Between 1916 and 1921, fantasy films like The Golem (1920) and The Lost Shadow (1921) proved popular in Germany.

In February 1920, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari premiered in Berlin and met with considerable success.

Caligari used highly stylized sets, with bizarre, distorted buildings painted on canvas backdrops in the manner of a theatrical production.

Symmetry in Expressionist films emphasized the overall composition of shots.

Bordwell and Thompson tell us, "The most obvious and pervasive trait of Expressionism is the use of distortion and exaggeration."

While Expressionist films used relatively simple lighting techniques (front and side lighting), they also made use of shadows to emphasize distortion.