Editing James Whale (section)

==Film style==
Whale was heavily influenced by [[German Expressionism]]. He was a particular admirer of the films of [[Paul Leni]], combining as they did elements of gothic horror and comedy. This influence was most evident in ''Bride of Frankenstein''.<ref>Worland, p. 66.</ref> Expressionist influence is also in evidence in ''Frankenstein'', drawn in part from the work of [[Paul Wegener]] and his films ''[[The Golem (1915 film)|The Golem]]'' (1915) and ''[[The Golem: How He Came into the World]]'' (1920)<ref>Young, et al., p. 188.</ref> along with ''[[The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari]]'' (1920) from [[Robert Wiene]], which Whale reportedly screened repeatedly while preparing to shoot ''Frankenstein''.<ref>Curtis, p. 149.</ref> ''Frankenstein'' roughly alternates between distorted expressionistic shots and more conventional styles, with the character of Dr. Waldman serving as "a bridge between everyday and expressionist spaces".<ref>Worland, p. 163.</ref> Expressionist influence is also evident in the acting, costuming and the design of the Monster.<ref>Worland, p. 168.</ref> Whale and makeup artist [[Jack Pierce (makeup artist)|Jack Pierce]] may also have been influenced by the [[Bauhaus]] school of design.<ref>Skal, p. 130.</ref> The expressionist influence lasted throughout Whale's career, with Whale's final film, ''Hello Out There'', praised by ''[[Sight & Sound]]'' as "a virtuoso pattern of light and shade, a piece of fully blown expressionist filmmaking plonked down unceremoniously in the midst of neo-realism's heyday".<ref>Quoted in Curtis, p. 364.</ref>

Whale was known for his use of camera movement. He is credited with being the first director to use a 360-degree [[Panning (camera)|panning]] shot in a feature film, included in ''Frankenstein''.<ref>Robertson, p. 126.</ref> Whale used a similar technique during the ''[[Ol' Man River]]'' sequence in ''Show Boat'', in which the camera tracked around [[Paul Robeson]] as he sang the song. (The sequence also uses expressionist montages illustrating some of the lyrics.) Often singled out for praise in ''Frankenstein'' is the series of shots used to introduce the Monster: "Nothing can ever quite efface the thrill of watching the successive views Whale's mobile camera allows us of the lumbering figure".<ref>Prawer, p. 28.</ref> These shots, starting with a medium shot and culminating in two close-ups of the Monster's face, were repeated by Whale to introduce Griffin in ''The Invisible Man'' and the abusive husband in ''One More River''. Modified to a single cut rather than two, Whale uses the same technique in ''The Road Back'' to signal the instability of a returning World War I veteran.<ref name = senses />