countchocula
10-11-2002, 08:20 PM
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6305075492.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
MINOR SPOILERS
Rating a film that was made in 1919 is an arduous challenge. I’ll never know how I honestly feel about The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari because I didn’t view it in the appropriate decade. For me to be affected by this film as the filmmaker intended, I would have to travel back in time to absorb that particular era. Unfortunately, all silent films suffer from being drastically outdated, but does that dampen their quality? Certainly not! I’m a big fan of Nosferatu. It proved to me that not being able to utilize sound wasn’t necessarily a handicap. In the early 20th century, filmmakers had to rely on engrossing visuals to captivate an audience. Robert Weine definitely achieved this with Caligari. The film has a well-defined style that separates it from all other cinematic ventures, past and present. For one, it’s tinted in dark blue, purple, and yellow. These saturated colors are simply gorgeous and accentuate the film’s moody inclinations. As another visual treat, the sets are highly unique. Everything is tilted, skewed, and off-kilter. I like how the abstract background mirrors the psychosis of our villain, but at times, I was paying more attention to the lavish scenery than I was to the characters and the storyline. I still haven’t decided if that’s a strong point or an impediment. I needed to devote as much of my attention as humanly possible to the characters and their dilemmas to decipher the intricate “mindfuck” of a storyline! Yes, “mindfuck.” Caligari constantly misleads you into believing one thing, and then turns itself upside down. You soon begin to question what is reality and what are the delusions of our storyteller. I still haven’t discerned every plot twist, but I’m sure it will sink in eventually.
When measuring Caligari up to Nosferatu, I’m hard pressed to choose one over the other. The latter is much simpler in scope, but it’s just as effective, as it tinkers with many emotions ranging from loneliness to unconditional love. To me, the former isn’t as emotional as it is technical and aesthetic. There are many social and political undercurrents throughout the film and they’re presented with finesse. At first, I didn’t pick up on them, but after browsing through various reviews online, everything made perfect sense. Something that Caligari and Nosferatu do have in common is their tendency to play with shadows. Of course, with Nosferatu, I’m referring to the haunting staircase silhouette (although there were many other instances of clever shadow play within the film). Caligari employs chilling shadows during Alan’s death sequence. Cesare enters the bedroom, targets his victim, and attacks. We witness their struggle by way of shadows on the wall. While the violence is strictly implied (obviously), the tension skyrockets during this scene. Impressive stuff, I must say. And while this film definitely doesn’t cater to everyone’s tastes, this is essential viewing for the genre film connoisseur. It holds your interest for a solid hour, and manipulates your brain with a daring, elaborate capoff. Rent/buy this gem as soon as possible because...you’ll die at dawn!
My rating-4.5/5
MINOR SPOILERS
Rating a film that was made in 1919 is an arduous challenge. I’ll never know how I honestly feel about The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari because I didn’t view it in the appropriate decade. For me to be affected by this film as the filmmaker intended, I would have to travel back in time to absorb that particular era. Unfortunately, all silent films suffer from being drastically outdated, but does that dampen their quality? Certainly not! I’m a big fan of Nosferatu. It proved to me that not being able to utilize sound wasn’t necessarily a handicap. In the early 20th century, filmmakers had to rely on engrossing visuals to captivate an audience. Robert Weine definitely achieved this with Caligari. The film has a well-defined style that separates it from all other cinematic ventures, past and present. For one, it’s tinted in dark blue, purple, and yellow. These saturated colors are simply gorgeous and accentuate the film’s moody inclinations. As another visual treat, the sets are highly unique. Everything is tilted, skewed, and off-kilter. I like how the abstract background mirrors the psychosis of our villain, but at times, I was paying more attention to the lavish scenery than I was to the characters and the storyline. I still haven’t decided if that’s a strong point or an impediment. I needed to devote as much of my attention as humanly possible to the characters and their dilemmas to decipher the intricate “mindfuck” of a storyline! Yes, “mindfuck.” Caligari constantly misleads you into believing one thing, and then turns itself upside down. You soon begin to question what is reality and what are the delusions of our storyteller. I still haven’t discerned every plot twist, but I’m sure it will sink in eventually.
When measuring Caligari up to Nosferatu, I’m hard pressed to choose one over the other. The latter is much simpler in scope, but it’s just as effective, as it tinkers with many emotions ranging from loneliness to unconditional love. To me, the former isn’t as emotional as it is technical and aesthetic. There are many social and political undercurrents throughout the film and they’re presented with finesse. At first, I didn’t pick up on them, but after browsing through various reviews online, everything made perfect sense. Something that Caligari and Nosferatu do have in common is their tendency to play with shadows. Of course, with Nosferatu, I’m referring to the haunting staircase silhouette (although there were many other instances of clever shadow play within the film). Caligari employs chilling shadows during Alan’s death sequence. Cesare enters the bedroom, targets his victim, and attacks. We witness their struggle by way of shadows on the wall. While the violence is strictly implied (obviously), the tension skyrockets during this scene. Impressive stuff, I must say. And while this film definitely doesn’t cater to everyone’s tastes, this is essential viewing for the genre film connoisseur. It holds your interest for a solid hour, and manipulates your brain with a daring, elaborate capoff. Rent/buy this gem as soon as possible because...you’ll die at dawn!
My rating-4.5/5