The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

I was really confused the entire time. Had to get someone to explain it to me. But it wasnt THATTT bad. Very creative for the 20s in my opinion. 5/10

🫎🫎🫎🫎1/2

When ethan and I watched it we couldn’t believe how good this movie was for being so old

The story was actually enticing. The setting looked straight out of a tim Burton film

What an iconic film! Great acting and great plot twist!

5/3/26

Rating: 8.9/10 ⭐️

I expected a dusty old relic, but the wild, nightmare-like set design totally caught me off guard.

What Worked:
Painting shadows and harsh lines directly onto canvas sets gives the framing a claustrophobic vibe I absolutely loved. Projecting Cesare’s shadow during the attack was a brilliant blocking choice. Through my Methodist faith lens, seeing characters blindly obey deranged authority is a dark reminder to question worldly power and lean into grace.

The Cuts:
The early part really dragged for me before we actually get to the creepy somnambulist stuff. Because the camera is mostly locked off, transitions feel stiff, making it play more like a stage show. Keeping it spoiler-free, reading through massive chunks of text on dense title cards completely breaks the visual momentum right when suspense peaks.

Verdict:
A trippy nightmare that basically invented arthouse horror. A must-watch, but skip if you hate slow, silent-era pacing.

Favorite Line: “How long shall I live?”...”Until dawn tomorrow.”

🫎🫎🫎🫎1/2

When ethan and I watched it we couldn’t believe how good this movie was for being so old

The story was actually enticing. The setting looked straight out of a tim Burton film