9/30 Questions

• The most immediate aspect of the film that would be considered expressionistic would be the set that the film was filmed on. It is very non-realistic, with a lot of sharp angles that would not be seen in regular architecture. It also is used to create an emotion, or to use a better word, an expression. The emotion of this movie is a lot more of a focus than the realism. Another aspect would be the plot itself. It's not very straightforward or even all that based in reality (until the end, possibly), nor is it told in a linear fashion.
• The police, bureaucrats and office workers were not depicted very kindly in the movie. They looked outlandish, surreal, and violent - almost evil in a sense.
• Francis' room seems almost normal in comparison to the rest of the sets featured in the film. A lot of the surreal visuals are not present during the scenes shot in that room. It also seemed like there were more shadows in it. In contrast, Dr. Caligari's office was much brighter, and was a lot more surreally shaped.
• The town was all kinds of crazy. I really liked the set design - it sort of reminded me of a Tim Burton movie. I wonder if Burton was inspired by a lot of Expressionism? I wouldn't be surprised. It was dark, spooky, yet beautiful in its own ways.
• In a very literal sense, as this all potentially took place in the mind of Francis, so psychology and how Francis' (and possibly other members of the cast) mind works is probably the focal point of a lot of discussion revolving around this film.
• As I mentioned in the previous answer, the twist ending is that Francis is in the asylum as a patient, along with the people he is telling his story to. I think the ending was awesome, and the way it left me with a bunch of questions was really cool. I like movies that leave a little bit open to interpretation, and I like how this movie ended just as bizarrely as it ran.
• This movie was released in 1920, right after World War I. A lot of the bureaucrats were painted in a bad light because the writers and director of the film were probably providing a reaction to Germany's treatment by its military during World War I.