The Cinema of 2012 - The Final Word

First off – a disclaimer: there are still a few big films that I have yet to see this year. I still haven’t finished watching Ben Affleck’s “Argo”. And I haven’t had a chance to see Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” or Katherine Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty” yet. They probably all could have sprinkled somewhere in my list but seeing as how I don’t do top ten list and just seemingly pick a random number of films to talk about, who knows where they would end up and I wouldn’t remove anything that’s on this list… I don’t go to the cinema very often so I’m always a little late to this party but this year I was able to see a lot more of what peaked my interest because of Netflix and other various forms of VOD. So, I came up with 14….. Sounded like a good idea at the time.. Well, here you are. Two weeks after the Oscars and I'm finally posting it... Let's just call this one the final word.

14 - Moonrise Kingdom

Directed by Wes Anderson

This is the most Wes Andersony film that Wes Anderson (or anyone else for that matter) has ever made. It’s so full of the very typical minutia we cinefiles have come to expect and love or hate over the years. Of course, if you’re not a fan of his previous work, my God you will probably despise this film. I don’t think this is his best film, just the one most obviously created by him.

13 – Cosmopolis

Directed by David Cronenberg

I’m not going to pretend I understood all of the themes going on this film. There are times it had me pretty lost. But there is beauty in its complexity and the chords it struck with me peaked my fascination as much as any of Cronenberg’s best films. This one deals with a search for personal identity (big surprise) in an increasingly chaotic world. It also speaks to the very nature of commerce and the principals of anarcho-capitalism in a global market. It reminded me of episode 31 of the 2^nd season of ‘DuckTales’ in which Scrooge McDuck unwittingly destroys the morale of a peaceful village by flooding them with bottle caps that they use a currency…. But then again, most of the films I saw this year remind me of some episode of ‘DuckTales’….

12 - Beasts of the Southern Wild

Directed by Behn Zeitlin

This is a very sweet and touching film about community told from the perspective of an adorable six year old girl name Hushpuppy. Quvenzhane Wallis’ super realistic portrayal blends perfectly with the fantastical elements of her imagination. He tells a relatively simple story about a very interesting portion of the country, one far off the grid in which government workers in helicopter appear to be aliens from another planet. This film is comparable in that sense to 2010’s “Winter’s Bone” and cinefiles should be eagerly awaiting what comes next from both the director and the star.

11 - Cabin in the Woods

Directed by Drew Goddard

This is a great example of deconstructionist horror. I think it’s important to note that this movie is actually deconstructing a very specific type of horror and all of the tropes that it relies on. I've heard a few complaints about how weak this film’s horror story aspect is but I don’t think it would have worked as well if it had been a “good” horror flick. Ultimately, this film doesn't quite work as well as Scott Glosserman’s 2006 film “Behind the Mask” or Eli Craig’s “Tucker & Dale Vs Evil” but it threw its hat into the mix and achieved what it was attempting.

10 - The Master

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

So you want to make a film that seriously conflicts and confuses the Academy?.. It’s simple really. Just make a great movie with amazing performances, fantastic cinematography and score. Write a brilliant screenplay and then use it to poke fun at Scientology. You should get several nominations and zero wins. I’m kidding a little. I saw this film really early and I honestly had no idea that it had anything to do with Scientology while I was watching it. It wasn't until a few weeks later that I heard some stuff coming out that it could be a topic of controversy… I also passionately don’t care one way or the other. I just saw a very well made film about male relationships, self-loath and control. Joaquin Phoenix gave what I thought was hands down the best performance of his career and of the year for that matter. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams were also great.

9 - The Imposter

Directed by Bart Layton

Lying is part of human nature. This is self evident. We come to lie from a host of different paths but they all stem from the same reason. We don’t want the truth… says Captain Obvious. Luckily this film digs into something even deeper than our very natural tendency to tell a lie. It takes a look at our similarly natural need to believe one. This is my favorite documentary this year. I've said before that the types of docs I prefer are just like this one. They tell a very specific story that you would have otherwise been unexposed to and are relatable because of the universal truths they explore.

8 - Holy Motors

Directed by Leos Carax

Leos Carax’ latest film is an episodic storytelling of the past present and undeniable future of cinema. Denis Lavant brilliantly portrays 11 different characters as he travels via limousine through Paris, fulfilling each one of his appointments as a different character. This is one of those films that I really loved but I’m not too sure who I could recommend it to. Not to sound too much like a condescending snob but, if you don’t spend a significant portion of your life watching, discussing and studying cinema, there’s just a lot of stuff in here that you’re not going to get.

