The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Starring:Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Feher, Lil Dagover, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Rudolf Lettinger, Hans Lanser-Rudolf, Elsa Wagner, Ludwig Rex, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Henri Peters-Arnolds
Director: Robert Wiene
Studio: Delta
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
A milestone of the silent film era and one of the first "art films" to gain international acclaim, this eerie German classic from 1919 remains the most prominent example of German expressionism in the emerging art of the cinema. Stylistically, the look of the film's painted sets--distorted perspectives, sharp angles, twisted architecture--was designed to reflect (or express) the splintered psychology of its title character, a sinister figure who uses a lanky somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) as a circus attraction. But when Caligari and his sleepwalker are suspected of murder, their novelty act is surrounded by more supernatural implications. With its mad-doctor scenario, striking visuals, and a haunting, zombie-like character at its center, Caligari was one of the first horror films to reach an international audience, sending shock waves through artistic circles and serving as a strong influence on the classic horror films of the 1920s, '30s, and beyond. It's a museum piece today, of interest more for its historical importance, but Caligari still casts a considerable spell. --Jeff Shannon
Description
As one of the first horror films to gain international praise, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, renowned for its highly-stylized, fantastic sets and even more bizarre performances, tells the twisted tale of a gangly sleepwalker named Cesare under the spell of the sinister and mysterious Dr. Caligari. The look of the film expresses the inner feelings of a charactera novel concept in the early era of cinema, but one that is widely used today. Collectible poster included

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Remix)
Average customer rating:

Definitely Worth A Look.

David Lee Fisher's stunning "remix" of the classic silent horror film

Exceptional

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Remix)
Starring: Judson Pearce Morgan , Daamen J. Krall , Doug Jones , Lauren Birkell , and Neil Hopkins
Director: David Lee Fisher
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

ASIN: B000O77LWE
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Description

Follow a new twist in the warped road of delirium in this "remix" of silent film era classic! Writer and director David Lee Fisher scanned the original backgrounds of the 1919 German Expressionist classic and put speaking actors into the mix, including Doug Jones (Pan's Labyrinth, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) as somnambulist Cesare, breathing new life into the work known as the world's first horror movie. Find out why this intriguing new take on an unforgettable psychological thriller is a not-to-be-missed innovation in filmic storytelling!

Customer Reviews:

Definitely Worth A Look........2007-06-21

I must say that I was intruiged to say the least by the idea of a "re-mix" of THE CABINET OF DR CALIGARI using the original sets and adding new actors and sound. It reminded me of Giorgio Moroder's 1984 update of METROPOLIS which used color tints, subtitles and a pop/rock score. Thanks to today's digital technology writer/director David Lee Fisher was able to film his actors entirely on a greenscreen set and then add the original 1919 CALIGARI backgrounds in a mostly seamless effort although occasionally you can see their outlines in some scenes. He wrote his own dialogue which embellishes the text of the original titlecards and is greatly aided by an effective, creepy score from Eban Schletter. The major performers give appropriately stylized performances with Doug Jones (PAN'S LABYRINTH) an absolute standout as Cesare the somnambulist. Conrad Veidt (the original Cesare) would be very pleased by his use of body language something missing from most of the other actors. The black and white cinematography is in keeping with the original although the contrast has been heightened to such a degree that overall effect reminded me of the recent film SIN CITY which was also shot against a greenscreen. The problem with this version is that it enhances the original a little too much by trying to turn it into a film noir. The original CALIGARI was not intended as entertainment. It was a deliberately stylized art film with a definite message that through the passage of time has become a classic in spite of itself. This version, while definitely worth a look, is unlikely to please most contemporary viewers especially those who don't know the 1919 film. For though it has the look of a graphic novel like SIN CITY or 300, it lacks the considerable action of those two films and although it's only 76 minutes long it moves very slowly (just as it did in 1919). My hat is off to David Lee Fisher. He took a movie he loved and paid it as good a homage as possible and may have even opened up whole new vistas for silent film restoration with the techniques he uses. Unfortunately his makeover of CALIGARI loses steam before the end and is likely to lose audience interest as well.

