Comments on: Film Chronology – The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) http://commentarytrack.com/2007/05/15/film-chronology-the-cabinet-of-dr-caligari-1920/ movie reviews, news and discussion Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:07:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nir Shalev http://commentarytrack.com/2007/05/15/film-chronology-the-cabinet-of-dr-caligari-1920/#comment-228 Nir Shalev Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:07:12 +0000 http://commentarytrack.com/2007/05/15/film-chronology-the-cabinet-of-dr-caligari-1920/#comment-228 What's strange is that the first time that I'd watched it, I thought that there was a unique ruse, that Caligari was the instrument of deceit and that the protagonist then got stuck in a asylum with no one believing that Caligari is the reason behind the somnambulist and the murders. A while later I understood the TRUE twist to the ending. I love this film a whole lot and place it with Kubrick's "The Shining" as the best horror films of all time. What’s strange is that the first time that I’d watched it, I thought that there was a unique ruse, that Caligari was the instrument of deceit and that the protagonist then got stuck in a asylum with no one believing that Caligari is the reason behind the somnambulist and the murders. A while later I understood the TRUE twist to the ending.
I love this film a whole lot and place it with Kubrick’s “The Shining” as the best horror films of all time.

]]> By: Helen http://commentarytrack.com/2007/05/15/film-chronology-the-cabinet-of-dr-caligari-1920/#comment-227 Helen Mon, 21 May 2007 13:03:18 +0000 http://commentarytrack.com/2007/05/15/film-chronology-the-cabinet-of-dr-caligari-1920/#comment-227 Caligari is deservedly one of the best known and most popular silent films for its visual aesthetic. It's so far out there that it remains startling and fresh, even after repeated viewings. It's the most extreme example of German Expressionism in film, a visual representation of post-war social madness. I have mixed feelings about the ending. I sympathize with the filmmakers who lost their original ending, since the twist does indeed compromise the social message they intended. On the other hand, the re-written ending is more satisfying for most audiences and made the film much more commercial. Caligari is deservedly one of the best known and most popular silent films for its visual aesthetic. It’s so far out there that it remains startling and fresh, even after repeated viewings. It’s the most extreme example of German Expressionism in film, a visual representation of post-war social madness.

I have mixed feelings about the ending. I sympathize with the filmmakers who lost their original ending, since the twist does indeed compromise the social message they intended. On the other hand, the re-written ending is more satisfying for most audiences and made the film much more commercial.

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