Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Bride of Frankenstein
Discuss influences that German Expressionism had on James Whale's masterpiece, Bride of Frankenstein, and what influence Bride has had on subsequent films ever since its production. Include quotes from reputable sources to back up your statements. Include links to these sources.
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ReplyDeleteThe entire horror genre has its roots in German Expressionism. Beyond the dark tone and content that are present in both kinds of film, the cinematic elements are similar between the two. German Expressionism is said to have “attempted to show a distorted view of this world to evoke a mood or idea”. (Film Inquiry) This is also almost the exact definition of a horror film, as horror films distort reality to invoke specifically fear. Not only do these kinds of films warp the world itself and the content of the world, but they also warp the way it is perceived or seen. In terms of cinematography, German expressionism really delved into chiaroscuro, or the treatment between light and dark. Filmmakers of the german expressionist movement used intense light and shadow from obscure angles to affect the mood and give an unnatural atmosphere. In the last scene of Bride of Frankenstein, the light is flashing from every which way, and heavy, deep shadows are cast on the characters faces. In both, lighting is used to give a sense of the unnatural. In addition to lighting contributing to the unnatural, the set design also contributed quite a lot. In the German Expressionist film Metropolis, huge sets were built to give the appearance of another reality, another world, in which the actions that take place in the film are able to occur. In Bride of Frankenstein the set of the castle is built to give that rustic gothic feel or a real castle, but the interior of the experiment room is really well done. The ceiling of fifty feet or more expands upwards as machinery and coils line the walls. In both films, the unnatural set design is done so well, it appears to be natural in the film and the environment the film takes place in. I briefly mentioned thematic content. The thematic content is important when considering the cultural settings of both the german expressionist movement and horror films. Both portray sensitive content as a reflection on modern day society. The movement and the film- Bride of Frankenstein- both occured around the same time. The world was in shambles and the artists found the need to portray a broken world in which power is misplaced. Horror movies now take this concept and run with it. The modern horror film Get Out portrays the modern fears of a black man in a white society. Bride of Frankenstein also influenced modern cinema by solidifying the trope of the tragic villain, the antagonist we are meant to sympathize with. In The Bride of Frankenstein, we are meant to feel bad for the monster’s sad life, even though he is a monster. This is present in so many modern horror films. For instance, Reagan in The Exorcist is a justa little girl. Even if she is possessed by the devil, we are meant to sympathize with her because she is so innocent and helpless.
ReplyDeleteJames Whale’s iconic film, Bride of Frankenstein, is deeply influenced by German Expressionism cinema, as is evident throughout the film, both narratively and visually. Narratively, there are obvious parallels between the kidnapping of Maria by Rotwang, the kidnapping of Jane by Cesare, and the kidnapping of Elizabeth by Frankenstein’s monster. Visually, the parallels are especially prevalent in Dr. Pretorius’ lab - the scene where he initially takes Henry there there are at least two shadows of windows on the walls, which is a direct callback to Metropolis, when Maria is captured by Rotwang and the window’s shadow serves as both a symbol of escape and a sign of her imprisonment (the window’s shadow in Whale’s film takes a similar meaning as well). The set up of Pretorius’ lab also harkens back to the lab of other mad scientists in German Expressionism - the harsh, shadowy corners are similar to that of Rotwang's, and the enclosed nature of the lab paired with the unrealistic proportions are reministic of Dr. Caligari’s. Much of the lab set was specifically created for the movie, similar to the The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’s (and, to an extent, Metropolis’) method of managing the setting completely. Bride also draws heavily on the usage of intense, harsh lighting, as well as use of jarring dutch angles multiple times in a row (both especially within the last 20 minutes) - both prominent in German Expressionist films, which “encourg[e] visual experimentation” (Ebert). Costuming in this film is also influenced heavily, particularly by Metropolis; Pretorius’ all-black look and Henry’s disheveled hair (occuring as he becomes more unhinged) are both references to Rotwang. Elizabeth’s costuming, as well as the bride’s, are similar to that of Maria/Robot Maria’s - like the Marias, Elizabeth and the bride both wear all white, though one is viewed as a savior and one is presented as more monstrous, and, like the Marias, this can be seen as a symbol of innocence/unknowingness for both.