David Lee Fisher's stunning "remix" of the classic silent horror film.......2007-06-08

"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" is considered to be the first great horror film, but I also think that the 1919 silent film from Germany is the first prime example of "cinema," by which I mean simply treating movies as art. With its angular sets and the exaggerated performances by the actors representing the dementia of the title character, director Robert Wiene's film is clearly the best example of German Expressionism with its abstract, expressionists designs provide severely angled corners, crooked lines, and objects highlighted by decorative stripes. If "Battleship Potemkin" opens us up as students of cinema to the possibilities about montage, then "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" does the same for mise-en-scene. The film also establishes many of the conventions of the horror film (e.g., the mad scientist, beauty and the beast), and when I reviewed it I commented that I was surprised the basic storyline had never been remade.

After watching "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Remix)" that statement is still true, because as the parenthetical part of the title points out this particular movie is a "remix" and not a "remake." This appellation applies because what director David Lee Fisher did was to shoot his actors against a green screen so that he could use digital scans of the original sets from the 1919 film. Then he added dialogue and sound to effectively bring the original silent film to life. Shot in black & white, Fisher's cast eerily resemble their counterparts in the original and I found myself thinking not how a 21st century audience would respond to this film, but what it would have done to one almost a century ago.

Of course the story is exactly the same in Fisher's remix: Daamen J. Krall is the mad doctor, who uses his somnambulist Cesare (Doug Jones, best known for last year's "El Laberinto del fauno") from his carnival sideshow to so his evil deeds, with Lauren Birkell as the damsel in distress. The film is framed by a rather clever plot device that turns the narrative upside down in the end, as a young man (Neil Hopkins) tells the story of Dr. Caligari's visit to the small German town of Holstenwall to an older one, as they sit together on a park bench. The cast also features Judson Pearce Morgan, William Gregory Lee, Richard Herd, and Tim Russ. There is a concerted effort to act in the style appropriate to the time of the original, albeit with much more physical restraint than was required in the silent era. The results are certainly uneven, but consistent with the atmosphere of the production, which is a fancy of way of saying on balance it works well within the framework of Fisher's remix.

The only thing you can really compare this 2005 film to would be Gus Van Sant's shot-for-shot remake of "Psycho" in 1998, which is not fair because you do not even need to see both films to know who comes out ahead: Fisher wins as soon as you hear the two concepts, because while also following the original shot-for-shot he has added a significant new dimension with sound and dialogue. The original music by Eban Schletter deserves special mention because after the incorporation of the original backgrounds I thought the music was the most important element in making this remix work.

If you have not seen the original, then I doubt that checking out this remix is going to be worth the effort because you it is pretty difficult to appreciate an homage without knowing the homagee. But that does not mean you should go out and view them back-to-back. I did that with "La Femme Nikita" and "Point of No Return," which was a mistake. You need to fully come to terms with the original before you see a different version. In the end I was tempted not to round up on this remix for two reasons: the first was simply that the original is a classic and as much as I admired this effort it is not on the same level as the classic. The second reason was that I felt a bit short changed by the extras on the DVD since this time I really did want to know a lot more about how they did it.. However, the bottom line is that Fisher took a big risk with this remix idea and he carried it off big time, so I have to round up.

