Synopsis: Dr. Caligari and Cesare, a somnambulist under his control, come into town as a sideshow act; at the same time, a series of unsolved murders occur. Can Francis find out what’s going on before it’s too late for him and his fiancee, Jane?
Year/Country: 1920, Germany
Subgenres: Mind Control, Silent Film, Twist Ending
Reason for watching: It’s a classic and I’ve never seen it before. It’s in the public domain in the US: available to watch on Netflix and Google Video.
Highlights:The set was awesome. Love the super expressionistic acting. Also loved the theatrical feel of the whole thing.
Lowlights: The font on the title cards was hard to read at times. The tight shots were a little bizarre.
Rewatchabilty: Definitely rewatchable at least for its aesthetic value.
Overall review: I have not watched a lot of silent films and I certainly haven’t watched one in a long time. Perhaps because of this, I found the best part of this film the over the top acting and just the beauty of it. The plot wasn’t bad but it wasn’t particularly my cup of tea. Nevertheless, a good film.