ReplyDeleteIn general, the narrative conclusion of Bride of Frankenstein became deeply rooted in how Universal studios would end most of their monster films - the “monster” that the movie is centered around is typically punished for their actions - usually with monsters who did not learn their lesson being harmed (but in an ambiguous enough manner for a sequel), and monsters who had some form of character growth dying. This is seen in other iconic monster movies that came out around the same time - Creature from the Black Lagoon, where the creature does not learn its lesson and is riddled with bullets before slinking away, The Wolf Man, where the werewolf who tries desperately to overcome his condition and not kill (but ultimately fails) is bludgeoned to death by his own father, Cat People, where, despite Irena’s desperate attempts to ignore her nature, she dies in her cat form after freeing a panther (which also dies). Though less overt in modern horror, which favors the success (or at least unhindered survival) of the monstrous, these themes are still present - in all of the Scream films, for example, though the antagonists die, their intended message does have the impact that they desired by committing their crimes in the first place (similar to Henry and Pretorius at least obtaining their goal of creating life). The theme of a redeemable monster being unobtainable, at least, has been maintained from the 30s - there is still little room in Hollywood for a forgiving portrayal of monsters. Movies are perfectly willing to show that monsters are bad for a reason, and, to some extent, have good intentions or can at least learn to have good intentions (as seen in Bride with Frankenstein, Carrie with...well, Carrie, Hereditary with the mother, 10 Cloverfield Lane with Howard), “but they also like to punish the monster...Hollywood movies….reinforce th[e] idea that there are good people and bad people, and bad people get punished” (Ellis).
Visually, Bride has also influenced effects and portrayals of monsters - specifically in heightening the visual drama of the makeup and design of a monster, trading in realism for creativity, because “to see sensational ‘real’ things is not the same as seeing the bizarre, the grotesque” (Ebert), in essence, as seeing the monstrous. The shock at the detail that Frankenstein’s monster’s bride contained (the giant hair with the lightning running up the sides, the detail on the stitches that run across her body) paired with the return of the detail of costuming in Frankenstein’s monster (a look so iconic that Universal managed to copyright it, preventing others from copying the style exactly) has since influenced many humanoid monsters - again, most directly the Universal monster movies that followed it; Chaney in Wolf-Man, for example, reportedly had to go through five or six hours of makeup before his costume was complete, and, before CGI became prominent in horror, films such as The Thing spent hours upon hours creating animatronic effects of aliens just to heighten that sense of the bizarre and otherworldly.
DeleteSOURCES
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-bride-of-frankenstein
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6srPCZhecOY
Bride of Frankenstein (1935), from its use of low-key, high-contrast lighting to the unique use of camera angles, shows apparent influence of German Expressionism. Many of the shots in the film utilize lighting to create a dark, eerie atmosphere, one perfect for the portrayal of Frankenstein's monster. The mood of the film is established in the very first shot, “Lord Byron’s estate cloaked in darkness” and is built on by the reintroduction of the monster. A majority of the shots of the monster are set in dark, woodsey areas, with very little light. The few shots in which the monster is in the light occur when the blind man is befriending him, reflecting the scarce kindness that he is shown. The high-contrast lighting plays an important role in creating dark, unnatural shadows on the faces of the characters and the setting itself. “This can heighten the emotion in a scene, such as Dr. Pretorius’s first scenes” where his face is split, one part in the light and the other in darkness. A similar tactic is used during the resurrection of Frankenstein’s Bride on Frankenstein’s face. The use of camera angles, especially the use of the Dutch angle, to create “a feeling of disorientation in the viewer [and imply] a threat in the scene or madness in the character”, becomes apparent during the scenes in which Frankenstein and Dr. Pretorius play God while attempting to create life. “Everything about this scene, such as the doctors and their experiment, screams “madness,” which the dutch angles underscore.” The dutch angles used at the end of the film work to disorientate the audience, but by ending the film with a head-on shot of Frankenstein and Elizabeth indicates the end of both the monster and Frankenstein’s fascination with creating life. As the lab, that was shot in predominately dutch angles, has been destroyed, the sudden change in camera angle represents the end of madness. Tim Burton is well known for his unique style that mirrors the style of German Expressionism, including Edward Scissorhands (1990). Edward Scissorhands is often “characterized with dark, stylized sets, exaggerated acting, distortions of space and heavy use of shadows” which are also the themes of many German Expressionist films. The film is best known for the contrast of Edward from the rest of the community as well as the almost cartoon-like life-styles of the community. Burton’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2007), has apparent influence by German Expressionism. “The setting and mood for the entire film was gloomy, dark and sinister-looking, a result from the use of chiaroscuro lighting, deep shadows and angular shapes...elements [that] are commonly found in German Expressionism films.”