Exceptional.......2007-06-05

So I know what you're all thinking: Another remake of a classic horror film? Haven't there been enough already and can't we stop butchering other people's work? I was dubious too. But here's the catch: This isn't a remake. It's a remix. A small but crucial difference which sets this new version of the Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari apart from the crowd. Simply put, the film acts as an homage to everything that fans loved about the original (wall to wall German expressionism and a wonderfully grim atmosphere that practically oozes off the screen) while injecting it with a healthy dose of modern technology that makes the film accessible to a larger audience. It's got the same oddly macabre story, the same script (with a little dialogue added to fill in the blanks)the same spectacular sets and backgrounds and uncanny imitations of the original costumes. Shot for shot, the film is almost identical to the original. But what truly makes this special, more than just another gimmick, is Caligari himself. Damon Krall's performance manages to capture the silent movie persona of the original Caligari actor while at the same time *gasp* speaking. He's got a wonderful presence and the kind of speaking voice you'd imagine the original Caligari actor having; somewhere between Vincent Price and Orson Welles. But enough said, see the movie and decide for yourself.

Average customer rating:

creepy, cool
How diabolical can a woman be???
Dream a little dream of me
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
One of the most frightening movies of all time, and that's what matters

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Starring: Werner Krauss , Conrad Veidt , Friedrich Feher , Lil Dagover , and Hans Heinrich von Twardowski
Director: Robert Wiene
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Nosferatu
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The Golem
The Birth of a Nation

ASIN: 6305075492
Release Date: 1997-10-15

Amazon.com

A milestone of the silent film era and one of the first "art films" to gain international acclaim, this eerie German classic from 1919 remains the most prominent example of German expressionism in the emerging art of the cinema. Stylistically, the look of the film's painted sets--distorted perspectives, sharp angles, twisted architecture--was designed to reflect (or express) the splintered psychology of its title character, a sinister figure who uses a lanky somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) as a circus attraction. But when Caligari and his sleepwalker are suspected of murder, their novelty act is surrounded by more supernatural implications. With its mad-doctor scenario, striking visuals, and a haunting, zombie-like character at its center, Caligari was one of the first horror films to reach an international audience, sending shock waves through artistic circles and serving as a strong influence on the classic horror films of the 1920s, '30s, and beyond. It's a museum piece today, of interest more for its historical importance, but Caligari still casts a considerable spell. --Jeff Shannon

Description

This milestone film, known for its expressionistic sets and techniques, tells the strange tale of a sleepwalker under the spell of the mysterious and evil Dr. Caligari.

Customer Reviews:

creepy, cool.......2007-07-03

I've been getting into these old suspense/horror/sci-fi films lately, and this has got to be one of the better ones. The plot is cool and mysterious, and the twisted sets in which the story takes place give it a strange, surrealistic feel. Anyone interested in silent films has got to check this one out.

How diabolical can a woman be???.......2007-07-01

Dr. Caligari presents the viewer with a frightening vision of the world through the lens of German Expressionism.

I cannot recommend this film highly enough. It's truly fascinating. And, it really (really) is an art film, since it purposefully and strikingly exhibits the new art of the German inter-war milieu. So, be prepared for an other-worldly excursion into the "total work of art," or Gesamtkunstwerk, of this monumental and influential film.

This film is best seen at night, alone, and with the modern soundtrack which is available on the fully restored version. If the DVD you're watching does not have (a) choice of two soundtracks (traditional music and much-scarier modern track), (b) tinted inter-titles set in a surrealistic (actually expressionistic) font, and (3) is fairly high quality, then send it back and get the restored version. The quality and completeness of silent films are a major factor in experiencing the art form as it was meant to be experienced. The modern sound track in Dr. Caligari makes the film much more accessible for modern audiences (the eerie effects in the modern track heighten the feel of the film for the modern viewer) - try both tracks, you'll see.

It's surprising how frightening and impactful this film can be. You will have dreams about it, I promise. These between-the-wars German films are riddled with creepy foreshadowing for us in the present, who know what was about to happen in Germany.

Anyway, I think the film is best viewed with NO NOTICE. You don't really want to know the plot (the meaning of the end of the film can be interpreted in radically different ways - keep that in mind when it happens). Only one note - artistically the German Expressionist movement is worth reading about after you see the film - you'll notice the theme of "death and the maiden" woven into this artwork. Also, this film is the direct ancestor of films like "Nightmare Before Christmas" and a lot more - you'll recognize the Expressionist look in many presentations in television and film.