7 - The Avengers

Directed by Joss Whedon

I don’t think I had more fun with a film this year. I was really setting myself up for a disappointment with this one too. The origin stories leading up to this one have been a pretty mixed bag so I really wasn't sure what to expect when the big one hit. I feel like I should have just trusted director Joss Whedon to deliver what he always brings, a fun, intelligent action film with an ensemble list of characters. It took a little while to get going but all is forgiven once the action starts to fly. This blu-ray will surely be one that gets plenty of use.

6 - Django Unchained

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Any new film by Quentin Tarantino that is not at the very top of my list is kind of a disappointment to me, especially after 2009’s “Inglourious Basterds”. I really tried to watch this one without those types of expectations but Tarantino’s films simply don’t just exist in a bottle. He has spent the past two decades creating his own cinematic world that each one of his films play a specific roll in. That being said, this is a pretty great addition to that world. It was thoroughly enjoyable and featured a standout performance by Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie. This film is not without its missteps though. I found some of the comedic moments to be a bit ham-fisted and Tarantino should really stop casting himself in rolls. His acting usually leans on the distractingly bad side.

5 - The Raid: Redemption

Directed by Gareth Evans

This is the year I learned what Silat is. It is a form of martial arts practiced in Indonesia and Malaysia.  I've always liked martial arts flicks but I think it would be pretty rare for me to include them in a top ten list. This film starts out fast and never lets up throughout. It’s great to see a director of a fighting film put so much effort not only in the choreography of the fighters but of the camera as well. If you’re on the fence about seeing this one, I would highly suggest you check out Gareth Evans previous film, “Merantau” on Netflix. It features some of the same actors and great stunts and choreography.

4 - Amour

Directed by Michael Haneke

Amour is a great title to Michael Haneke’s latest film. This film is an uneasy, sometimes downright disturbing portrait of a very long lasting love and the grief associated with it. This is not a flick for the weak of heart because the characters involved are not as such. This is also why Haneke was the perfect filmmaker for it. His fans (myself included) have come to expect his unflinching and often punishing technique. He does a great job at showing the true nature of an impatiently patient and imperfectly perfect love.

3 - Lincoln

Directed by Steven Spielberg

I would say that this is Spielberg’s best film since 2005’s “Munich”. It’s a captivating and in depth procedural about one of the most crucial times in our nation’s history. Daniel Day Lewis is amazing and supported by a fantastic cast. And cinematographer Janusz Kaminski uses his incredible control of light, shadows and color to create a beautiful and picturesque portrait of a debate that is still relevant today. I also appreciated that the story’s focus was on the events that took place in Washington and it left out all of the stuff about zombies and vampires.

2 - Compliance

Directed by Craig Zobal

Whether or not a film is based on a true story has almost never informed my opinion one way or the other as to how good of a film it is. This is an exception. If this had been just some story that someone had made up, it would not have been a story worth telling. It’s just too unbelievable… But alas, this actually happened. I actually remember the news story about this and although I can’t attest to how accurate the film is to real events, this thing has actually happened. That fact alone means that it is a story that should be told. I would suggest that you watch this film as though it is a low budget horror and the titular character is the great evil lurking in the dark.

1 - Cloud Atlas

Directed by Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer

This film got probably the most mixed review of the year. Rolling Stones added to their worst of 2012 list and Time Magazine named it the worst film of the year. Fortunately for me, my opinion of the film is the only one that matters to me in my own head and I loved this one. This film features six different timelines, all interwoven with multiple impacts on each other and one single strand of truth. Everything that anyone and everyone has ever done or been has an effect on everything that anyone and everyone is and ever will be. No man is an island despite all of our best efforts. I am a little disappointed in the fact that most references that I've heard of this film mention the Wachowski siblings and rarely Tom Tykwer. Fans of Tykwer’s previous work like “Run Lola Run”, “Heaven” and “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” have come to expect greatness from him and I feel his influence delivered a great film…. Whereas, the last great film the Wachowskies have given us was “The Matrix”, 14 years ago.... but I digress. This film is exactly what I want cinema to be. It's big, bold, beautiful and completely audacious. 