ReplyDeletehttp://facets.org/blog/exclusive/facets-college-corner-bride-of-frankenstein/
https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/janl0001/german-expressionism-in-tim-burtons-films/
The German Expressionist movement had considerable effect on the film “Bride of Frankenstein.” German Expressionism is characterized by very stylized set pieces, frightening ideas and images, dark lighting and various forms of monsters and creatures. An example of this would be in the classic German Expressionist film “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.” This film features sets that are incredibly distorted and strange, sacrificing realism for stylistic choice. Such is the same in “Bride of Frankenstein.” Many of the sets in the film look incredibly stage like, however the style that immentates from this is very distinct and reminiscent of German Expressionist films such as Caligari. Many themes are present in both. For example, both films feature a terrifying creature that is an outcast from the rest of society. “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” also features one of the first instances of the classic character type of the “mad scientist”, a character type that “Bride of Frankenstein” uses.
ReplyDeleteHowever, while “Bride of Frankenstein” has been influenced by other films, it has also gone on to influence countless others. It was one of the first examples of a movie sequel, a trend that has gone on to completely define the current film industry. The film also broke new ground in the themes that it explored. In the past, monster movies had taken no interest in the monster itself, and portrayed them as a one dimensional antagonist. In this film, the story takes a hard look at the humanity within the character of Frankenstein's monster, and how he is a victim of society's faults.
http://www.openculture.com/2017/06/what-is-german-expressionism.html
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-bride-of-frankenstein
James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein and its predecessor Frankenstein are clearly influenced by German Expressionism. Firstly there is the physical appearance of Frankenstein’s monster. His grotesque appearance is used to signal that he is “the product of ‘twisted’ science” (1). This is similar to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari in which Dr. Caligari’s strange appearance reflects his madness. Both films use physical appearance to reflect that their characters, the Monster and Dr. Caligari respectively, are antagonists. Another German Expressionist influence on Bride of Frankenstein is the lighting. German Expressionist films featured high contrast and dark shadows. This is shown in the film when it switches from the opening real-world scene to the story world. There is an immediate shift in the visual style. The story world is much darker and more sinister. This is also shown at the end of the film when the bride is being created by Pretorius and Frankenstein and the “light casts disfiguring shadows across their faces” (2). So, Bride of Frankenstein takes after German Expressionism as it visually represents ideas through things like costume/makeup and lighting. The Monster’s physical appearance highlights how he does not belong. The dark shadows reflect the lack of morality in the experiments taking place.
ReplyDeleteOne way in which Bride of Frankenstein influenced later films is with its allusions to homosexuality. Of course, it was not the first film to relate homosexuality and horror. Dracula is an easy example as vampires are often linked to sexuality. There is also Nosferatu directed by F.W. Murnau, who was openly gay. Bride of Frankenstein along with Frankenstein notably reference homosexuality through the Monster who “is a film character created outside every boundary the film calls normal” (3). Frankenstein’s obsession with the Monster draws him away from his wife, and “it is the odd, sissified Dr. Pretorius...who comes to entice Henry Frankenstein from his bridal bed in the middle of the night” (3). Later horror films would continue this tradition of associating homosexuality with negativity. Creep (2014) draws its fear from the idea of “gay panic” and “homoerotic danger” which are essentially “a straight guy’s nightmare” (4). Another example is A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge which mirrors repressed homosexuality as “Jesse has an evil inside of him that’s trying to break out, and he does all he can to keep it buried down within him” (5). Ultimately Bride of Frankenstein is an early example of filmmakers using horror to convey the message that one’s (implied) homosexuality is something to be ashamed of or feared.
