The story
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is about Francis and his friend Alan meeting a man named Caligari. Caligari shows off Cesare who can see the future and predicts that Alan will die. When this comes true, Cesare is suspected to have killed Alan for foretelling his death. The story then goes into whether he murdered Alan.Throughout the film they use expressionism with a bit of realism to tell the story. The story is strongly taken after WW1 with the fear, depression, and uncertainty for its inspiration. The perspective we are given is by a patient of an asylum. His worldview is distorted and dark thus we see this. By using dark colors and harsh makeup to accentuate their expressions and the use of shapes and small places to make it feel claustrophobic. This is seen in scenes by cutting the room in half and having different levels to depict depth in a weird way that is off putting.
The title cards are what gives us the dialogs in this silent film, but the music is what sets the tone for each scene. It flows with the movie well by increasing in scenes of stress. By the end of the movie, it shows the change in atmosphere caused by the environment becoming more fixed to reality with even shapes and normal proportions. Followed by brighter colors of yellow. The plot twist at the end closes the story by answering the question at the beginning of the movie.
Study Questions
- 1 & 2. How does the film tell its story?
It tells its story through the viewpoint of a man in an insane asylum.
- 3. What conventions of cinematic storytelling does it use?
The frame story tells a flashback of what Francis' perception of reality is and expressionist architecture shows distortion all throughout the film.
- 4 & 5. Explain the final "plot twist." and cinematic storytelling?
It was all a delusion that Francis had. They are inmates in an asylum and Dr. Caligari was the director. This is shown throughout the film's designs that show unproportional rooms, weirdly shaped windows, and old hallways. This shows the distortion/insanity of Francis.
It tells its story through the viewpoint of a man in an insane asylum.
- 3. What conventions of cinematic storytelling does it use?
The frame story tells a flashback of what Francis' perception of reality is and expressionist architecture shows distortion all throughout the film.
- 4 & 5. Explain the final "plot twist." and cinematic storytelling?
It was all a delusion that Francis had. They are inmates in an asylum and Dr. Caligari was the director. This is shown throughout the film's designs that show unproportional rooms, weirdly shaped windows, and old hallways. This shows the distortion/insanity of Francis.
- 6 & 7. Early designs showed the creativity of early filmmaking and storytelling using surreal design.
They did not have CGI, so the best was structuring the set to tell a story through action.
They did not have CGI, so the best was structuring the set to tell a story through action.
- 8. How do the answers to questions 6 and 7 move us to contemplate the cultural relevance of this film?
The cultural relevance of this film is inspired by the post WW1 era in Germany.
The cultural relevance of this film is inspired by the post WW1 era in Germany.
- 9. If you had to think about a more modern, 20th century film with traces to Caligari, what would they be? Why?
Movies inspired by Caligari are Tim Burton Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, and Corpse Bride. Because of the use of dark tones, funny/dark humor, and deeper meaning in the film
Movies inspired by Caligari are Tim Burton Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, and Corpse Bride. Because of the use of dark tones, funny/dark humor, and deeper meaning in the film
- 10. How do questions about the reliability of a narrator suggest meanings, cultural relevance, and the nature of film?
It makes the viewer think of what the narrator is really trying to say in their film. It can help a viewer better understand or completely confuse them to make them second guess their understanding for a better conclusion on their part.
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