Francis, a young man, recalls in his memory the horrible experiences he and his fiancée Jane recently went through. Francis and his friend Alan visit The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, an exhibit where the mysterious doctor shows the somnambulist Cesare, and awakens him for some moments from his death-like sleep.
insane asylum black and white silent film unreliable narrator expressionism somnambulist megalomania madman somnambulism german expressionism ominous
Nate H. reviewed The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Review from the comment
I am no expert in early film, I'm not even really versed at all. But watching the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari I was made witness to what could be achieved with lighting and set pieces that these days would be akin to a high school play. However, these sets combined with the aforementioned lighting are the star of Caligari, adding a brooding atmosphere that is an antagonist in its own right when watching now.
However, Caligari does suffer from a lack of clarity throughout its short run, to the point that I had to double check online a few times to explain what was happening. That said, the ending was concrete and unexpected, perhaps one of the first twists in cinematic history. Put aside an hour and learn where movies have evolved from.
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