Best Hip-Hop of 2012

Alright, first off I want to introduce you all to this new girl. Her name’s is Lana Shea and she came into my life just in time. Now that I broke up with Dessa Darling because she left Phoenix off of her tour stop list, I needed to find someone a little closer to home. The long-distance thing just wasn't working. She only lives one state away and she hangs out with the Living Legends. Just check this out and you’ll see how awesome she is….

Just kidding Dessa, I still love you... call me.

11. Homeboy Sandman - First of a Living Breed

This is the Homeboy Sandman’s 4^th release and it took me by surprise. I saw him open for Brother Ali earlier this year. It’s rare to see someone with that much energy on stage and this album has some great material to support that energy. He was a full time high school teacher before he started rapping (I’m guessing he taught English) and his toned down and sometimes silly style is probably a reflection of the type of patience and poise necessary to perform that job. His single “Couple Bars” is a goofy yet sweet story of him perusing a girl and “Not Really” is about how little his life has changed as a result of his new success. This type of honesty is exactly what mainstream rap is missing. I would also suggest you check out his blog hosted by The Huffington Post at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/homeboy-sandman/.

Words of Note: “Knicks down, listening to ODB. But for the mix down, this is what an OD be. I’m like the dude in commercials for Dos Equis. Or Duran Duran, or Durant from OKC.” From “Sputnik”

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10. Action Bronson - Blue Chips

Action Bronson’s style and voice both have an uncanny resemblance to Wu-Tang’s Ghostface Killah. There, I said it… even though in his song “Ron Simmons” he specifically asked me not to: “Don’t ever say my fucking music sounds like Ghost’ shit…” I think he was talking to me personally. His is a true rough-neck flow of the style and substance that you are likely to only find on the east coast. It’s not a knock on him to point out the similarities. Ghostface is one of the greatest rappers alive and Blue Chips is a great glimpse at a new sound created by a generation that grew up listening to Wu-Tang’s sound for the past two decades.

Words of note: “Demons on the doorstep, lungs that feel constricted. Or maybe I should see a shrink and get prescripted. Or take the hand of God, but shit I think I’ll keep my distance. I think I’m frightened and I didn’t even know it. But yo, that was a thought and I’m subconsciously a poet…” from “9-24-11”

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9. Brother Ali - Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color

Brother Ail has previously released two albums that would make my top 5 of pretty much any year. This tells me two things. First it means that this release, although very good is ultimately a disappointment. Second, it means that although a disappointment, this record is an improvement over his last release “Us”. In the end, I love him as an artist and I see now as somewhat of transitional period of his career and I’m encouraged at the prospect of falling in love with his future efforts in the same way that I loved “Shadows on the Sun” and “The Undisputed Truth”. But let’s not lose perspective. I don’t want to say a bunch of negative stuff about an album I've chosen to make my ‘best of’ list. I would say that this record is only about 8 or 9 times better than anything you will find on the FM dial. What makes this release better than his last is that his writing has returned to being personal again.

Words of note: “What does it mean to be American? I think the struggle to be free is our inheritance. And if we say it how it really is, we know our lily skin still give us privilege.” from "Letter to my Countrymen

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8. El-P - Cancer for Cure

I’ve always considered El-P to be a great producer but I've never really cared for him as a lyricist until this release. This is his 4^th solo album and probably his best yet. He brings his trademark crass and angst that make some of his lyrics almost as filthy as his beats. I don’t have a lot to say about it. If you’re familiar with his previous work, you’ll defiantly like this one and if you’re not, this would be a great one to start with. I would also mention that he works as a great concept album artist. This is not the type of record that you should be skipping through to find the tracks that you like…. Just let it play,  the whole is greater than the sum of all parts.

Words of note: “Fuck your droid noise, void boys noid ploy. Oi oi, I’ll rugby kick the shit out your groin boy, Oi vey…” from “The Full Retard”

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7. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music

El-P has had a pretty busy year. He also produced this record by Atlanta hip-hop veteran Killer Mike. I haven’t listened to very much by this artist previous to this release. The only thing I really knew him from before was as a guest vocalist on an Outkast song about 10 years ago. To be honest, the only reason I picked this one up was so I could familiarize myself with his music before I saw him open up for GZA earlier this year. I’m glad I did. He has an amazing flow accented by a deep and distinct southern drawl that gives his delivery a charm that’s very hard to find these days. It’s important for me to throw some stuff like this in the rotation once and a while. I have to remind myself that just because it’s not the ‘backpack rap’ I more closely associate myself with; it’s still independent music made by very talented artist.

