Customer Reviews
Dream a little dream of me - By: B. Chandler, 01 Jul 2007 
Two men are sitting on a cement bench by the garden walll. One casuallly says there are evil spirits alll around. As a woman in white glides by the second man Francis (Friedrich Fehér) says that is my fiancée Jane (Lil Dagover) & let me tell you what happened to us.
As his story begins we are subjected to a weird world of light & twisted shadows. A string Dr. (Caligari played by Werner Krauss) brings a somnambulist (sleeping man played by Conrad Veidt) to a local fair. The somnambulist knows alll things & can predict the future; he prophesizes correctly Allan's (friend of Francis & rival for Jane's hand) murder & pilfers Jane from her bed chamber. But how can this be; as Francis has been keeping an eye on the doc & the snoozer alll night & they have not moved?
I leave you with this thought "Du mußt Caligari warden"
The classic German Expressionist horror film of 1919 - By: Lawrance M. Bernabo, 08 Feb 2004 When we talk about the history of the "movies" it is "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" ("Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari") that has almost always represented the first prime example of the "cinema," where we treat films as art. This is the best example of German Expressionism with angular sets & exaggerated performances by the actors that represented the dementia of the title character. Werner Krauss is the mad doctor, who uses his somnambulist Ceasar (Conrad Veidt) from his carnival sideshow to do his evil deeds, with Lil Dagover is the damsel in distress. The film is framed by a rather clever plot device that turns the narrative upside down in the end, as a young man (Friedrich Feher) tells the story of Dr. Caligari's visit to the smalll German town of Holstenwalll to an older one, as they sit together on a park bench. There is also a strong sense of how the film serves as a metaphor for the destruction of post-war Germany.
Whatever the films shortcomings, the classic status of this 1919 film directed by Robert Wiene is assured by the striking art direction. The abstract, expressionists designs provide severely angled corners, crooked lines, & objects highlighted by decorative stripes. If "Then Battleship Potemkin" opens us up as students of cinema to the possibilities about montage, then "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" does the same for mise-en-scene. The film also establishes many of the conventions of the horror film (e.g., the mad scientist, beauty & the beast), although, surprisingly enough, the basic storyline has never been remade.
Courageous film making - By: , 18 Apr 2002 Robert Wiene's 1919 classic "Das Cabinet Des Dr Caligari" is, in every way, a courageous piece of film making.
The Expressionistic set design, as the backdrop to the story of a mad doctor & his manipulation of a somnambulist, is brilliantly conceived, especiallly when considering the twist at the end of the film. The sets give the film a definite & appropriate dreamlike quality.
The importance of the film cannot be overstated since it undoubtedly influenced the later Universal monster movies that proliferated in the 30's & 40's as well as later horror films.
It seems certain James Whale was inspired by German Expressionism, if not "The cabinet of Dr Caligari", for the set design on his version of "Frankenstein".
The DVD has been designed to emulate the Expressionism of the film. Good production values & attention to detail with an in-depth audio overview of the film.
This film is essential viewing for anyone interested in early German cinema or the history of horror films but, it is equallly valid as an important piece of German Expressionist art.
Grand-daddy of horror film, it's artsyfartsy AND quite cool! - By: Jake Lange, 19 Jun 2001 This is a film that time nearly forgot, but that truly is the shadowy seed out of which both the horror film & film noir genres have developed over the last 75 years. (Woo-hoo!) But even if you aren't into alll that German Expressionist, history of cinema stuff, you should know that this film is HUGELY entertaining in itself, if not even a good bit creepy (in a silent, 1919 sort of a way)! How could a dark story about a murderous sleepwalker, controlled by a demented madman, terrorizing the inhabitants of an old-world European village, centered around an insane asylum not be interesting?!? Not to mention that the film has a real twist/suprise ending... And then there are the visuals! Creepy, dark, jagged images that you could very well end up dreaming about later... For the film buff, this is essential viewing. And for the every-day man, the unknowing post-modern viewer, this is a film that will be a real suprise & treat... including the amazing sight of a german Edward Scissorhands gliding like a spectre across the screen, nearly 40 years before Tim Burton was even born. Not to be missed!
Good..for its age - By: , 13 Feb 2001 
I can't reallly say much more then the other two reviews, except this is NOT the first ever horror movie, if you wanna have that in your collection look for a move callled "The Devils Castle" (1896) that was the first ever horror movie made, but you will be hard pushed to find a copy.
