The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920, Robert Wiene)

While its influence is undeniable, Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is essentially a simple tale of mystery with nonstop surreal touches. I was a bit surprised to see that the film has a straightforward narrative. I guess I expected to see one of those surreal films that are hard to decode. Most of the innovations are related to the look of the production. Things like Art-Direction, costumes and camera angles have become a staple of what is known as German Expressionism. Some of its techniques have been absorbed by mainstream cinema so the style doesn’t carry the weight that it once did. But you can see the film’s presence everywhere – from the Universal horror films of the ’30s and ’40s, to recent films made by Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam, and many other filmmakers. The acting in the film is deliciously stilted, which is one of the things I love about silent films. It’s spooky too. Werner Kraussn – he plays the title character – is particularly creepy. Conrad Veidt plays Cesare. It reeks “college class of cinema,” but it is very entertaining.

~ by gelpi2008 on Sunday, July 5, 2009.