cricketbat
Since this is considered one of the first horror films ever made, it's no surprise that I enjoyed it. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari seems to have set the standard for how a horror film should look and feel. The plot was compelling and the acting was entertaining. Now I'm going to be a film geek for a moment: One of the best examples of German Expressionism I have seen.
erhembayarb
In 1995, humankind celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of motion pictures; the newest medium of art proclaimed its reign of the world of art. Since its beginning, films thoroughly revolutionized the way people watch, think, and get entertained. Now, the time for us to mark a centenary of one of the earliest classics is on the verge. A timeless classic, visual perfection from the silent film period in the Weimar Republic, a century old Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) still mesmerizes the audience with its sensational visual and historical significance. The stylized sets and grotesque atmosphere of the film are remarkable as ever growing prestige and everlasting impact of the film makes it to an extraordinary level. Extreme distortions, jagged lines, discordant angles make the world of "Caligari" unusually bizarre place to live in. Anyone who watched "Caligari" at night, all alone, will say that "Caligari" is a creepy old movie with an eerie atmosphere and series of vivid imagery. To build a sense of psychological horror, production designer Walter Reimann utilized this unconventionally eccentric sets and disharmonious angles and lights to display the mental state of the protagonist. A critic at Variety claims that "Robert Wiene has made perfect use of settings that squeeze and turn and adjust the eye and through the eye the mentality."The film is recognized as one of the most important works from the post-World War I era. Veering away from conventional cinema and its methods, Expressionist movement in Germany, German Expressionism, sought a different approach to the cinema, exploring and expressing subjectivity through its images, acting, and lighting. A number of film experts believe that "Caligari" was one of the pioneers to both capture extreme imagery and tell subjective perception through rolling films, giving birth to Expressionist Cinema in Germany. In his book, A Critical History of German Film, Stephen Brockmann maintains that "Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, the quintessential example of German Expressionist cinema, was both popular with the public and acclaimed by critics." The significance of "Caligari" lies not only in laying the groundwork of German Expressionist cinema but also in mirroring the society of Germany after the outrageous war. As mentioned above, sets and techniques used by Walter Reimann not only reflect the insanity of a character, but also communicate the tense anxiety in Germany after World War I. Through its theme, set, and story, "Caligari" works as a visual portrayal of German people's feelings toward the aftermath of WWI. In discussions of "Caligari", one controversial issue has been raised about the relationship between the film itself and the rise of Nazi. German film theorist and sociologist Siegfried Kracauer argues that the success and expansion of the film were a reflection of premonition of Hitler's rise. Kracauer's point is that the film, dealing extensively with the themes of control and obedience, has allegories that "expressed German people's fear of chaos and a desire for order, even at the price of authoritarian rule". Taking Kracauer's interpretation into consideration is useful because it sheds insight on the difficulty of envisioning the society during the Weimar era. Most film experts will tell you that you can see the elements of "Caligari" in the works of Tim Burton, Ridley Scott, Edward Lynch and many more. Indeed, "Caligari" was the cinema's first masterpiece.
makotoshintaro
I had tried to watch a silent movie or two before, and didn't actually work out, but this time I think that officially my introduction to silent cinema was more than successful! It is one of the most beautiful depictions of emotional instabilities of human nature. To start with, for me, the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was one of the most unique films I watched in terms of originality and innovation considering the decade in which it was shot. I can spot a bunch of elements that I've seen in more recent movies, how strongly The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari affected other filmmakers - and not only - around the world. The impact it had upon the goth culture is gigantic. I remember how much I liked the dark, shadowy, oblique landscapes and backgrounds in films such as Coraline or the Nightmare Before Christmas. I was wondering how they came up with it, but it all makes sense now. I could just go on and on praising the light and how those sharp-pointed forms at the back create the best atmosphere ever. The plot twist in the very last 5', something that later directors simply seem to adore, indeed took me by surprise 'cause I was never expecting something like this in a 20's movie. For some reason I had taken for granted that the end would be all sugar coated and rosy but Robert Wiene had something else in mind. By the way, is it just me or has anyone realised that Dr. Caligari wears Mickey Mouse gloves? Or, is actually Mickey Mouse wearing Dr. Caligari gloves...?
preppy-3
Dr. Caligari (Werner Krauss) keeps a somnambulists named Cesare (Conrad Veidt) in a cabinet as part of a sideshow. At night he order Cesare to go out and kill his enemies. Will he be caught? The plot is not the main focus here. What is is the sets which are brilliant. They're all crooked buildings and things you would see in your nightmares and not in real life. This is an example of what was called German Expressionism. The settings keep you off balance constantly throughout the film. Even better is Veidt who's downright terrifying as Cesare. He was a very handsome man but here he looks terrible and frightening. There's also excellent direction and a twist at the end while somewhat predictable today was probably shocking back in 1920. Also this is reportedly the first full length horror film ever made. Only about 60 minutes and well worth seeing.
