February 27, 1920 –
A film that I’m somewhat familiar with, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, opened in Germany on this date.
The final look and feel of the film was based as much on low-budget practicalities as it was on creative inspiration and expressionism. Electricity was strictly rationed in post-WWI Germany at the time the film was being shot, so director Robert Wiene ended the film simply painting light beams on backdrops. Shooting on severely confined sets forced him to use unusual camera angles
The Haus of Dcaligari 