When one of our senses becomes impaired or inhibited, our other senses become hypersensitive in order to process stimulatory around us. If our vision is obstructed, we rely heavily upon auditory processing or physical touch. If our hearing is impaired, we may use our sense of site or smell in order to process what we cannot hear around us.
I have never watched a silent film before. I typically associate enjoying a film with being able to understand it’s dialogue. Dialogue is a component of communication and a mean in which ideas and thoughts can be conveyed. However, after watching the silent film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, I realized that a film does not have to contain verbal communication in order to be understood. It is true that this film was not completely silent. There was still music in the background. Yet, because there was no verbal dialogue, I was forced to use my other senses in order to process the storyline being expressed.
The first thing I noticed in this film was the lighting. The lighting would alternate between black/ white and sepia. At first, I thought that this was perhaps due to unsophisticated technology. However, as the story line progressed, I realized that the shifts in lighting occurred during different scenes. For example, the scenes with Dr. Caligari and his “zombie” seemed to often be in sepia whereas the scenes with Jane were often black and white. I am not completely sure what the director’s intention of this was, yet, the shift happened too often to be random.
Music is often a component that I take note of during films and shows. Sometimes, if I am feeling suspenseful about what will occur next, I’ll listen to the music in order to get a sense of what will happen next. Is the music slow and calm or suspenseful and fast paced? In this film, I paid closer attention to the background music in order to understand what which scenes of the horror film would be more suspenseful and intense than other scenes.
Additionally, because I could not hear the actor’s tone of voice as they spoke, I paid closer attention to their body language and facial expressions. The directors of the play heavily relied on costume and appearance in order to express a persona that could not be captured through the viewer hearing his tone of voice. for example, I think that in order to make Dr. Caligari seem mad, the directors could not only rely on his actions but also had to have him visually look slightly insane or whacked.
As I reflect on this silent film, I feel that leisure film is often an exaggerated depiction of reality. To engage and entertain the viewer, our senses have to be hyper stimulated in order to be impressed by what is projected in front of us. This can be done via auditory stimulation or visual stimulation. I feel the same is true with artistic photography. That which is captured must be an exaggerated snap shot of what is ordinary. However, exaggerating reality in film or photography is only a way to categorize this media measure as an art form. I feel that a raw snap shot or candid footage is an accurate depiction of reality rather than an art.
If I were to create a film similar to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, I would take note of engaging the viewers visual sense. Elements like set design, costume choice, makeup, sound and lighting would all be in a sense amplified. This would cause the viewer to view the film as less real but also more entertaining and suspenseful.
Yael Magder