WARNING - I would NOT show this film to children. It's very subtly and psychologically undermining - you'll be thinking and freaking about this thing for months to come - such a thing shouldn't be experienced by children - it's an adult, art film (no, not that kind) made for adults.

Dream a little dream of me.......2007-07-01

Two men are sitting on a cement bench by the garden wall. One casually says there are evil spirits all around. As a woman in white glides by the second man Francis (Friedrich Fehér) says that is my fiancée Jane (Lil Dagover) and let me tell you what happened to us.

As his story begins we are subjected to a weird world of light and twisted shadows. A string Dr. (Caligari played by Werner Krauss) brings a somnambulist (sleeping man played by Conrad Veidt) to a local fair. The somnambulist knows all things and can predict the future; he prophesizes correctly Allan's (friend of Francis and rival for Jane's hand) murder and pilfers Jane from her bed chamber. But how can this be; as Francis has been keeping an eye on the doc and the snoozer all night and they have not moved?

I leave you with this thought "Du mußt Caligari warden"

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.......2007-06-20

One of the finest achievements of the silent era and in some ways an allegory of Weimar Germany's decadent demise, Wiene's "Caligari" is an eerie, heavily stylized horror film. With its distorted angles, chiaroscuro lighting, and jarring German expressionist sets, the film is a striking precursor not only to Lang's "Metropolis," but to the look and atmospheric feel of 1940s American noir. And its tale of a crazed doctor and his zombie-like proxy introduced a basic template for many later horror features. Still creepy and lurid after eighty-five years, "Caligari" will cast a spell on you.

One of the most frightening movies of all time, and that's what matters.......2007-03-26

I don't want to go for a long, involved review here, both because others here have already done the job and because much of the movie's appeal lies in just watching it. Show, don't tell. That said, I must respond to the Amazon reviewer's off-handed condemnation of the film as a museum piece. On the contrary! It'll make you shudder, if anything can. Artistic interest aside, one really should remember that at the moment of "Caligari"'s conception cinema Expressionism was in its infancy. It practically began with this. The movie was, at the time, a bold attempt at creating something new AND that new thing was meant to be a horror film. "Caligari" was meant to terrify with visuals and atmosphere. More than some "statement," it remains a little world unto itself, hinting at something horrid, short, venal, coherent of purpose. Let's be creeped out and not miss the forest for the trees.

Average customer rating:

creepy, cool
How diabolical can a woman be???
Dream a little dream of me
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
One of the most frightening movies of all time, and that's what matters

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ASIN: B00006JMQG
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

creepy, cool.......2007-07-03

How diabolical can a woman be???.......2007-07-01

Dream a little dream of me.......2007-07-01

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.......2007-06-20

One of the most frightening movies of all time, and that's what matters.......2007-03-26

Average customer rating:

creepy, cool
How diabolical can a woman be???
Dream a little dream of me
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
One of the most frightening movies of all time, and that's what matters

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ASIN: B0001EFTV0
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Amazon.com

Description

As one of the first horror films to gain international praise, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, renowned for its highly-stylized, fantastic sets and even more bizarre performances, tells the twisted tale of a gangly sleepwalker named Cesare under the spell of the sinister and mysterious Dr. Caligari. The look of the film expresses the inner feelings of a character—a novel concept in the early era of cinema, but one that is widely used today. Collectible poster included

Customer Reviews:

creepy, cool.......2007-07-03

How diabolical can a woman be???.......2007-07-01

Dream a little dream of me.......2007-07-01

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.......2007-06-20

One of the most frightening movies of all time, and that's what matters.......2007-03-26

German Horror Classics (Nosferatu (1922) / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari / Waxworks / The Golem)

Average customer rating:

