Expressionism in 21st Century Film

Abstract

Expressionism in cinema emerged in Germany in early 1920’s and it became the dominant movement in 1920’s and 1930’s. Many masterpieces were created in that era, which were very unique and innovative in various aspects. The movement lost its power and presence in the following decades due to the circumstances in Germany. Even so, the influence of expressionism continued to exist until today and embodied itself in many contemporary films. This dissertation aims to prove that there is an undeniable connection between early German expressionist cinema and some of 21st century films and this way, it aims to prove that expressionism is still an on-going approach towards the craft of filmmaking. It aims to achieve this through a methodical analysis of the unique characteristics of expressionist filmmaking that is shared by both classical and contemporary examples of expressionist cinema.