If you’re in the mood for a truly bizarre film, then you’re come to the right place.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari(1920) is a legendary German horror film with an unreliable narrator and nightmarish sets. It could be one of the strangest films you’ve (n)ever seen.
Krauss plays a carnival hypnotist, who arrives in a small German town to exhibit somnambulist Veidt as part of the annual fair. Krauss-as-Caligari presents THE MIRACULOUS CESARE who has slept for his entire 23 years, “day and night!” He announces Cesare “will awaken from his death-like trance before [your] very eyes!”
He opens the coffin (cabinet) that holds the sleeping Veidt. “Cesare, can you hear me?!” he cries. “Cesare, I am calling you. I, Dr. Caligari, your master. Awaken for a moment from your dark night.”
Veidt’s face twitches, and his eyes slowly open. Dr. Caligari declares, “Cesare knows every secret. Cesare knows the past and sees the future.”
It proves to be a popular attraction, especially when the somnambulist identifies an audience member who will die within the next 24 hours – and does.
But this isn’t the first murder victim. That honour belongs to the town clerk, who made the hypnotist wait to submit his carnival application. The clerk, poor slob, laughed at the notion of a somnambulist, then fobbed the application onto a subordinate.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is regarded as one of the first horror films. It explores revenge, manipulation, and madness. It was filmed in the aftermath of WWI, during a time of national pain and humiliation for Germany.
Consider the moment: it is 1920, and recovery from the war has been slow. As the Weimar Republic adjusts to peacetime, Berlin recoils. Power is still out in much of the city. Returning troops and refugees flood the streets, and markets are short on food. Unlike the war to follow…World War I had no clear moral or political objective; to the contrary, the internecine conflict emerged from a series of geopolitical alliances turned sour, aligning the interests of the wealthy, ruling elite with the colonial state—at the expense of a generation.
There are layers of horror in this film, starting with the sets that are both cartoon-y and nightmarish. Angles are odd, confusing, claustrophobic.
This is a silent film, so we never hear the characters’ voices, as though their words are caught in their throat.
Everything is designed to keep you off kilter, even the appearance of the characters. Veidt-as-Cesare wears heavy, creepy makeup, and, although Krauss is a rotund fellow, there’s menace in his black cape and piercing eyes.
The seemingly random, nighttime murders are troubling, especially for the hapless townspeople.
Then there’s Dr. Caligari himself, who, as it turns out, is the director of an insane asylum. The good doctor has patiently waited for a somnambulist to be admitted to his institution so he could further his research – and Even The Score with enemies at the same time.
All of this would be frightening enough, but there is a deeper terror here, and that is the power Dr. Caligari holds over those in the asylum.
Here is an authority figure preying upon the vulnerable, “programming” a man to commit murder. (Notice he calls himself Cesare’s “Master”.) Caligari uses the defenceless for his own nefarious purposes, something we all fear.
Even though we’re dealing with an unreliable narrator, we know this to be true: The powerful take advantage of the powerless. This is a historical and universal constant.
The genius of this film lies in overcoming one of its greatest obstacles: money. The film was shot in an atelier studio in Berlin which means, according to Wikipedia, the sets measured about twenty square feet.
Canvas was used for the sets, with painted-on light, shadows, and landscapes. Shapes are stylized for extreme emotional effect, which makes this film not only a pioneer in the horror genre, but also in German Expressionism.
We hope you’ll see The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. It is a Silent, but these sixty-seven minutes will keep you mesmerized.
Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari: starring Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Feher. Directed by Robert Wiene. Written by Karl Meyer & Hans Janowitz. Decla-Bioscop AG, 1920, B&W, 67 mins.
Many years ago I was looking for this movie but I purchased by error an american movie called The Cabinet of Caligari, a sort of remake, starring Glynis Johns (who played Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins). I discovered my mistake when I started watching: how disappointing! It certainly was a bad movie, while I was longing to see the original German one! I have loved everything from German expressionism, from Fritz Lang M to Murnau’s Nosferatu… I still haven’t seen the original Caligari but it has been on my wish list ever since.
A unique film and experience. I first saw it in high school and was left flummoxed. A couple of decades later I can still feel the goose pimples. Recently, I gave The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari its due admiration.
Totally, fashions change, particularly in horror, but this is one of the milestone films, a nightmarish film about nightmares that time will never diminish…
We watched and analyzed that movie in one of my earliest classes in film school 🙂 A truly odd and creepy piece of film making! And quite impressive for the time (and small set!) in which it was made.
There’s a lot going on in this film, isn’t there? A lot of background, as well. I’d say some of the most insightful film writing I’ve ever read is about this film.
I have this on Blu-ray and the 2K HD transfer print is pristine for a film 100 years old! The soundtrack is a bit too slow and sombre but the film is an atmospheric and visual gem as you rightfully point out.
I don’t know if you’ve seen it but in 1983 Richie Blackmore’s Rainbow replicated this film for their music video “Can’t Let You Go” and it matches the song very well:
I watched this a few days ago 🙂 It’s so visually striking and I love the set design. I first started watching a version with German title cards and realised I’d better find an English one.
