Film making is a form of art. Perhaps some of it's artistic merits have been lost over time after more and more filmmakers began copying each other. But back in it's infancy, many popular films were still experimenting and creating very diverse experiences for audiences. The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari was one of the first horror films and is also an expressionist piece of art.
The story follows a young man telling the tale of Dr.Caligari. A mad doctor who uses a sleepwalker to carry out murders. After the murder of his friend, Francis must now convince the local police that Caligari is responsible. But things aren't as they seem.
The first thing you may notice of this film is it's crazy set designs. Most of the backdrops are painted on to create strange shadows. Windows and architecture are all designed at strange angles. Everything has a surreal dreamlike look to it. Combine that with the fact that due to the time period of production, this is a silent film. All this comes together to give the film a very unique look and feel.
The version I just watched clocks in at just around 51 minutes (My tape box says 69. Okay.) Dr.Caligari isn't hard to sit through. It moves at a reasonable pace and doesn't wear out it's welcome. Throw in an interesting twist ending (I'm not sure if that was even normal at the time) and you have a movie that has aged pretty damn well for being made in 1920. I highly recommend it for those with an interest in actual art and the history of film.
Side Note: The VHS version of this looks absolutely abysmal. You wont here me say this often, but I'm watching this on DVD next time.
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