The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

• Year: 1920
• Released: 27 Feb 1920
• Country: Germany
• Adwords: 1 win & 1 nomination
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0010323/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_cabinet_of_dr_caligari
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-cabinet-of-dr-caligari
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: German
• MPA Rating: Not Rated
• Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
• Runtime: 67 min
• Writer: Carl Mayer, Hans Janowitz
• Director: Robert Wiene
• Cast: Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Feher
• Keywords: cult film, black and white, silent film, psychotronic, insane asylum,

	8.0/10
	99% – Critics
	89% – Audience

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Storyline

Francis, a young man, recalls in his memory the horrible experiences he and his fiancée Jane recently went through. It is the annual fair in Holstenwall. 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. When Alan asks Cesare about his future, Cesare answers that he will die before dawn. The next morning Alan is found dead. Francis suspects Cesare of being the murderer, and starts spying on him and Dr. Caligari. The following night Cesare is going to stab Jane in her bed, but softens when he sees the beautiful woman, and instead of committing another murder, he abducts her. Jane’s father awakens because of the noise, and he and some servants follow the fleeing Cesare. When Cesare cannot outrun his pursuers anymore, he gently places Jane down on the ground, and runs away. Francis and the police investigate the caravan of Dr. Caligari, but the doctor succeeds in slipping away. Francis pursues the fleeing Dr. Caligari, and sees him disappear into a madhouse. Francis enters the madhouse, where he is sure he will find the truth behind all these mysterious events.

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The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Movie Reviews

Twisted, Buckled & Demented…

With a story as twisted, buckled and demented as the scenery and set design, and a tortured score to boot, was the lunatic in charge of the asylum? Must have been a moment to remember coming across this cinematic marvel back in 1920. I wonder how many of today’s pieces of cinema will stand the test of 100 years, albeit with a lot more competition.

A visual delight

This film is a must-see for lovers of silent cinema and is the first great film of the horror genre. That does not mean it was the first. While among the earliest horror tales, I say it is the first “great” one because it is a full-length film and has excellent production values. In fact, in many ways it’s a wonderful film because it has such strange and over-the-top scenery representing the German Expressionist movement–with very surreal scenery and fantastic geometric designs. You just have to see it to believe it–it’s that weird and original, plus it really adds to the dream-like quality of the film. Also, it rises to the level of greatness due to the fact that the film is not just a horror film but goes much deeper. I have always felt that great sci-fi or horror always has this greater depth and is usually a metaphor for modern life.

The story is about the evil Dr. Caligari who is a traveling showman who uses his “somnambulist” (i.e., guy in a permanent sleepwalking state) to do his evil bidding. The account is given by a man who is trying to warn everyone about the doctor’s evil plans. But, what more plot there is I will leave up to you so as not to spoil it.

The only negative about the film at all is that it is a bit plodding here and there and the emotion is a little over-the-top even for the silent era. But, you also must understand that when the movie was being made in 1919-1920, this film STILL represented an improvement over the standard drama of the day and over-acting was more tolerable then than it is now.

A milestone of silent film and of Expressionism

As someone who appreciates silent film and films in the Expressionist style(think FW Murnau), I simply love The Cabinet of Dr Caligari. True, to some people the acting may seem exaggerated and some of the movements stilted. However I felt these added well to the paranoid and sometimes weird(in a wonderfully strange way) atmosphere and also to the titular character psychopathic state of mind. Werner Krauss is the epitome of creepiness as Caligari and Conrad Veidt also makes a memorable impression. The story is interesting, and Robert Wiene directs beautifully. But it is the way it was made that makes The Cabinet of Dr Caligari so unique and a milestone of its genre. The scenery is appropriately sumptuous and their lopsidedness added further to the atmosphere, while the camera work, sometimes deliberately odd, is the best aspect. In conclusion, a great film and a milestone. 10/10 Bethany Cox