Words of note: “Shumalumadumalumashmalumaduma even when I ain’t sayin’ shit. Got AK word play might put a pause in your life just like a comma bitch!” from “Go!”

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6. Luckyiam - Time to get Lucky

Luckyiam has always been one of my favorite members of the Living Legends. I love that he has the courage to wear his heart on his sleeve and rap about subject matter that most recording artists would consider embarrassing. I also think that he has one of the great and underrated flows in hip-hop. He’s been doing this for quite some time and you can tell that it comes naturally to him. This release is probably not his best to date but it is quite solid throughout and he delivers exactly what you would expect from him. As a bonus, you will also find a verse by my new girlfriend Lana Shea on his song “Bang Bang”.

Words of note: “We gon wake up the late thugs, recording. They Lebron James but I came up on Jordan’s” from “Bang Bang”

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5. Adeem and DJ MF Shalem - Made in New Hampshire

I've been an Adeem fan for a while now. He put out an album on Syntax records about ten years ago called “Sweet Talkin’ Your Brain” that I think I’m the only one that liked. Most that know of him, know him as a freestyle artist, and for good reason. A youtube search for him will bring up primarily hand held video from small cameras and cell phones capturing battles and usually winning. This album is by far the most complete in his repertoire. I’m a sucker for fast rap and complex lyricism and this record is full of both. He even throws in an a cappella song about what it’s like to grow up a suburban white boy that primarily identifies with hip-hop culture.

Words of note: “Public Enemy wouldn't remember me, but I knew every word that Chuck D said to me. All things my race had done. I figured every Uzi weighed a ton and by the time I got to Arizona, I suspected everyone.” – from “Got Me Good”

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4. P.O.S. - We Don't Even Live Here

I think that as I look back over the years, I won’t be able to find a hip-hop collective that has released great stuff as a group or as solo acts as consistently as Minnesota’s Doomtree. The camaraderie that each member feels for each other comes through in their music in an amazing way. This record is no exception. His last release, “Never Better” is one of my top 5 favorite albums to be released in the past decade or so. I don’t think this one is quite that good but there really is nothing wrong with it. I can even deal with the little splash of autotune. His earlier LP’s, “Audition” and “Ipecac Neat” were full of angst and sensitivity. I would say some of his sensitivity has turned into a passionate growl. This manifests itself in songs like “Fuck Your Stuff” and “Lock-Picks, Knives, Bricks & Bats.”

Words of note: “Hoping you feel this. And these rhymes ain’t tight they are terrorish. And that girl’s not white, she’s an anarchist. And we float like kites through your turbulence.” From “Weird Friends”

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3. Mike Mictlan - SNAXXX!

Speaking of Doomtree members…. Mike Mictlan is flat out one of the most underrated lyricist making music today. He reminds us that poetry is not just an attempt to be profound, but rather it is born of a love of language itself. He strings words together that quite simply don’t just roll off the tongue. And he does this habitually and in a seemingly effortless manner. “I’m butter brattock death chuck gutter baby kickboxin’ my walker right off of my red dwarf jump man dimensions Iomega zip line three point zip ties defying your whole culture Genghis Kahn mongoloid….” What the hell is he talking about…? I have no idea but it sounds great.

Words of note: “Buried in bones with very little marrow now I’m wearin’ em. Swimming in many women, need a condom filled aquarium….” From Hella Frreal

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2. Urthboy - Smokey's Haunt

A Google search for “Australian mellowhop” results in absolutely nothing relevant to this post… (until now) which I believe means that I just coined the phrase. Urthboy is a founding member of Australia’s independent hip-hop group, The Herd. This is his 4^th solo effort but it’s the first one I've ever encountered. It’s a bit strange that I responded so well to this one. It’s much more poppy and mellow than the stuff that I usually go for. At over 5 minutes long, “The Big Sleep” is by far the slowest song on the album. It’s also one of the best tracks featuring opening and closing spoken word verses and a chorus sung by Alex Burnett. And “Knee Length Socks” is far too catchy a song for me to like it right?... Well, I really dig the whole thing. It strikes a great blend between socially/politically charged lyrics in songs like “On Your Shoulders” and “Empire Tags” with other songs that are just about growing up a little differently than everyone else like “Knee Length Socks” and “Orphan Rocker”. It’s a very well produced album with a lot of crescendo as well.

