ClassicHorror
05-01-2005, 09:27 PM
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: Expressionism At Its Best
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a film that has been looked at as a gem among the horror world. The film is without a doubt a landmark in the horror community, and its the film that started the first big controversy of horror. The film can be viewed at as a piece of art, as it is aviously shown through out the film. The film is filled with dazzling visuals of expressionism, and great dramatic pieces of theatrics at its best The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari's set is filled with the great paintings of expressionist expert Der Sturm, in World War I he was a pacifist parable on authoritarianism, in the film Cesare is the symbol of the people, and Caligari the symbol of the state, because it respresents the people murdering as unknown soldiers controlled by propaganda and tyranny,
and the state represented the tyranny of Caligari ordering Cesare to do his evil wishes.The films goal, and point is to give a political meaning to its viewers, and to make them
understand the great deal the film tried to reviel.
The lighting in The Cabinet of The Caligari has the best use in any film ever made, its perfect and it gives the film a very eerie tone, and style that you also see through F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu.
Robert Wiene has done a great job with the directing in this film, and this film alone should be a symbol of the greatness and meaningful craftmanship of the time. The film is heavily packed
with confusing, and chaotic visuals to help the viewer have an understanding of the situation and total structure of Cesare's character. The actor who plays Cesare The Somnambulist is
the groundbreaking theatrics of Conrad Viedt a man who was and always will be remembered for this specific role, which only consisted of spectacular makeup, and face remarks. Conrad Veidt gives
us one of the most enjoyable characters in any "misunderstood" villain films, Paul Wegner's role in The Golem (1920) and Boris Karloff's role in Frankenstein (1933) comes directly to mind.
The other person who is a highlight in this film is amazing Werner Krause who has apeared in countless other horror pictures. Werner krause gives us one of the most "visually creepy" moments in any film I've ever seen. His facial smirks, squints, and remarks are as insanely captive, as the film
itself, he does a wonderful job as playing Dr. Caligari the man who keeps Cesare away in a cabinet
to do work, and other ghastly jobs for him.
The whole point of the film was that, maybe you can take a tyrant down, but tyranny will ALWAYS come out on top as longer as it EXISTS, and therefore Calgari represents "the tyrant" through out
the body of the film, and by the end of the film....Caligari represents tyranny as a whole.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a film that has been looked at as a gem among the horror world. The film is without a doubt a landmark in the horror community, and its the film that started the first big controversy of horror. The film can be viewed at as a piece of art, as it is aviously shown through out the film. The film is filled with dazzling visuals of expressionism, and great dramatic pieces of theatrics at its best The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari's set is filled with the great paintings of expressionist expert Der Sturm, in World War I he was a pacifist parable on authoritarianism, in the film Cesare is the symbol of the people, and Caligari the symbol of the state, because it respresents the people murdering as unknown soldiers controlled by propaganda and tyranny,
and the state represented the tyranny of Caligari ordering Cesare to do his evil wishes.The films goal, and point is to give a political meaning to its viewers, and to make them
understand the great deal the film tried to reviel.
The lighting in The Cabinet of The Caligari has the best use in any film ever made, its perfect and it gives the film a very eerie tone, and style that you also see through F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu.
Robert Wiene has done a great job with the directing in this film, and this film alone should be a symbol of the greatness and meaningful craftmanship of the time. The film is heavily packed
with confusing, and chaotic visuals to help the viewer have an understanding of the situation and total structure of Cesare's character. The actor who plays Cesare The Somnambulist is
the groundbreaking theatrics of Conrad Viedt a man who was and always will be remembered for this specific role, which only consisted of spectacular makeup, and face remarks. Conrad Veidt gives
us one of the most enjoyable characters in any "misunderstood" villain films, Paul Wegner's role in The Golem (1920) and Boris Karloff's role in Frankenstein (1933) comes directly to mind.
The other person who is a highlight in this film is amazing Werner Krause who has apeared in countless other horror pictures. Werner krause gives us one of the most "visually creepy" moments in any film I've ever seen. His facial smirks, squints, and remarks are as insanely captive, as the film
itself, he does a wonderful job as playing Dr. Caligari the man who keeps Cesare away in a cabinet
to do work, and other ghastly jobs for him.
The whole point of the film was that, maybe you can take a tyrant down, but tyranny will ALWAYS come out on top as longer as it EXISTS, and therefore Calgari represents "the tyrant" through out
the body of the film, and by the end of the film....Caligari represents tyranny as a whole.