‘I must know everything. I must penetrate the heart of his secret! I must become Caligari…’
Until this film, my only previous experience with German Expressionism was Fritz Lang’s masterpiece Metropolis. While that is the defining text for the movement, there are many other films from the era worth exploring. Along with Metropolis and Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari makes up the third in the holy trilogy of German Expressionist masterpieces. And even over 100 years later, it’s easy to see why…
The small town of Halstenwall falls under the spell of a mysterious doctor (Werner Krauss) who exhibits an evil sleeping creation by day and then encourages his somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) to kill under the cover of darkness by nightfall. Recounting this story is Franzis (Freidrich Feher) – a young man caught up in the mayhem.
Released almost seven years before Metropolis, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari is just as imaginative and visually striking as that film. Robert Wiene’s timeless masterpiece utilises colour and shade, costume and set design, in a way that is incredible to look back upon now. Whilst Charlie Chaplin was doing incredible things across the pond, there can be no doubt that the German Expressionist masterpieces of the era were running Chaplin close, and would almost certainly go on to influence some of Chaplin’s later work. Indeed, the influence of Dr Caligari’s cabinet can be seen everywhere from The Babadook, to The Matrix, to The League of Gentlemen. This is filmmaking at its most ingenious.
For a long time, before I had delved into the murky waters of silent cinema, I assumed many of the silent films from ’20s and 30’s would be too challenging and academic. If anyone reading this feels the same, I would urge you to look beyond those lazy stereotypes and try them for yourself. The Cabinet of Dr Caligari would be a great starting point for those looking for a way into German Expressionism.