Words of note: “You gotta ask yourself: ‘what’s the priority?’ The change you wanna see or who you wanna be seen to be…” from “On Your Shoulders”

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1. Aesop Rock - Skelethon

As with most of my favorite records, I was a bit reluctant to fall for this one. I've always been a big Aesop Rock fan but it had been a while since he put out a solo album and this time with a new label (Rhymesayers). This album has a little bit of everything. “ZZZ Top” is an epic tale of three separate graffiti artists. “Fryerstarter” gives us some great advice if we are looking for doughnuts in the San Francisco area. We can even learn how to make a “Homemade Mummy”. Like the previously mentioned Mictlan, this is an artist that has a knack for stringing words together that usually wouldn’t appear in the same sentence. If you have been a fan of his previous work, you will probably dig this release as well. I think this is his most experimental release since “Bazooka Tooth”. At first, I only liked about three tracks off of the entire album. But in the past six months, I've grown to appreciate pretty much every track. The complexities of his descriptions lend very well to repeated listening and that’s why I think I’ll still be listening to this one for many years to come.

Words of note: “Literally bite down once and my tongue get a flooding from my uninvited guts. Pointed finger plug a hole in the dam. Ma notice, ‘Ok gross, dinner’s over, go spit’, pop call ‘bullshit’. Both my brothers break in, like ‘he’s on his Davie Hogan no mistaken’ by the way….” From “Grace”

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And One Final Word:......... I promise.

Check these two videos out and answer the poll question at the top of the page.... ppppleaseee! 

1. Mike Mictlan - "Spicy Peen"

2. El-P - "The Full Retard"

German Expressionism: Vol. 5

The German Expression movement began before WWI and gained momentum in the 20’s and 30’s. It influenced architecture, painting and cinema. This movement gave surrealistic shape and structure to forms that reflect psychological states. This is evident in the extreme contrast of light and dark, the use of reflective surfaces and abstract optical tricks and even anthropomorphism.

Vol. 4 – BatmanReturns (1992) – This is director Tim Burton’s second installment in the film series based on the popular DC Comic Superhero. Michael Keaton returns at the titular hero. But this time, he faces the joint forces of a sinister businessman Max Schreck (Christopher Walken), The Penguin (Danny DeVito) and Catwoman (Michelle Pheiffer). This film is a visual spectacle and was recognized with two Oscar nominations, one for visual effects and one for makeup.

"Batman Returns" exemplifies German Expressionism probably more so than any other film made in the past several decades. Tim Burton (for all of his shortcomings) is one of the most expressionistic filmmakers in modern history and probably of all time. His films are highly influenced by the German cinema of the 20’s and 30’s, so much so that he even named one of the characters in this film (Max Schreck) after the actor that portrayed F.W. Murnau’s “Nosferatu”

The sets created for Gotham have a personality all to their own. The menacing architecture of the city looms ominously over its subjects creating a dark and oppressive environment very similar to the world of Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis”. Selina Kyle’s apartment and the Penguin’s Lair also have their own defining characteristics meant to reflect the personalities of the characters. Kyle’s apartment is small and closed in, covered in pink with a giant ugly I-beam protruding from the ceiling, constantly reminding her of how feeble her attempts are at brightening up her dreary existence. The Penguin’s Lair is an elaborate frozen cave where he resides with his minions of giant penguins that do his biddings. He sits on a large throne complete with a kneeling pillow at his feet. It’s as if his delusions of grandeur have guided his decor in an attempt to allow him to forget his own grotesqueness and the fact that his kingdom is actually frozen, fishy, underground cave.

The anthropomorphism traits of the characters themselves cannot be overlooked either. The costumes and makeup of both The Penguin and Catwoman give them an abundance of animalistic traits that color their alternate personalities. This is especially evident in The Penguin. His elongated, beak-like nose and tuxedo body suit made Danny DeVito look even more like a short, fat, awkward, flightless bird than he does in real life. This exaggeration is a huge departure from previous depictions of this character. Burgess Meredith’s Penguin from the old television series had nothing more than a purple top hat and cigarette holder. And most of the depictions of him in the comics aren’t nearly as drastic as they are in this film.

