Early silent. Typical of the “German Expressionism” and you soon see why: almost every set looks like a piece of artwork from that style.
Dr. Caligari has a traveling carnival show that people pay to see. He has a golum-like figure that predicts people’s deaths; then in subsequent days, they really do die.
But is it reality or fantasy? The surprise ending plays with your head. This kind of thing seems real– but if you believe it you are probably insane.
Critics are still arguing about the interpretation. Here is another one: If there were an elite that controls society and commits murders at will, perhaps using as agent a humanoid that is at as it were brought to life on demand, then this story could be their story, showing the program while also cutting off opposition in advance by insinuating that believing such a thing is tantamount to being insane. Then, the movie would be “revelation of the method.” We show you what we do to you, but if you try to do something about it we’ll make you a laughingstock.
This interpretation is an inversion of what the movie apparently presents; but this is itself self-consistent.
See it, and join the discussion.
There are a number of additional reasons to see it. 1. It is an early horror film and set the pattern for many subsequent ones by use of shadow, pantomime and plot deflection. 2. The (literal) art. 3. The somnabulist, Conrad Veidt, is like a ballet dancer in his smooth exploits. But here is the double-take: this is the man that played Major Strasser 22 years later! See if you believe it.
