HW#3 Expressionism

The scene I chose from the movie is the ending; where it is discovered that Francis is the patient in the hospital who made up the whole story of Caligari being this controlling figure who controlled Cesare and made him kill people, when Caligari is the actual head of the institute where Francis and the others are patients in. The shock effect of this scene is what made me chose it; reminds me of other horror films that had shocking endings such as “Saw” or movies like “The Usual Suspects” ending that leave you going crazy.

 

1.      What is the symbolism of Caligari's power over Cesare?

Caligari’s power over Cesare is symbolized by Caligari having cesare somewhat hypnotized and trained to do as he says. You see Cesare as this sleepwalker who seems to be under the influence of something.

2.      How does the profit motive affect cultural production in the modern age?

Profit motive affects cultural production in modern age because you have people putting out stuff just to make money and not really caring about the substance of their product; not caring about the message it would send as long as money is being made.

3.      How would you evaluate the Frankfurt School's elitism regarding mass culture?

I feel like the Frankfurt elitism regarding mass culture is sole based on making profit.

4.      Explain three aspects of the film that relate to the attributes of the culture industry?

1.      The films purpose was to make profit and not for the artistic integrity. The twist in the ending shows this as it was done to maximize profits.

2.      When the film was made monopolies were happening as Decla-Bioscop film studio merged with Universum Film AG.

3.      The producer of the movie Erich Pommer liked the original script of the movie but his decisions on the producer were based on making profit.

5. Why does Kracauer interpret the film as a choice between tyranny and chaos?

Kracuaer's analysis is that the film illustrates the central unsolvable dilemma that Germans saw themselves in the 1920s and 1930s: a choice between tyranny on the one hand and chaos on the other.

6. Why was there increased pressure to develop the German film industry after the first world war?

There was increase pressure to develop the German film industry after the first war because after the war Germany’s economy was struggling, Germany had to partially "deindustrialize" large segments of its economy, basically anything that could be used for military production, the problem was that almost everything produced in an industrial economy can be used for war purposes. So they turned to the film industry.

7. How would you evaluate the claim that expressionism breeds excessive inwardness and withdrawal?

I agree and disagree, they say “expressionism is a turn away from the external world and instead depicts the external world as expressions of internal states, or to "make the contents of the soul objective." ” but at the same time us as individuals have our own believes and do things that effect the external world.

8. How does the film foreshadow the Nazi regime according to Kracauer?

According to Kracauer the film foreshadows the Nazi regime with the representation of Hitler’s control of his army with Caligari and his control over Cesare.

9. What is praxis and how does it relate to cultural criticism?

Praxis is the fusion of theory and practice. It relates to cultural criticism by dealing with reality; actual events and problems that go on in the real world.