Film, In Three Movements

Film is a reasonably new art form, at least when compared to the likes of music, poetry, and art, but it has progressed through multiple stages in various cultures and continents. These transitions and evolutions are known as film movements. These movements are defined by their ideas regarding style, aesthetics, and cultural-political objectives (Film Movement). The three film movements we will focus on in this essay are early German Expressionism, the popular New Hollywood Cinema, and the more recent and much maligned Mumblecore. Each movement has a distinct flair that has had a resounding effect on cinema since their debut. Influences by all three movements can be seen in films today, and will likely inspire future movements.

German Expressionism, an artistic genre that originated in Germany in the 1920s, is defined by its depiction of reality that is widely distorted for emotional effect (Art House). The movement is heavily influenced by Expressionist artists like Vincent Van Gogh and Edvard Munch, who focused on unnatural lighting and jagged angles to provoke reactions as opposed to being aesthetically pleasing. Directors in this movement experimented with the formal and stylistic elements of Modernism, and used Expression to experiment with perception through the lens of a camera (Art House). As World War I had recently come to a close, anxiety and unease were prevalent in Germany, likely leading to the rise of this dark movement. Two of the most known and influential films of the movement are 1927’s Metropolis by Fritz Lang and 1920’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari by Robert Wiene. Both films feature bleak environments and sharp, gothic imagery. For anyone familiar with his films, it should come as no surprise that a modern director heavily influenced by the movement is Tim Burton. Burton is almost incapable of making a film that doesn’t heavily adhere to German Expressionism, with even his superhero films like 1989’s Batman utilizing dark, oppressive architecture, shadowy lights, and playful silhouettes. A modern example of German Expressionism can be seen in The Tragedy of Macbeth, directed by Joel Coen, released in 2021.

In America, Old Hollywood featured major studios hiring the same cast and crews, utilizing similar styles on each film, which waned in popularity and fell out of favor by the 1960s and led to America’s New Hollywood Cinema. This film movement arose in the 1960s to the 1980s and is known for its directors that viewed themselves as creative storytellers that could focus on realism for their films (New Hollywood). New Hollywood Cinema directors were more formally trained in the art of filmmaking than their predecessors, and as a result, were more adherent to the three act structure and mise-en-scène (New Hollywood). Their films preferred to shoot on location as opposed to sets and used natural lighting when available. America in the 1960s and 1970s was undergoing a turbulent and formative change, which led to violence, fear, and unrest among the populace. The Vietnam War, Civil Rights, and assassinations of major figures rocked the nation, reflecting in the darker and more violent films of New Hollywood. A particular film of this movement is 1974’s crime thriller The Taking of Pelham One Two Three by director Joseph Sargent. The film depicts a heist that takes place on a subway train in New York City while a frustrated detective attempts to stop the criminals. The film is gritty and realistic, and features a three act structure that follows the events before, during, and after the heist. The movement can still be seen today in modern films, and many of the directors that arose during this time are still working today, like Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader. Modern directors that are clearly heavily influenced by the movement include Christopher Nolan and David Fincher, with their penchant for realism and character-driven, crime focused narratives. While New Hollywood’s influence can be seen in perhaps more movies that most movements, a particular recent example is 2019’s highly acclaimed Joker, directed by Todd Phillips. The film is clearly and unabashedly cribbing the aesthetics exemplified in the era of the movement.

One of the more recent film movements is Mumblecore, which was first uttered into existence in 2005. These American films arose in the early 2000s and are generally low-budget drama-comedies (also known as dramadies) that feature naturalistic acting, improvised dialogue, and plots revolving around young adults with meandering lives (What is Mumblecore?). The availability of digital cameras and editing software became prevalent in the 2000s and allowed less formally trained people to experiment and make their own films on shoe-string budgets. A signature film of this movement is 2010’s Cyrus, directed by perhaps the leading directors of the movement, Jay and Mark Duplass. The naturalistic film is shot digitally with a small cast mostly in modest suburban homes and offices, and revolves around the relationship between a widowed mother, her conniving adult son that still lives at home, and the mother’s new boyfriend. While this movement is very recent compared to most movements, it has inspired a new wave of directors already, notably Alex Ross Perry, director of 2018’s Her Smell.

Many film movements have been chronicled around the world since people first began recording with cameras, ebbing and flowing into new waves of experimental filmmaking that continues to influence future filmmakers. Three movements of particular note, German Expressionism, New Hollywood Cinema, and Mumblecore, are all key to understanding modern cinema and the origins of film. Whether it’s the dark and imposing imagery of German Expressionism, the gritty modernism of New Hollywood, or the naturalistic and humble filmmaking of Mumblecore, most films made today can trace their influences to a myriad of influential movements.

Works Cited

“Film Movement.” Oxford Reference, 16 July 2022, https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199587261.001.0001/acref-9780199587261-e-0283

“Art House: An Introduction to German Expressionist Films.” Artnet News, 16 July 2022, https://news.artnet.com/market/art-house-an-introduction-to-german-expressionist-films-32845

“New Hollywood Cinema.” Plutofilm, 17 July 2022, https://plutofilm.blogspot.com/2012/03/characteristics-of-new-hollywood-cinema.html

“What is Mumblecore?” Studiobinder, 17 July 2022, https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-mumblecore-film-movement/