Very
influential horror film, released in
Germany in
1919. Directed by
Robert Wiene. Starred
Werner Krauss as the
sinister Dr. Caligari and
Conrad Veidt as
Cesare the
Somnambulist. An excellent example of both the
silent film and
German expressionism, the movie follows the
evil exploits of Dr. Caligari as he sends Cesare, a
sideshow dupe who has been kept in a
trance for years, on a number of
murderous rampages. He is, of course, opposed by
noble young heroes who wear too much
eye makeup (modern
goths have no idea how much they owe to
German expressionism). The
film ends with a
twist that grates on modern sensibilities, but was probably
state-of-the-art when it was filmed.
If you're a
film buff or a
horror fan, you should consider this to be
required viewing; German expressionism had a major
impact on both the language of
cinema and how we tell horror stories. The
cinematography is also a
treat -- the
surreal,
dreamlike
lighting and
set design are as much a part of the
story as the plot or the characters.