I love this film so much – so much that I decided to rewatch it last year on my birthday as a gift to myself! Indeed, the most horrifying thing in the movie is seeing the powerful taking advantage of the others, and thinking that someday we might be the powerless people being taken advantage of. Unfortunately, it was not uncommon for doctors to take patients away from clinics and turn them into circus or sideshow attractions.
Great review, as always.
Thanks, Le! It’s horrifying to think about those patients who were removed from clinics and forced into circuses or sideshows. And it probably happened more often than we realize, sadly. Thanks for dropping by. 🙂
Can’t remember much of its detail, but this silent piece is very good. I give it 4stars (out of four). Never knew about the ‘twenty square feet’ thing. Thanks for the insight. 🍸
Silver Screenings 
Holy crap! Wow. And all from a 20 square foot studio? I’m speechless…..
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Impressive, isn’t it? They used physical restrictions to their considerable advantage.
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Many years ago I was looking for this movie but I purchased by error an american movie called The Cabinet of Caligari, a sort of remake, starring Glynis Johns (who played Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins). I discovered my mistake when I started watching: how disappointing! It certainly was a bad movie, while I was longing to see the original German one! I have loved everything from German expressionism, from Fritz Lang M to Murnau’s Nosferatu… I still haven’t seen the original Caligari but it has been on my wish list ever since.
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I think you’d really like this film. It’s not horror for horror’s sake – it has a message about humanity and dangerous authorities.
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Ooooh, yeah…I have both. I mean, it wasn’t absolutely horrible, but obviously nowhere close to the original.
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Thanks for letting me know about the remake. I didnt know about it, but if it stars Glynis Johns, sign me up!
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A unique film and experience. I first saw it in high school and was left flummoxed. A couple of decades later I can still feel the goose pimples. Recently, I gave The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari its due admiration.
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Have you written about it recently? Could you share the link? I looked for it on your site, but couldn’t find it.
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Obviously a fan of this, has a look and feel of a genuine nightmare, which is just right for such material…
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Agreed. In a way, it’s an almost perfect movie – wouldn’t you agree?
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Totally, fashions change, particularly in horror, but this is one of the milestone films, a nightmarish film about nightmares that time will never diminish…
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Hi. I might have seen this, but, if so, it has slipped from memory. Amazing that they filmed it on a shoestring budget.
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It really is. I hate to sound trite, but this film is proof that “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
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We watched and analyzed that movie in one of my earliest classes in film school 🙂 A truly odd and creepy piece of film making! And quite impressive for the time (and small set!) in which it was made.
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There’s a lot going on in this film, isn’t there? A lot of background, as well. I’d say some of the most insightful film writing I’ve ever read is about this film.
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I have this on Blu-ray and the 2K HD transfer print is pristine for a film 100 years old! The soundtrack is a bit too slow and sombre but the film is an atmospheric and visual gem as you rightfully point out.
I don’t know if you’ve seen it but in 1983 Richie Blackmore’s Rainbow replicated this film for their music video “Can’t Let You Go” and it matches the song very well:
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No way! I’ve got to see this music video.
It’s astonishing to think a 100 year-old film could transfer so well to Blu-ray. That is excellent news.
I have a confession: I can’t watch silent films with the sound On. I don’t know what it is with me, but I find the music too distracting.
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Did the video not imbed in my previous reply then?
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No… 😦 But I’ll check again when I’m on my laptop. It might just be my smartphone.
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Hope you like it when you get to see it. 🙂
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I just saw it – brilliant!
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Yay! Did you like the song too or…. ?
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Well, not the song itself so much, but I loved the set + dramatization.
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😦
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Such a fantastic film, even by today’s standards, and still the best of the Expressionist films:-)
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Oh yes. It’s a stunning film. I had to watch some scenes twice because I was too busy studying the sets.
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I watched this a few days ago 🙂 It’s so visually striking and I love the set design. I first started watching a version with German title cards and realised I’d better find an English one.
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The title cards are a work of art in themselves, arent they?
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Yes! Everything is so artistic.
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An amazing explanation, thanks.🌸
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Thanks! So much has been written about this film, and rightly so. It was a pioneer, and remains a legend for a reason. 🙂
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Perfect.🌺
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One of my first silent films and still a favorite. Expressionistic, nightmarish, and truly unique!
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It’s a work of art, really. Like you said, it’s truly unique.
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I love this film so much – so much that I decided to rewatch it last year on my birthday as a gift to myself! Indeed, the most horrifying thing in the movie is seeing the powerful taking advantage of the others, and thinking that someday we might be the powerless people being taken advantage of. Unfortunately, it was not uncommon for doctors to take patients away from clinics and turn them into circus or sideshow attractions.
Great review, as always.
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Thanks, Le! It’s horrifying to think about those patients who were removed from clinics and forced into circuses or sideshows. And it probably happened more often than we realize, sadly. Thanks for dropping by. 🙂
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Can’t remember much of its detail, but this silent piece is very good. I give it 4stars (out of four). Never knew about the ‘twenty square feet’ thing. Thanks for the insight. 🍸
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It’s fascinating to see what they were able to create in such a small studio, isnt it? Thanks for dropping by.
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