German Expressionalism

• German expressionism - Distorted sets (mise-en-scene)

  Sunrise reflects the aesthetic qualities of German expressionism through the use of dramatic and exaggerated set designs. This creates a distorted view of reality and creates an emotional impact. For example, the rickety-looking bridge in the Marshes scene symbolises the mans 'crossing' from secure home life with his wife to the atmospheric, sinister marshes.
• German expressionism - Distorted sets (mise-en-scene)

  The backlit painting of the moon is also used for the background, making it appear huge and bright as it looms over the man and the woman from the city, acting as the only light source of the scene and having a thematic link to the motif of the sun rising, as although the sun rises at the film’s happy and optimistic moments, here the moon is present in its place, suggesting that this is the man’s lowest point as he has hit rock bottom.
• German expressionism - Distorted sets (mise-en-scene)


  These aesthetic choices made by Murnau are example of German expressionism not only because of their visual aesthetic, but also because of their thematic implications in terms of the film’s narrative.
• German expressionism - Kammerspielefilm


  Murnau films usually mixed elements of expressionism with Kammerspielefilm - dramas based on the lives of the working and lower class - The man is simply called the man, the wife is simply called the wife, and the woman from the city is called the slapper/woman from the city. Again, the marshes sequence is a perfect example of this - the mans physical performance reflects his emotions, his body language is slouched and slow visually conveying his emotions as he is faced with the morality of cheating on his wife.
• German expressionism - Kammerspielefilm


  The performance of the woman from the city in the Marshes scene, is one of dominance, as she cradles the man, with her being physically on top of him as he lays on her lap, a very unconventional submissive position for a male character at the time. These performance choices, likely instructed by director Murnau, widely seen as a pioneer of the Kammerspilefilm era, illustrate physically how the characters are feeling emotionally, making this a clear example of how this scene, and the film, reflect the visual aesthetic of the Kammerspeilefilm movement. 
• German expressionism - Superimposition 


  Murnau inserts visual oddities that prevent the film from being chronological. For example, a double exposure montage of the city is shown while the woman from the city dances. This shows the spectator how the woman is trying to entice the man to move to the city with her. This technique is again used when the man and his wife leave the church together. Again, this is done with the double exposure technique but this time to show how the couple have fallen in love again
• German expressionism - Classic Hollywood Narrative 


  'Sunrise' follows the classic American Hollywood Narrative - the clear and simple love triangle plot with the conventional ending, the new equilibrium which is The Man’s affirmation of his love for The Wife - it follows a linear narrative and Todorov’s structure  
• German expressionism - Classic Hollywood Narrative


  The setting is realist with the village being built for the film with Murnau’s $200,000 budget. The costume reflects the characters position in the story, The Woman from the City who is modern, urbanised, wearing heavy make-up, bobbed hair, and a dark, tight dress which is a binary opposition to the wife who is homely, rural, wearing a light-coloured countryside costume. As a result, the colours and costumes reflect roles are clear and reflect positions in the story, the comfortable countryside woman and the manipulative femme fatale.