1. https://zachecton.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/the-influence-of-german-expressionism-on-frankenstein-dir-james-whale-1931/
2. https://88chadw.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/german-expressionism-and-the-universal-horror-film/
3. The Celluloid Closet by Vito Russo (book) p. 48-52
4. https://moviescene.wordpress.com/2015/10/18/the-big-bad-wolf-creep-and-gay-panic-as-horror/
5. https://decider.com/2015/11/01/nightmare-on-elm-street-gay/
James Whale’s “Bride of Frankenstein” (1931) was largely influenced by German Expressionism. The film was a masterpiece of 1930’s Hollywood, “particularly in its confident assimilation of German expressionist aesthetics on which horror’s ‘golden age’ was founded.” Some cinematic component Bride of Frankenstein took influence from includes set design, camera work, and Germanic lighting. Elements of set design such as slanted gravestones, gothic towers, and windmills are portrayed through ominous lighting and chiaroscuro, dutch framing, and a variety of high and low angles. The incredibly stylized mise-en-scene of Frankenstein has specific resemblances to German Expressionism and are “often accompanied by similar acting styles and macabre subject matter.” One specific scene of the creation of Frankenstein’s bride almost mirrors one in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Almost every aspect (acting, set design, direction, lighting, mise-en-scene) is completely influenced from this German Expressionist film.
ReplyDeleteThough the Bride of Frankenstein took many inspiration from the film movements that preceded it, it also inspired countless other films as well. It was one of the first example of a successful movie sequel, a cinematic trend that has become so common within the industry. It also made advancements on the visual portrayal of monsters and horror, using shocking makeup and costumes to more effectively disturb audiences visually. The film also brought empathy to the notion of ‘monster’ influencing future filmmakers to show more than just the victim-perspective in future horror endeavors.
Sources:
https://88chadw.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/german-expressionism-and-the-universal-horror-film/
http://screenprism.com/insights/article/how-did-bride-of-frankenstein-cross-genres-to-add-humor-and-build-empathy-f
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-bride-of-frankenstein
Bride of Frankenstein (1935) is heavily influenced by German Expressionism, which can be seen primarily through its set design and lighting. The film features mainly chiaroscuro lighting, which is utilized to create a mood eliciting suspense and fear within the audience. By doing so, Frankenstein’s Monster becomes a formidable creature, masked in shadow and threat. This lighting is also used to create a contrasting view of the monster, as the director occasionally reveals Frankenstein in a well lit environment. This is an attempt by the director to humanize the creature, stepping him out of the shadows and allowing him to be vulnerable to the audience. This shows where the director skews a bit from the influences of German Expressionism, instead choosing to break some of the rules to create a likable and full character. Even more blatant in its influences is the set design featured in the film. As Pam Cook states, “surrealistic settings are specific features of German expressionist cinema”, and surreal settings are present in droves within the film. For instance, the opening scene of the movie takes place at a burning gothic tower which houses the monster himself. The tower is abnormally tall, and features jagged and unnatural architecture, furthering the mood that something is awry. This type of twisted set design is featured throughout the entirety of the movie, with almost every building seeming to come out of a nightmare. They are often almost completely shrouded in darkness, creating an air of mystery around what could be lurking inside.
ReplyDeleteWhile Bride of Frankenstein (1935) is deeply rooted in German Expressionism, it also serves as a source of influence for films proceeding it. The most prevalent example of this is in its creation of a sympathetic monster, who is misunderstood in its intentions. Frankenstein's Monster is initially portrayed as a mindless monster who lives to kill. However, as the narrative moves forward, it becomes apparent that it is his lack of ability to communicate which forces him to defend himself. Frankenstein’s monster is hunted and outcast due to his appearance, and he has no ability to communicate with his oppressors. An example of a modern film featuring this character type is Let the Right One in (2008) by Tomas Alfredson. The film features a blossoming relationship between two children, one being a lonely boy and the other an 11 year old vampire. Although the vampire is vicious and murders innocent people, the audience sympathizes with her as it becomes apparent that she commits the crimes out of necessity to survive. Her permanent innocence is also utilized to create a an emotional connection, as people are naturally empathetic towards children.
