Understanding the Dutch Angle: A Film Guide to Cinematic Techniques

Film Guide: The Dutch Tilt 

What is a Dutch Angle?

the dutch tilt or dutch angle is a cinematic shot which tilts the camera to one side. this technique alters the horizon line so it is no longer parallel with the bottom of the frame. the dutch angle is primarily used to create a sense of unease or disorientation. taking the world off its axis, everything starts to feel a little off and commonly within cinema, everything starts to get a lot more interesting.

Origin and History of The Dutch Tilt

In the early twentieth century, German filmmakers began using the Dutch (originally “Deutsch”) angle for dramatic effect. The unique camera shot was popularised in the 1920's and 30's by experimental filmmakers like Robert Wiene and Dziga Vertov.

The dutch angle technique was widely used in German Expressionist art and films. It is famously seen in the revolutionary feature ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), along with with work from visual artists like Kirchner, Beckmann and Dix. The technique was commonly used to depict themes of madness, unrest and disorientation.

As the technique became more popularised within Germany, it is common to see the dutch angle in classic, historical features like F. W. Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922) and Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927).

Noir and The Dutch Tilt

The technique later found its way into Hollywood, particularly during the film noir era of the 1940s and 50s. Moving its way from expressionism into American thrillers like Citizen Kane (1941) and The Third Man (1949). The dutch angle starts to evolve and transition through genre.

The Dutch Tilt is Everywhere

The 1966 Batman series famously gave each of its villains a distinct tilted angle and this quickly inspired filmmakers to use the camera technique in a variety of genres, no longer was it only associated with thrillers or horror but instead the dutch tilt was used everywhere.

Misuse of The Dutch Tilt

If the dutch angle is used too often or unnecessarily it can feel distracting, confusing, and sometimes nauseating for audiences. Overusing it, or misusing it can derail the overall storytelling and make the film feel gimmicky. Often within Hollywood the technique is relied on as a ‘cool’ way to distract the audience from the lack of story, mystery or action, an example of this misuse can be seen in Thor (2011).

Best Example of The Dutch Tilt

The dutch angle continues to be used in modern cinema to create a sense of tension, anxiety or psychological turmoil. It has become an incredibly popular technique which makes it hard to pick some of the best examples, directors like Quentin Tarantino and Peter Jackson have incorporated the dutch tilt into their most famous works.

Mission Impossible (1996)

The infamous restaurant scene in MI is one of my personal favourite examples of the dutch tilt. Ethan enters the restaurant to meet with Agent Kittridge, Ethan slowly starts to realise Kittridge’s intentions. The dutch angle emulates his realisation and the impending doom of what might happen next, the scene is filled with tension and revelation.

The dutch angle continues to be used in modern cinema to create a sense of tension, anxiety or psychological turmoil. It has become an incredibly popular technique which makes it hard to pick some of the best examples, directors like Quentin Tarantino and Peter Jackson have incorporated the dutch tilt into their most famous works.

Directors who do it Right:

Spike Lee

Do the Right Thing (1989) is a perfect example of Lee using the Dutch angle. He uses the tilt to convey tension and a skewed sense of reality. He uses it to emphasise chaos, conveying the film's political and emotional impact on its characters.

Tim Burton

The dutch angle is a technique prominent in many of Burton's films and he continues to use the angle in the correct way in conjunction with his storytelling. You can see the dutch tilt in Ed Wood (1994), Corpse Bride (2005), Sleepy Hollow (1999) and Dark Shadows (2012). Burton’s aesthetic lends well to the dutch tilt as his work is subtly influenced by German Expressionism, Burton’s features are able to harness the original use of the technique whilst reinventing it.

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock was significantly influenced by German Expressionism and credits the movement for inspiring his work. Within Hitchcock’s popular features like Strangers on a Train (1951) and The Birds (1963), the dutch tilt is incredibly prominent.

Terry Gilliam

Gillam’s features 12 Monkeys (1995), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) and Brazil (1985) all use the technique in a variety of ways. His films use the tilt to create an unsettling or disorienting atmosphere. Often the tilt is used to foreshadow tense, unsettling events or to showcase the psychological state of a character to the audience.

Christopher Nolan

Nolan rarely uses the Dutch angle but when he does it speaks volumes. Usually he uses it to depict a dreamlike state or distorted reality within his films, blurring the lines between illusion and reality.

Stanley Kubrick

Kubrick is widely known for using one-point-perspective and symmetry within so many of his features. Meaning, the dutch angle opposes his distinct style but if you pay close attention Kubrick uses the angle a handful of times, if you blink you could miss it. In ‘The Shining’ the camera is tilted the smallest amount, sometimes 5° to create the most subtle change in atmosphere and mood.

Thank you for reading my 101 guide to the dutch angle, I hope you learnt something new about this popular cinematic technique.

Also, if you haven’t already go check out my Film Probe 101 guide to German Expressionism as that cinematic movement and this technique go hand in hand.