Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The (1919)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
This horror classic from director Robert Wiene is the perfect example of what German Expressionist is all about. In the film, the evil Dr. Caligari (Werner Krauss) has his somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) carry out his evil doings while all of Germany is in fear of who this murderous creature is. The "story" to this film really isn't all that important because there's no question that the real highlight here is the terrific visuals that are on the screen. Those who have never witnessed what would become known as German Expressionism should certainly seek this picture out as it contains all the atmosphere, surreal visuals and at times creepy images that you'd need. It goes without saying but after watching this film you can clearly see the influence it would have on countless filmmakers going forward and not just the ones in Germany. Clearly this was an influence on the likes of Fritz Lang and you can't help but watch something like M or METROPOLIS and think that Lang was clearly inspired by the visuals here. I think there are some very powerful moments scattered throughout the film but one of the greatest happens early on at the fair when Caligari presents his "zombie" to the crowd. Just take a look at the terrific white face with black eye as it's in the forefront of some beautiful background images. The look of this creature is quite chilling and just see how the director films it and how important the background images are in bringing out the look of the creature. Another terrific moment happens towards the end of the movie once Caligari is locked up. I won't ruin what exactly happens but it's quite a treat visually. I think the best way to describe the images is that it almost feels and seems as if you're having a bad nightmare that you can't wake up from. Just looking at each scene it really does feel as if the director took hours setting them up and that you had to do everything right the first time or else the image would be lost. The bizarre sets, terrific use of tinting and the dreamlike nature really make this stand out. Krauss and especially Veidt are very memorable in their roles and there's no question that their performances help push the atmosphere even more. THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI isn't a perfect film as some of its story has become even weaker over time and there's no doubt that the film needs the viewer to pay 100% attention. With that said, anyone with a pulse should certainly check this film out at least once to see where an entire format changed.
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
This horror classic from director Robert Wiene is the perfect example of what German Expressionist is all about. In the film, the evil Dr. Caligari (Werner Krauss) has his somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) carry out his evil doings while all of Germany is in fear of who this murderous creature is. The "story" to this film really isn't all that important because there's no question that the real highlight here is the terrific visuals that are on the screen. Those who have never witnessed what would become known as German Expressionism should certainly seek this picture out as it contains all the atmosphere, surreal visuals and at times creepy images that you'd need. It goes without saying but after watching this film you can clearly see the influence it would have on countless filmmakers going forward and not just the ones in Germany. Clearly this was an influence on the likes of Fritz Lang and you can't help but watch something like M or METROPOLIS and think that Lang was clearly inspired by the visuals here. I think there are some very powerful moments scattered throughout the film but one of the greatest happens early on at the fair when Caligari presents his "zombie" to the crowd. Just take a look at the terrific white face with black eye as it's in the forefront of some beautiful background images. The look of this creature is quite chilling and just see how the director films it and how important the background images are in bringing out the look of the creature. Another terrific moment happens towards the end of the movie once Caligari is locked up. I won't ruin what exactly happens but it's quite a treat visually. I think the best way to describe the images is that it almost feels and seems as if you're having a bad nightmare that you can't wake up from. Just looking at each scene it really does feel as if the director took hours setting them up and that you had to do everything right the first time or else the image would be lost. The bizarre sets, terrific use of tinting and the dreamlike nature really make this stand out. Krauss and especially Veidt are very memorable in their roles and there's no question that their performances help push the atmosphere even more. THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI isn't a perfect film as some of its story has become even weaker over time and there's no doubt that the film needs the viewer to pay 100% attention. With that said, anyone with a pulse should certainly check this film out at least once to see where an entire format changed.