The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari - (1920)

 

 

‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ is often called the first horror movie ever made, which is somewhat impossible to accurately claim, but if it isn’t, it’s certainly the first notable horror movie. It’s also called the first film to feature a twist ending, and one of the first and most famous German Expressionist films. And it's very easy to tell that director’s like Tim Burton are hugely influenced by it, either through it’s style or themes. But, all that technical stuff is irrelevant when you’re actually watching a movie, and is more interesting to read about. A movie with a lot of historical relevance could come across like a technical demo for the future rather than an actual form of entertainment.

 

Thankfully, ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ is still a really good movie, and one of the best of silent era. Germany was far and beyond the masters of the silent era, and because they were so ahead of their time, movies like this can still be watched by those with a love for horror movies and surreal style.

 

The story is told by a man named Francis, who retells his experience with a insane asylum director named Dr. Caligari who had the powers of hypnotism, and control over a being named Cesare. Caligari used Cesare to kill his enemies, but eventually Cesare falls in love with a woman, and that’s when things go wrong for the doctor.

 

The twist ending is that none of this actually happened. Francis is an insane asylum inmate who’s under the delusion that it’s all true. This ending was actually pushed by the studios; they said that the reality that so many people were killed was too dark, so they said it should be in Francis’ mind, and in the process, the cinematic twist was created.

 

The real strength of the movie are the visuals, which are mesmerizing to this day; it’s all severe, angular, and creepy. It remains the best looking silent movie, besides ‘Metropolis’ I suppose. The music is also very atmospheric and fits perfectly for the horror movie blueprint that this is.

 

Is this the best German Expressionist horror movie? No. That honor belongs chiefly with ‘Nosferatu’, but this is one of the best silent movies ever made, and as I said, if you’re a movie history buff, a horror enthusiast, or love silent movies, then it’s required you see this movie.

 

TRIVIA:

 

Most of the people who worked on the film escaped Germany during Hitler’s rise to power, although not Dr. Caligari himself, a very vocal supporter of the Nazi Party and its ideology. After the war he was banned from performing. Both him and female lead Lil Dagover (who also stayed in Germany (who made anti-Nazi films later in life) were named Actors of National Importance by Joseph Goebbels.

Ironically, Cesare's portrayer was Jewish. He escaped Germany and went to the United States.