Wolfgang Staudte is very specific with the cinematography and mise-en-scene, every shot and object in the film serves a purpose. The film begins with shots of ruins and children playing, there ruins represent the damage the war has done while the children running through the ruins represent new beginnings in Berlin. The camera then focuses on Dr. Marten smoking and walking aimlessly, portraying his displacement and relinquish towards life. A train rushing into the city , shot at all angles similar to the train in Berlin: Symphony of a Great City, has people hanging out of every window represents people who may have been removed from their comfort and are trying to return to Berlin. We then see a close-up of Ms. Wallner, unlike the other people getting off the train Ms. Wallner is walking as though she has a mission. We later on learn in the film that she is very motivated and determined to receive Mr. Marten's love. These beginning shots establish the protagonist and tell us a little about each.
Staudte also decided not to change the German filmic language, expressionism. Shadows, tilted camera shots, and crocked/slanted edges are shown throughout the film, this represents the extreme distortion going on in Mr. Marten's head and also the spiritual/psychological truths of what happened on Christmas Day.
nice close reading, Ashley!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ashley. This film was very much reminiscent of the film noir style that had been set up in Hollywood. Especially with the strategic placement of lighting and the recognizable famous strict of light that happens to always runs across the actress' face in a very in a moment of intense passion of conflict.
ReplyDeleteOh and the use of shadows is also interesting! Especially at the climax of the film when Hans is about to kill the captain. His shadow is so haunting and over powering and it shrinks the captain into this powerless being. Oh and also the shadows of the two neighbors who are complaining about Hans and his drunkenness. They way shadow of their noses is elongated, a way to visually show how "nosy" they are in other people's business.
I picked up on the train shot as well. I wonder if the director was making a clear allusion to Berlin: Symphony. He could have been saying: look what's happened to the city since then. Or it could just be mere coincidence
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