Great collection of German silent classics
Awesome for those who get it!
German silent horror masterpieces in definitive prints
Landmarks in film history
The Height of Silent-Era German Expressionism

German Horror Classics (Nosferatu (1922) / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari / Waxworks / The Golem)
Starring: German Horror Classics
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Metropolis (Restored Authorized Edition)
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M - Criterion Collection (Special Edition)
Faust
Destiny (1921) aka Der müde Tod

ASIN: B00006JMQJ
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Customer Reviews:

Great collection of German silent classics.......2007-06-19

F.W. Murnau's interpretation of Dracula, "Nosferatu", is a visually powerful film and perhaps the eeriest of all of the cinematic versions of the tale. In Max Schreck Murnau seems to have found an actor who was born to play the role of vampire Count Orlok. This combined with the vision of Murnau produces several unforgettable scenes in a tale most people already know very well - Orlok walking through Hutter's bedroom door, Orlok rising from his coffin on board the ship, and the shadow of Orlok walking up the stairway to Ellen's bedroom door, just to name a few.
Extra features on the "Nosferatu" disk include:
1. a still photo and promotional materials gallery (18 images)
2. More than 30 minutes of excerpts from the Murnau films "Journey into the Night" (1920), "The Haunted Castle" (1921), "Phantom" (1922), "The Last Laugh" (1924), "Faust" (1926) and "Tabu" (1931).
3. Scene comparisons between the Stoker novel, the script, and the film itself.
4. An excerpt from a 1938 Orson Welles radio performance.

"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" has a man, Francis, sitting in a garden reciting a tale of horror to another man involving a mad doctor, Dr. Caligari, and his sleepwalker, Cesare, who supposedly has the ability to tell fortunes that turns into a tale of murder. At the conclusion of the tale, though, you realize some things that make you doubt whether the tale as it was told is the truth at all. The story is very Hitchcock-like in its open-ended meaning, and the art design looks like it had a heavy influence on Tim Burton, with its oddly angled and decorated doors and hallways.
Extra features include:
1. a 44-minute condensation of Caligari director Robert Wiene's "Genuine" (1920) which represents nearly all of the surviving footage.
2. a sketch, photo and posters gallery (40 images, not counting detail closeups)
3. clips of Wiene on the set of I.N.R.I. (1923) (3 minutes)
4. excerpts from a German language print showing the calligraphic artwork of a few of the original intertitles (7 minutes).

"The Golem" lays the cinematic groundwork for the 1931 motion picture version of "Frankenstein" . In character design, wardrobe, and interaction with its creator and the world around it, the two monsters do resemble one another. In this case, "The Golem", is a monster created from clay and magic rather than from spare body parts and science, and the monster's creator is a Rabbi. I think I was more shocked to see a Rabbi portrayed as someone who openly dabbled in the black arts and astrology than anything else the film offered. The Rabbi is even shown conjuring up a "god" - Asteroth - and forcing him to produce the life-giving word to bring "The Golem" to life. If this is how Germans perceived the practice of the Jewish religion in 1920, fifteen years before the Holocaust began, it might explain a great deal, but nothing about this aspect of the film is mentioned in the extra features.
The extra features include:
1. an excerpt from a rough 1937 American print of Julien Duvivier's Le Golem (1936) [6 minutes]
2. a comparison of creation sequences from diverse sources such as Wegener's The Golem (1920), the Chayim Bloch book The Golem (1925) and F.W. Murnau's Faust (1926)
3. a gallery of stills, illustrations and promotional materials [15 images].

"Waxworks" is really more of a fantasy tale than a horror story. It has a young man applying for a job in a wax museum with the task of writing stories to accompany each of the exhibits. This allows the film to be turned into a series of rather imaginative short stories in various exotic settings.
The extra features for this film are Paul Leni's experimental short film Rebus-film No. 1 (1926), and an excerpt from The Thief of Bagdad (1924).

