The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

:"Dr. Caligari", "Caligari", and "Doctor Caligari" all redirect here. For the 1989 film, see Dr. Caligari (film).

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The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (German: Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari) is a groundbreaking 1920 silent film directed by Robert Wiene. It stars Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Fehér, Lil Dagover and Hans Heinrich von Twardowski. The movie was written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. Producer Erich Pommer first asked Fritz Lang to direct this film but he was committed to other projects, so Pommer gave directorial duties to Robert Wiene.

Related Topics:
German - 1920 - Silent film - Robert Wiene - Werner Krauss - Conrad Veidt - Friedrich Fehér - Lil Dagover - Hans Heinrich von Twardowski - Hans Janowitz - Carl Mayer - Erich Pommer - Fritz Lang

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Critics worldwide have praised the film for its Expressionist style, complete with wild, distorted painted sets and harsh lighting. It also makes frequent use of mise en scène. The film's style is also an early example of what would later inspire the film noir genre, which had its early roots in Germany but was spread through immigration and displacement of German cinema artists before and during World War II.

Related Topics:
Expressionist - Mise en scène - Film noir - World War II

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The film tells the story of deranged the Doctor Caligari, and his faithful somnambulist Cesare. The story centers around Caligari and Cesare, and their connection to a string of murders in a German mountain village, Holstenwall. Friends Alan and Francis visit a carnival in the village where they see Dr. Caligari and Cesare, who Caligari is displaying as an attraction. Caligari brags that Cesare can answer any question he is asked. When Alan asks Cesare how long he has to live, Cesare tells Alan that he will die that night - prophesy which is fulfilled. Francis, along with his love interest Jane, investigate Caligari and Cesare which eventually leads to Jane's kidnapping by the somnambulist. Cesare fails to kill Jane after her beauty captivates him but he proceeds to carry Jane out of her house, leading the townsfolk on a lengthy chase. Cesare falls to his death during the pursuit leading the townsfolk to discover that Caligari had created a dummy of Cesare to distract Francis. A trip to the insane asylum along with a surprising twist at the close of the film help create one of the earliest modern horror films that would become models for directors for many decades (including Alfred Hitchcock). The film also presents one of the earliest examples of the dramatic "frame," in which the body of the plot is presented as a flashback story, told by Francis.

Related Topics:
Somnambulist - German - Alfred Hitchcock

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Caligari is one of the earliest modern horror films, symbolized by its dramatic acting, scenery, and music (mise en scène). Caligari is also the earliest achievements in the genre of German Expressionism. German expressionism subordinates a naturalistic scenic presentation to highly stylized composition and is often dotted with dark images, sharp contrasting figures, jagged geometry, and chiaroscuro. All of these artistic devices serve to express the despair felt in Germany after the First World War. Other German expressionist movies include Fritz Lang's Metropolis and F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu.

Related Topics:
Horror film - German Expressionism - Chiaroscuro - First World War - Fritz Lang - Metropolis - F.W. Murnau - Nosferatu

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