Das Cabinet Des Dr Caligari

7/31/2019 Das Cabinet Des Dr Caligari

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Das Cabinet Des Dr Caligari

Das Cabinet Des Dr Caligari was created in post WWI Germany by Robert Wiene,

this film is a said to be one of the most influential horror films created. We step

into a surrealist world that reflects the trauma that occurred through the war.

The story is based around Dr Caligari who manipulates the somnabulist to killinnocent people, is quite a predictable story to begin with because everything

points to their involvement in the murders . Julia Merriam said,the shockingtwist ending is so predictable youre almost surprised they actually follow throughwith it.(Merriam,2008) . This idea is questionable, as a viewer you feelsurprised that the protagonist is locked up into a mental institute. You get that

feeling of the cliche story line of, it was all a dream. The protagonist seems to be

insane now making you wonder did the story really occur, or were we just in the

mind of a crazy person hallucinating .

The story line was interesting but it is noticeable that the execution was over

drawn with a lot of over acting, and exaggerated facial expressions that tried topush the story line along but in many ways slowed it down. Although some

critics disagree with this saying,The acting is almost overdone, but against theexaggerated backdrop, it seems almost natural.(Merriam,2008) This idea is

likely because in this world their behaviour seems normal for their world set

with no right angles.

Image1 Cesare (1920)

The world has a very surrealist feel like if we are stepping into an obscure

reality. Roger Ebert suggests that,the visual environment plays like a wildernessof blades; the effect is to deny the characters any place of safety or


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rest.(Ebert,2009)It is probable that Ebert is correct, because this town is unsafeand the sharp points in the landscape enhances the danger in the film.

A Predetermined atmosphere was created in this world because it seemed to be

a flat world that had a lot of three dimensional properties but its sketchy hand

drawn feel had predestined shadows like in the halls , it makes it feel like the

mood was already created before the characters stepped onto the scene. H.A.V

Bullied said the film is to recall mentally a series of futurist paintings come to life.

(Bullied,2012)The film supports this statement because it does feel like we are

slowly watching a fictional story being molded into reality, the flat landscape in

his story being a stage for the people in his sub-conscience to perform on.

Image2 Cesare and the damsel (1920)

I enjoyed the movie although it took a long time to come to the pinnacle point in

the film. But I think that when this was first viewed it would have been a great

cinematic experience because no one would have seen anything like this before.The story line was new and it paved the way for future films such as king kong

which used that iconic image of the monster carrying the maiden in distress

away.


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Bibliography

Bullied.H(2012)The Cabinet of Dr Caligari a Critical commentary. At:

http://www.silentsaregolden.com/hav%20bulleid/cabinetofdr.caligari.html

[Accessed on 17.10.12]

Ebert,R(2009)The Cabinet of Dr Caligari . At:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090603/REVIE

WS08/906039987/1023[Accessed on the 17.10.12]

Marriam,J(2008) The Cabinet of Dr Caligari.At:http://classic-

horror.com/reviews/cabinet_of_dr_caligari_1920[Accessed on the 17.10.12]

Images

Image 1 Cesare.(1920).From:The Cabinet of Dr Caligari.Directed by RobertWiene.[Film still]Germany. At:

http://jpkcinemaadventures.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/caligari-8.jpg

[Accessed on the 17.10.12]

Image 2. Cesare and the damsel .(1920).From:The Cabinet of Dr Caligari.Directed

by Robert Wiene.[Film still]Germany. At:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2iSoOgijqWE/TAPneY0n_6I/AAAAAAAAAaw/y1fJFv

9s7cQ/s400/caligari.jpg[Accessed on the 17.10.12]
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Das Cabinet Des Dr Caligari