https://88chadw.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/german-expressionism-and-the-universal-horror-film/
https://comicsverse.com/sympathetic-monster-frankenstein/
As a horror film, James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein was deeply inspired by its German Expressionist predecessors. Two major characteristics of German Expressionism featured in Bride of Frankenstein are stylized sets and dramatic chiaroscuro lighting. Bride includes exaggeratedly tall gothic towers and windmills often shot from dramatically low angles to emphasize the surreal quality. The lighting in the film strategically takes advantage of the contrast between light and shadow in the same way German Expressionist films did to enhance eerie and dramatic tones of various scenes. In the scene in the crypt after escaping the mob, the monster is at first shrouded in shadow and we can see his silhouette, accentuating his strong frame and thus his threatening presence. As he steps out of the darkness, he is lit from below giving his face a sinister look. A great amount of German Expressionist films were silent, so they had a very striking and theatrical acting style to make up for the lack of sound. Even with the advent of sound, films such as Bride kept this dramatic acting style. German Expressionist films such as Metropolis and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari featured “mad scientist” characters as a main part of the narrative. Bride’s mad scientist character is Dr. Pretorius, with white hair and often wide, scheming eyes.
ReplyDeleteBride of Frankenstein stood out from the other horror films Universal Studios was producing in the fact that it mixed humor in with the horror, without taking away from the horror. Dr. Pretorius’ homunculi are overtly comedic, but the scene still effectively communicates his chilling plans to create life. Throughout the film, the housekeeper Minnie’s overdramatic shrieking serves as a comedic relief amongst the horror. The abundance of horror-comedy films that have followed in Bride’s footsteps includes the Scream franchise and Get Out.
German Expressionism and the Universal Horror Film
The Bride of Frankenstein: Silence and Monsters
How does “Bride of Frankenstein” cross genres to add humor and build empathy for the monster?
The German Expressionist movement of horror films during the 1920s was the main influence on Universal Horror in the 1930s. Universal was seeking to create a distinct style for its films that would be instantly recognizable, as such, the filmmakers tasked to direct these films looked to the contorted vision films from Germany in the 1920s as inspiration for their own projects. The stylistic influence of German Expressionism on The Bride of Frankenstein is most apparent during the climax, when Dr. Frankenstein and Dr. Pistorius is working in the laboratory to create a bride for the monster. The scene itself includes a rapid series of discontinuity edits that disorient the frame and creates an uneasy peace for the action. The shots themselves are put at dutch angles, further adding to the disorientation of the mise-en-scene, and compliment the chaotic nature of the mad scientists going to work. The lights of the lab instruments illuminate the screen in bright flashes, which are in themselves an homage to the German Expressionist sci fi epic, Metropolis. Specifically, the factory scenes where the lights flash and illuminate the frame in that sense to create an energetic mechanical feel for the scene.
ReplyDeleteFrom being influenced to influencing, The Bride of Frankenstein was a cultural force that was incredibly popular with 1930s audiences. This led to a string of creature horror flicks that dominated the box office for twenty plus years. One of these films is The Blob (1958), which focuses on a monster that terrorizes a town that desperately searches for a means to destroy the monster, much like Bride of Frankenstein. This narrative focus of film would soon fall out of style, as the rise of psychological horror films, such as Psycho (1960), would change the landscape of Hollywood horror.
“In the early 1930s Hollywood began producing a string of horror films with aims to simultaneously thrill, scare and provide a form of escapism for the Depression era”, and Bride of Frankenstein accentuates this in an amazing way, we get a monster, confused, misunderstood, he does not know what he is doing but he is still hated for it, he just wants someone to understand him and feel with him a friend. Bride of Frankenstein takes many influences from German Expressionism. The set of this film is heavily influences as we get a very specific feeling from the set, especially the castle because it has a very otherworldly feeling. The lighting of the film also has a very specific feeling, dark, dreary meant to give us a feeling of being somewhere we are not. A movie in specific that it draws from is The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, as we see Frankenstein steal a woman from her room through a window just like how the sleepwalker does in Caligari.
ReplyDeleteThe Bride of Frankenstein had an effect on many movies to come in the horror genre. The movie was an early start to the stereotype of women in horror movies. The movie gives us a woman in peril and a man needs to save her and he goes to many depths to get her back. The only way for her to get saved is through the man and this movie gave influence to the lack of women equality in movies for years to come.
https://88chadw.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/german-expressionism-and-the-universal-horror-film/