After yesterday's foray into the weird and unusual, I decided to finally watch a film I had heard about and even studied a bit in college and yet had never watched in its entirety, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

The story centers on Francis who, along with his best friend Alan and sweetheart Jane, decides to go to the fair. What he finds there is a crazy Dr named Caligari who exhibits Cesare, the somnambulist (sleepwalker.) When Alan asks Cesare how long he has to live, he is told that he will die at dawn. Sure enough the young man is murdered and thus Francis and Jane decide to find the crazed murderer themselves. The plot is quite twisted and the ending will have you literally left in shock.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is one of the earliest horror films and it is filled with images of German Expressionism. Watching The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is, in many ways, like watching a nightmare. Jagged corners, abstract set design and a rather unattractive cast make watching this film a rather creepy experience.In fact when the ending is revealed it makes all the imagery seem totally appropriate.

Honestly, this is certainly not casual viewing. This film is probably better suited to the art house crowd or those with a taste for the avant-garde.

Labels: 31 days of film, Classics, Horror, Silent Films