http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_angle
On yet another The Third Man kick: The preponderance of Dutch angle shots got me wondering about the origin of the phrase. Go figure, the Wikipedia page includes this little gem about my fave movie of the moment:
The 1949 film The Third Man makes extensive use of Dutch angle shots, to emphasize the main character’s alienation in a foreign environment. An anecdote of cinema lore alleges that once filming was completed, the crew presented director Carol Reed with a spirit level, to sardonically encourage him to use more traditional shooting angles.