The prints are all good quality and the accompanying scores really fit the mood of the individual films. This set is probably a good place to start exploring German silent film. My only real complaint was a lack of a commentary track on the films. Certainly, don't fall for the budget releases that are available for some of these films. They are usually incomplete and certainly not restored. Unfortunately, silent film restoration costs money, but in Kino products you get what you pay for in good transfers and complete works.

Awesome for those who get it!.......2007-02-19

I purchased these as a piece of history and was not dissapointed. Kino obviously has their act together and I will be buying more of their high quality movies in the future. It is obvious that the greatest care was taken to make these DVDs as clean and clear as possible, and those of you who will actually enjoy watching something as facinating as silent expressionist films will totally love these. Those of you who laugh and crack jokes during the show (you know who you are!) won't appreciate the quality and should rent something stimulating like "Friday the 13--Part Seventy-Four" instead.

German silent horror masterpieces in definitive prints.......2005-09-25

When it comes to horror films, I am far off the beaten path and in another world. I like my horror subtle and moody and intelligent, not the modern slasher and splatter variety. Four of my all-time favorite horror films are the German Horror Classics silents in an elegant (and expensive--$70) boxed set from Kino Video-THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1919), THE GOLEM (1920), NOSFERATU (1922), and WAXWORKS (1926). This boxed set is perfect for Halloween season, year after year. It is the ultimaTe show and tell at parties. Kino has the finest and longest prints, with original roadshow color tinting and a variety of evocative new music scores. You get what you pay for, and you are averaging only $18 a movie.

Most prints of Robert Weine's DR. CALIGARI only run 52 minutes, in B&W. This collection has it color-tinted at 75 minutes from a 35mm German film archive print and with two music score options-modern jazz or soft orchestra. This is the first great horror film, about a traveling circus with a madman and his murderous assistant. Also included on the disk is a 48 minute condensation of another Weine film, GENUINE: THE TALE OF A VAMPIRE (1920). A CALIGARI photo gallery is included.

THE GOLEM, from star/director Paul Wegener, is set in a medieval German town. A giant clay man helps save a village from an evil dictator. This was the forerunner of all the FRANKENSTEIN movies. It runs 86 minutes, from the Munich Film Archive, with a new music score.

Paul Leni's WAXWORKS was made in Germany only a couple of years before he did THE CAT AND THE CANARY (1927). Jon Marsalis provides a lush new music score. The movie has the original roadshow color tinting and runs 85 minutes. A young scholar is hired to write wax museum program notes for statues of Jack the Ripper, Harrun al-Raschid, and Ivan the Terrible. This is the finest print I have ever seen of this.

The crown jewel of this exquisite Kino boxed set is a restored, way longer than usual 93 minute archive print of Murnau's NOSFERATU. (I've seen several prints that only run 63 minutes!) You get what you pay for from Kino, the Rolls Royce of the DVD industry. An unauthorized, yet definitive, film of Dracula, this lovely print has full color-tinting and a choice of two different music scores. You also get a photo gallery and lengthy excerpts from several other Murnau silent films.

Happy Halloween with true chills from Kino with their German Horror Classics boxed set. Again, it is expensive, but a true labor of love for serious collectors. You know who you are. Now to choose between this and the Val Lewton Collection, the new 3-disk WIZARD OF OZ, and a special two disk PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925)! (REVIEWED ON 35MM ARCHIVE DVD)

Landmarks in film history.......2005-08-12

What an amazing boxed set. Wow. Works on every level. On a technical level, Kino Video has done a great job of presenting these films. They look great, have awesome menus, really cool extras, and each movie has two different music scores to choose from.

Now, onto the movies themselves. These are some truly great films. The most famous, and truly the most terrifying, is "Nosferatu." A groundbreaking feat from a legendary director, this is an atmospheric and chilling twist on the vampire legend (and quite a liberation from Bram Stoker's vision). I'm no film studies expert, but I know that a lot of the filming techniques here are pioneering, and produce a great "symphony of horror."

