After seeing the horror classic Nosferatu last year, I was curious about watching another classic that was often mentioned, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. A film from 1920 that stands out because the sets look very contrived, with sharp corners and spaces that look strange. A film that is therefore less realistic than other films of the time. The story itself is just as strange. It is about Caligari, who wants to show his “Somnabulist” at the local fair. A man, Cesare, who has been sleeping for 23 years. With his long body and sunken eyes, he has a striking appearance. Two friends, Francis and Alan, visit his presentation and when Caligari tells them that Cesare can answer any question, Alan asks when he will die. Cesare says that that will be the next morning, which ultimately turns out to be correct. Francis suspects Caligari or his Cesare of his death and tries to find out the truth.
Although this has been an influential film (it is seen by many as the first horror film because it showed the reality differently, working on the psyche), this title did not move me as much as Nosferatu did. I watched it with my complete attention, but I still had to read a bit about it afterwards to fully understand the story. Personally, I thought it lacked tension and I simply was not pulled into the story.