The duality of man is a common theme in German Expressionism as well as comic books. This is prevalent in the hero as well as both villains of “Batman Returns”. Both Batman and Penguin are alter egos created by the separation from their parents. In our hero’s case, this is caused by murder and led to his incessant vigilantism. The Penguin was abandoned by his parents. His separation anxiety has manifested itself in a vengeful way creating the persona of a super villain trying to make the world pay for the crimes of his father. Catwoman’s personality is the polar opposite of that of Selina Kyle. Kyle is a quiet and shy homely woman that takes a lot of abuse from her employer, Schreck. When she dawns the Catwoman suit, she exudes sexual power and won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

I imagine most of you have seen this film at least once. I don’t think it’s the greatest but it does give us a great example of Expressionistic cinema in the modern era. It deserves a second look. Watch it for no other reason than to take in the details of a film made with a lot of love for the art that came before it.

German Expressionism: Vol.4

The German Expression movement began before WWI and gained momentum in the 20’s and 30’s. It influenced architecture, painting and cinema. This movement gave surrealistic shape and structure to forms that reflect psychological states. This is evident in the extreme contrast of light and dark, the use of reflective surfaces and abstract optical tricks and even anthropomorphism.

Vol. 4 – The Saddest Music in the World (2003) – This film, set in Winnipeg during the Great Depression centers around a contest held by the local beer baroness, Lady Helen Port-Huntly (Isabella Rossellini) to find the saddest music in the world. Among the contestants we meet Fydor Kent (David Fox): a WWI vet and former doctor representing Canada and his son Chester Kent (Mark McKinney): a big shot musical producer representing America. We also meet the melancholic Roderick Kent (Ross McMillan): Fydor’s estranged son who comes to Winnipeg to represent Serbia after his wife left him and Narcissa (Maria De Medeiros): Chester’s sleepwalking, nymphomaniac Serbian girlfriend.

Don’t worry if you didn’t follow that weird plot synopsis. Trust me, the details acquired from watching the film will only make this story more bizarre. It may not be a German film but I wanted to talk about it to show how the movement has influenced some more recent cinema. Director Guy Maddin is one of the most expressionistic film makers of the modern age and this film showcases that aspect of his style very well. I haven’t seen all of his work but surprisingly, this is actually one of his more accessible movies.

This film exhibits both surreal and expressionistic qualities.  It is not a dream but rather exists in a constant dream like state created by the filmmaker’s techniques. It was shot with several different film stocks and portions of it are black and white with an extremely grainy texture. This is used to emphasize both the time and place that this story is set. The grainy look gives it the feel of an old timey news reel and the stark black and white contrast accentuates the extreme cold of a Winnipeg Winter. At times, he even adds a more foggy effect by smearing Vaseline on the camera lens. He also mixes in an assortment of various color tinted filters from time to time.

Other parts of the movie are shot in very brilliant contrasting colors. Notably, one of the first color scenes we find in this film is at a funeral. It seems as though there he adds more color to the screen in the scenes that showcase more spectacle and performance. The funeral is the first, and then later we see more color in the scenes that show the contest. I’m not exactly sure if I understand the rhyme or reason for everything Maddin is doing here but it makes for an amazing visual experience.

If you’ve never experienced a Guy Maddin film, I would suggest you start with this one. It’s actually a bit less obscure than a lot of his other work but it still manages to give you a great taste of what type of stuff you will find in his filmography and it’s currently available on NetflixWatch Instantly. It’s also worth noting that I think this film is hilarious. Each character is just a bit weirder than the last making this the type of film that you find lines like: “Sadness is just happiness turned on its ass.” And “No, I'm not an American. I'm a nymphomaniac.”

 

Enjoy.

German Expressionism: Vol. 3

The German Expression movement began before WWI and gained momentum in the 20’s and 30’s. It influenced architecture, painting and cinema. This movement gave surrealistic shape and structure to forms that reflect psychological states. This is evident in the extreme contrast of light and dark, the use of reflective surfaces and abstract optical tricks and even anthropomorphism.

Vol. 3 – The Blue Angel (1930) – This story centers around Professor Rath (Emil Jannings) who gives up his prestigious post at the local university to pursue a lusty cabaret singer, Lola Lola (Marlene Dietrich). His subsequent downfall away from the bourgeois lifestyle and into the lower class seems sure to end only in his demise. This film is also very significant in that it is the first major German sound film and the first collaboration between Director, Josef von Sternberg and Actress, Marlene Dietrich. Their later collaborations would include “The Scarlett Empress”, “Shanghai Express”, “The Devil is a Woman” and several others.

