''Kammerspielfilm'' is a type of
German film that offers an intimate,
cinematic portrait of lower
middle class
The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. C ...
life.
History
The name derives from a theater, the ''
Kammerspiele'', opened in 1906 by a major stage director
Max Reinhardt
Max Reinhardt (; born Maximilian Goldmann; 9 September 1873 – 30 October 1943) was an Austrian-born Theatre director, theatre and film director, theater manager, intendant, and theatrical producer. With his radically innovative and avant-gard ...
to stage intimate dramas for small audiences. Few Kammerspiel films were made, but nearly all are classics. ''Kammerspielfilme'' (the plural form) formed a German film
movement of the 1920s
silent film
A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...
period that was developed around the same time as the more commonly known
Expressionist
Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...
movement in cinema. The ''Kammerspielfilm'' was known as the "chamber drama" as a result of the influence from the theatrical form of the
chamber play. It is characterised by its focus on character psychology and its lack of intricate set design. Also, unlike Expressionist films, ''Kammerspielfilme'' seldom used
intertitles
In films and videos, an intertitle, also known as a title card, is a piece of filmed, printed text edited into the midst of (hence, ''inter-'') the photographed action at various points. Intertitles used to convey character dialogue are referred ...
to narrate the story.
Prominent figures
*
Lupu Pick
*
F. W. Murnau
*
Carl Mayer
*
Georg Wilhelm Pabst
*
Carl Theodor Dreyer
Carl Theodor Dreyer (; 3 February 1889 – 20 March 1968), commonly known as Carl Th. Dreyer, was a Danish film director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers in history, his movies are noted for emotional austerity ...
SYLVESTER, Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival
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See also
* '' Shattered''
* '' The Last Laugh''
* German Expressionism
Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radi ...
* German film history
* Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...
– influenced by ''Kammerspielfilm''
References
Sources
* Bordwell, David, and Kristin Thompson. 1997. ''Film Art: An Introduction.'' 5th, international ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. .
* Parkinson, David. 1995. ''History of Film.'' World of Art ser. London: Thames and Hudson. .
{{Authority control
*Kammerspielfilm
Movements in German cinema
1920s in film