed archiÂtecÂturÂal imposÂsiÂbilÂiÂties — there might not be a sinÂgle right angle in the film – CaliÂgari’s look perÂfectÂly meshÂes with the narÂraÂtor’s dementÂed state of mind.
SubÂseÂquent GerÂman ExpresÂsionÂist movies retreatÂed from the extreme aesÂthetÂics of CaliÂgari but were still filled with a mood of vioÂlence, frusÂtraÂtion and unease. F. W. MurÂnau’s brilÂliantÂly depressÂing The Last Laugh (1924) is about a proud doorÂman at a high-end hotel who is uncerÂeÂmoÂniÂousÂly stripped of his posiÂtion and demotÂed to a lowÂly bathÂroom attenÂdant. When he hands over his uniÂform, his posÂture colÂlapsÂes as if the jackÂet were his exoskeleÂton. You don’t need to be a semiÂotiÂcian to figÂure out that the doorman’s loss of staÂtus parÂalÂlels Germany’s. Fritz Lang’s M (1931), a landÂmark of earÂly sound film, is the first serÂiÂal killer movie ever made. But what starts out as a police proÂceÂdurÂal turns into someÂthing even more unsetÂtling when a gang of disÂtinctÂly Nazi-like crimÂiÂnals decide to mete out some jusÂtice of their own.
GerÂman ExpresÂsionÂism endÂed in 1933 when the Nazis came to powÂer. They weren’t interÂestÂed in askÂing uncomÂfortÂable quesÂtions and viewed such dark tales of cinÂeÂmatÂic angst as unpaÂtriÂotÂic. Instead, they preÂferred bright, cheerÂful tales of Aryan youths climbÂing mounÂtains. By that time, the movement’s most talÂentÂed direcÂtors — Fritz Lang and F.W. MurÂnau — had fled to AmerÂiÂca. And it was in AmerÂiÂca where GerÂman ExpresÂsionÂism found its biggest impact. Its stark lightÂing, grotesque shadÂows and bleak worldÂview would go on to proÂfoundÂly influÂence film noir in the late 1940s after anothÂer horÂrifÂic, disÂilÂluÂsionÂing war. See our colÂlecÂtion of Free Noir Films here.
You can watch 10 GerÂman ExpresÂsionÂist movies – includÂing CaliÂgari, Last Laugh and M — for free below.
- NosÂferÂatu — Free — GerÂman ExpresÂsionÂist horÂror film directÂed by F. W. MurÂnau. An unauÂthoÂrized adapÂtaÂtion of Bram StokÂer’s DracÂuÂla. (1922)
- The StuÂdent of Prague — Free — A clasÂsic of GerÂman expresÂsionÂist film. GerÂman writer Hanns Heinz Ewers and DanÂish direcÂtor StelÂlan Rye bring to life a 19th-cenÂtuÂry horÂror stoÂry. Some call it the first indie film. (1913)
- Nerves — Free — DirectÂed by Robert ReinÂert, Nerves tells of “the politÂiÂcal disÂputes of an ultraÂconÂserÂvÂaÂtive facÂtoÂry ownÂer Herr Roloff and Teacher John, who feels a comÂpulÂsive but secret love for RolofÂf’s sisÂter, a left-wing radÂiÂcal.” (1919)
- The CabÂiÂnet of Dr. CaliÂgari — Free — This silent film directÂed by Robert Wiene is conÂsidÂered one of the most influÂenÂtial GerÂman ExpresÂsionÂist films and perÂhaps one of the greatÂest horÂror movies of all time. (1920)
- MetropÂoÂlis — Free — Fritz Lang’s fable of good and evil fightÂing it out in a futurÂisÂtic urban dystopia. An imporÂtant clasÂsic. (1927)
- The Golem: How He Came Into the World — Free — A folÂlow-up to Paul WegenÂer’s earÂliÂer film, “The Golem,” about a monÂstrous creaÂture brought to life by a learned rabÂbi to proÂtect the Jews from perÂseÂcuÂtion in medieval Prague. Based on the clasÂsic folk tale, and co-directÂed by Carl Boese. (1920)
- The Golem: How He Came Into the World — Free — The same film as the one listÂed immeÂdiÂateÂly above, but this one has a score creÂatÂed by PixÂies frontÂman Black FranÂcis. (2008)
- The Last Laugh - Free — F.W. MurÂnau’s clasÂsic chamÂber draÂma about a hotel doorÂman who falls on hard times. A masÂterÂpiece of the silent era, the stoÂry is told almost entireÂly in picÂtures. (1924)
- Faust — Free - GerÂman expresÂsionÂist filmÂmakÂer F.W. MurÂnau directs a film verÂsion of Goethe’s clasÂsic tale. This was MurÂnau’s last GerÂman movie. (1926)
- SunÂrise: A Song of Two Humans — Free — Made by the GerÂman expresÂsionÂist direcÂtor F.W. MurÂnau. VotÂed in 2012, the 5th greatÂest film of all time. (1927)
- M — Free — ClasÂsic film directÂed by Fritz Lang, with Peter Lorre. About the search for a child murÂderÂer in Berlin. (1931)
For more clasÂsic films, peruse our largÂer colÂlecÂtion, 4,000+ Free Movies Online: Great ClasÂsics, Indies, Noir, WestÂerns, DocÂuÂmenÂtaries & More.
Note: An earÂliÂer verÂsion of this post appeared on our site in DecemÂber, 2014.
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RelatÂed ConÂtent:
What Is GerÂman ExpresÂsionÂism? A Crash Course on the CinÂeÂmatÂic TraÂdiÂtion That Gave Us MetropÂoÂlis, NosÂferÂatu & More
How GerÂman ExpresÂsionÂism Gave Rise to the “Dutch” Angle, the CamÂera Shot That Defined ClasÂsic Films by Welles, HitchÂcock, TaranÂtiÂno & More
How GerÂman ExpresÂsionÂism InfluÂenced Tim BurÂton: A Video Essay
When the Nazis Declared War on ExpresÂsionÂist Art (1937)
Jonathan Crow is a writer and filmÂmakÂer whose work has appeared in Yahoo!, The HolÂlyÂwood Reporter, and othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions.