The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919)
Posted on July 11, 2005
Filed Under Black and white, Classics, Creepy stuff
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is undoubtedly one of the finest films of the silent era, as well as standing out as a landmark in the development of cinema in general. Though it might appear a little rough around the edges for the general viewer looking for some quick frights, for those who are willing to persevere it offers up a stunning mixture of revolutionary design and style, genuinely gripping plot and pace and surreally beautiful performances from the leading actors.
The Expressionist style of Caligari is its chief legacy to cinema. The slanted houses and interiors, the obviously artificial backdrops and the creepily effective technique of blackening the eyes of the actors combine to induce a dream-like state in the viewer which surpasses the often natural spookiness of silent films and transports the mind completely to a confused state, which is central to the plot. The chase scenes are particularly effective in achieving this, as the pursuit of Caligari over a warped and alien landscape acts as a metaphor of the narrator’s personal descent into confusion and (perhaps) insanity. As the end approaches we are given some respite in the relatively comforting and familiar setting of the doctor’s study, where the details of his plots are unearthed. This proves fleeting though, and the plot takes a clever and unforeseen twist to leave things very much unresolved. Werner Krauss is chilling as Dr. Caligari, aided by a striking performance from Conrad Veidt as Cesare and both are instrumental in achieving the ramblingly demented flow of the film.
The political debate surrounding The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari often distracts from the fact that it is a bloody good film. From an artistic, aesthetic and cinematic perspective it stands out as a ‘must see’ movie but I would also add that in terms of entertainment it is not to be missed.
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