Final answer:
The claim that "Un Chien Andalou" (1928) exemplifies German Expressionism is false; it is actually a surrealistic film. German Expressionism is more closely associated with films such as "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." Both movements signify different artistic reactions to the chaos of the era.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that "Un Chien Andalou" (1928) is a famous example of German Expressionism in filmmaking is false. In fact, "Un Chien Andalou" is a surrealist film, a movement that originated in the early 1920s and focused on liberating the artist's imagination through depictions of the subconscious. This film was a collaboration between Spanish director Luis Buñuel and artist Salvador Dalí.
German Expressionism, on the other hand, was characterized by its emotional intensity and tendency to distort reality to express feelings, evident in elements like bold colors and off-kilter mise-en-scène, and it had a significant influence on film, especially in works such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) by Robert Wiene.
Surrealism and German Expressionism both evolved as reactions to the turmoil and absurdity of societal conventions, exploded in the carnage of World War One. However, they are distinct in their methods and philosophical underpinnings. Surrealism delved deeper into freudian theories and dream-like imagery, while Expressionism was more directly linked to the emotional discontent and social critique of the time, as seen in the abstract sets of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari to criticize authoritarianism.