100 WORD FILM REVIEWS / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920): A

Image © Kino Lorber

During the winter of 1918/’19, two pacifists—one a disillusioned officer during WWI, the other feigning mental illness to avoid service—wrote what would become a gorgeously macabre movie whose influence can still be appreciated today. You can feel the hands that crafted the sets and painted the shadows of this singular, sloping world—it’s a testament to human creativity. With all The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari has to offer (murder, intrigue, suspense, inventive visuals), my favorite scene is when Caligari feeds Cesare. There’s just something oddly sweet about getting a glimpse of the unfortunate duo’s mundane, daily tasks.

 Michael Seymour Blake, Guest Contributor

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