Dark City

German expressionism is applied to the art movement including painting, literature, theater, architecture and cinema which emerged in Germany during the early twentieth century (Hayward, 2013. p.190). German expressionists conveyed their inner feelings and ideas through the expressionism. United States films were started influenced by German filmmakers in the style of dark, moody and horror genre film when German filmmakers emigrated to Hollywood due to the fascist Nazi government were in power (Morris, 2015). The influence can be seen through the narrative, mise-en-scene, settings and scenes in films. The film 'Dark City' is one of the films which in the relation of German Expressionism.

The art movement and form of modernism German expressionists being criticized as mentality of madness, death and fatality, some others say German expressionism films attempt to escape from real life economic crisis (Hayward, 2013. p.190). However, Hayward believes that the expressionists applied expressionism on cinema by analogy often dealt with certain themes and stories such as revolt, self-analysis, madness, insanity, and primitive sexual savagery. The genre was mainly to establish a narrative that was anti-realism which rejects reality modes as it was believed these topics were influenced by the experiences of World War I (Sloat, n.d.). German expressionists normally utilized with oblique and distorted architecture structure, the use of chiaroscuro which is heavy contrast of light and dark lighting to create shadows and silhouettes, yet application of strange asymmetrical shots are important feature of expressionism films (Hayward, 2012. p. 190.)

The film follows John Murdoch who awakened naked in a bathtub and could not remember anything. Soon, he receives a mysterious caller from Dr. Schreber and finds himself suspected of murder. Murdoch attempts to recall his memories while escaping from the police and a group of 'Stranger' who has similar ability as Murdoch himself which is tuning power. He then discovers the truth of the world which is taken over by the 'Stranger' to study human's mentality and there is no day time yet no single way out from the city. With the help of Dr. Schreber, Murdoch defeats the 'Stranger' and creates day time for the world with his ability.

The main elements in German expressionism, madness, which can be found in Dark City especially on the characters of a group of 'Strangers'. Their eager and obsession in becoming like a human. For instance, Mr Hand as one of the 'Strangers' would take risk at imprinting human's mindset shows how obsess he is to become a human. Additionally, John Murdoch struggles in unable to recall anything and even what is his name. Besides, the inspector Walenski becomes insane after revealing the truth of the world and ends up committing suicide.

Primitive sexual savagery element is found in the film on the group of 'Strangers' . The way of their characteristics show they enjoy and find pleasure in killing especially the little child would carve circular lines with knife on the half naked prostitutes' dead bodies. They also sliced off the chief police throat violently when he brings them to Murdoch's cell but Murdoch has already escaped.

Revolt is shown by Murdoch who doesn't remember killing anybody, he revolts against the police as well as the 'Strangers'. He doesn't stop revealing the truth behind the unreality world after he realizes there is no day time and people unable to remember and tell the way to Shell Beach. Dr. Schreber is somehow revolting against the 'Strangers' too as how he helps Murdoch by imprinting in Murdoch with all his childhood memories to defeat the 'Strangers'.

When John Murdoch awakens naked and could not recall memories, he searches for his self identity through the identity card in his wallet, he visits to Uncle Karl trying to recall his childhood memory resemble to the self-analysis which is one of the elements of German expressionism film.

The Gothic architecture structure can be observed through the building in the film. The distorted settings as the buildings and interiors will twist, stretch, expand, reshape during the tuning by the 'Strangers'. Besides, the slanted door and narrow corridor to Shell Beach resemble the unrealistic thematic. Moreover, the rigid movements of 'Strangers'  with long black coat and dark appearance clearly differ themselves from normal human beings.

The film plays with heavy shadows and huge contrast of dark and light which is the chiaroscuro lighting element. The whole film before Murdoch reforms the brightness, the entire city takes place at night time with low-key lighting to evoke the insecurity mood. At the beginning when Murdoch sleeps in the bathtub, the bathroom is totally in a darkness except a bulb swings from one end to another to slowly show the entire environment. When ‘Strangers' come to police station to arrest Murdoch, their shadows appear on the wall to tell audiences the appearance of them.

Dark City is an essential film represents the German expressionism film. The elements of revolt, self-analysis, madness, primitive sexual savagery, chiaroscuro lighting, the mise-en-scene are significantly shown.