German Expressionism and The Cat and the Canary

German Director Paul Leni directed his first American film, The Cat and the Canary, for Universal Film Company in 1927. Leni's film would lead to the distinct look in the Universal Horror Film franchise as later directors and cinematographers copied his style of German Expressionism. Leni's style is studied in his four surviving films: Waxworks (1924), The Cat and the Canary (1927), The Man Who Laughs (1928) and The Last Warning (1929). Particular attention is given The Cat and the Canary and its effect on the look of the Universal Horror Films produced by James Whale and Arthur Edeson. Leni's work influenced the filming of Frankenstein (1931), The Old Dark House (1932) and The Invisible Man (1933).