German Expressionism Depiction of reality that is widely distorted for emotional effect One of the most popular German expressionism films is The Cabinet of Mr. Calgary , directed by Robert Wiene who hired Expressionist painters like Walter Reinmann and Hermann Warm to actually paint his sets Conventions Twisted landscapes, insane or evil characters, more morbid plot-lines External representation of internal emotion – this means that if the main character is in a “dark place” emotionally, then the setting must reflect that Insanity/Obsession Evil/Insane/Obsessive characters Crime or the criminal underworld Urban settings Jagged lines and banding – often created by painting designs on the set Twisted architecture – such as spiral staircases and ominous arches Chiaroscuro – extreme lighting that incorporates dark shadows and bright patches of light, typically associated with Film Noir Silent – intertitles are used to fill in important dialogue. However, dialogue is se