This film is unique in the cannon of expressionism. First of all, the beginning of the story feels much more like a slapstick semi-romantic comedy than you would be accustomed to from the likes of Lang, Pabst or Murnau. Because… you know… we all know how funny and romantic the Germans were in the 1930’s. The character of Rath is ridiculed and taunted by his students, his maid and even a lowly magician. He quickly finds himself the proverbial “bull in the china shop” as he blunders around backstage at the cabaret. At one point he even walks backwards down a spiral staircase. And it’s hard not to take note of Lola Lola’s cackling laughter when he asks for her hand in marriage. All of this being said: this film still showcases many of the tropes of expressionism. Stark contrasts between light and dark, abstract camera angles and lots of reflection shots paint the canvas of this moral tale.

The light and dark of this film actually work in somewhat of an inverted way than what we’ve come to expect from most other films of this movement. As the film begins, we find Professor Rath living a dark existence. He lives in a dimly lit flat and seems to timidly lurk through the shadows of the world outside of his profession. When he meets Lola Lola, she is a bright ray of light, warm and inviting. Instantly smitten, he finds out in due time that all that glitters is not gold. His own demise seems to be directly related to the amount that he pursues this radiance.  The final act epitomizes this relationship. His wife’s betrayal comes at his lowest moment, his first time on stage, the ridiculous buffoon, under the warming glow of the spotlight.

 If you haven’t seen this film, and maybe you’ve avoided the previous installments in this series because of some sort of allergy to silent cinema, I would suggest you check it out. It’s currently available on Netflix Watch Instantly.

Enjoy.

German Expressionism: Vol.2

The German Expression movement began before WWI and gained momentum in the 20’s and 30’s. It influenced architecture, painting and cinema. This movement gave surrealistic shape and structure to forms that reflect psychological states. This is evident in the extreme contrast of light and dark, the use of reflective surfaces and abstract optical tricks and even anthropomorphism. 

Vol. 2 – Nosferatu (1922) – Transylvania’s Count Orlok (Max Schreck) is in the market for some new real estate in Wisbourgh, Germany. Hutter (Gustav Von Wangenheim) is sent out to his castle to appropriate the deal for a home near his own house. Then things start to get weird. On his journey to the castle, the locals seem afraid to help him; he gets bit on the neck by two “mosquitos really close together” and constantly feels the presence of a dark shadow looming over him. The count then becomes obsessed with Ellen (Gretta Schroder), Hutter’s wife and her beautiful neck and decides to buy the property and become neighbors… Ok you get the point; it’s an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula or a really original prequel to Joe Dante’s “The Burbs”.

Similar to “Metropolis”, this film could definitely be considered a staple in the German Expressionistic movement. Director F.W. Murnau uses superimposed images, color tinted negative images and obscure camera angles to add more disorientation and overall surrealistic tones to the film. It is this composition of shots that makes this Nosferatu one of the most memorable and discussed films of all time. You may have never seen it but I can almost guarantee that you’ve seen clips from this film. It may have been the moment Count Orlok’s shadow climbs the staircase. Or it could be the image of him first entering Hutter’s room in the castle, stiff like some sort of a zombie rat walking straight towards the camera. My favorite is the shot of him rising from his casket, again stiff as a board, ascending 90 degrees without moving a muscle.

It’s also worth noting that: although Murnau is rightfully considered one of the Fathers of the German Expressionism movement, he wasn’t strictly a surrealist. The line between imagination and reality for him was thin and jagged. As he said:

“I like the reality of things, but not without the fantasy – they must dovetail. Is that not so with life, with human reactions and emotions? We have our thoughts and also our deeds.”

I highly recommend this film to anyone who is interested in the movement or in the history of cinema in general. I would probably say that any film that is considered to epitomize the German Expressionism movement is also very important to film history as a whole. After all, we are talking about a time in which cinema was at the very beginning of defining itself as its own art form and these films were just as much about experimentation and testing the limits of the medium as they were about their own subject matter.

I will also mention that this film is open source so feel free to download a copy. There's a pretty good one here. It is also available to stream on Netflix and Hulu so you really have no excuse.

Enjoy.

(proofread by Dolly Karma)