"The Golem" is an adaptation of an old Jewish legend dealing with the ancient branch of Hebrew mysticism known as Kabbahlism. (I wonder if all those Hollywood A-list types have seen this movie!) It is an eloquent and frightening tale of the chaos that results when man meddles with powers beyond himself; the Golem is Proteus' fire, or Victor Frankenstein's monster, or John Hammond's dinosaur theme park. A timeless message, presented here in a religious context. Quite a remarkable movie, boasting the best score of all the movies in this set.

"Waxworks" is perhaps less weighty than these first two, but no less entertaining. It's sort of like Madame Tussaud-meets-Scheherezade (pardon my poor spelling!). A compelling story well told, with good acting and pacing. Very good.

Finally, we come to "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." I've arranged my reviews in order of my esteem, and this one comes last because it fell short of my expecations. The story is fascinating. The set design, casting, and costuming are probably the best in the field of German expressionism (which is saying something) but the pacing of the film, in my opinion, is really off, and that causes it to drag a little bit. It's still a real thrill ride; after all, the story of a madman who uses a tragic somnambulist as a pawn in his diabolic schemes is wonderful. The set design and the actors work together to create an atmosphere as chilling and surreal as anything Tim Burton has ever done. It's just a little slow.

Over all, this collection is a must-have. German expressionism was a visionary art movement, one that died long before its time. The ultra-realism of most modern (and primarily American) art has its limitations, and expressionism, a sort-of counterpoint to realism, is a refreshing change. Furthermore, these movies are remarkable simply for their gravity. Although I love many movies from the 40s and 50s, it seems that many movies from that time were more pulp, whereas some silent movies were profound and human in a way that's often hard to find in cinema. (For example, compare Tod Browning's "Dracula" with Murnau's "Nosferatu." Both great, but Browning's is a bit more whimsical and stylized, I feel, whereas Murnau's is operatic.)

And so, whether you're a fan of all things antique, just a film buff, deutcheophile (try that one on for size!), or a sucker for horror flicks, this is a great buy.

The Height of Silent-Era German Expressionism.......2004-10-04

Like most artistic "isms," expressionism is difficult to define. In a general sense, it refers to art where the artist is less interested in depicting reality than in making a highly personal statement about a specific subject. Since this occurs to some degree in virtually all art, expressionism has very deep roots--but in the early 1900s it began to develop into a very specific arts movement, most often associated with the stage, where the legendary Eugene O'Neill would prove a master of the style. But it was also very specifically associated with post-World War I Germany, and in 1919 director Robert Wiene would create the first purely expressionistic film: THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI.

The film divided both critical and popular response, but once pure expressionism reached the screen it touched off a series of German films that dabbled in the style to at least some degree. This memorable Kino Video box set collects four of the most famous: the aforementioned CALIGARI, the 1920 THE GOLEM, the 1922 NOSFERATU, and the rarely seen 1924 WAXWORKS. Both individually and collectively, these films and others like them have cast an extremely long shadow, influencing directors as diverse as James Whale, Frederico Fellini, and Bob Fosse.

CALIGARI, THE GOLEM, and NOSFERATU are widely available in various "budget" releases, but it has been my hard-won experience that in such situations you get what you pay for: most are unwatchable. The Kino editions, however, are very much "best case" prints, contrast balanced and with original tints restored. Short of full digital restoration, this is as good as it gets, and while they may seem pricey in comparison they are well worth every cent.

Sadly, none of the DVDs offer significant bonus material. This is particularly unfortunate in the case of CALIGARI, which is such a unique film that it alone would be worthy of a double DVD edition. Still, the occasional bonuses are entertaining if not greatly satisfying, and even with this drawback the box set as a whole--and every title in it--is a must-have for any one who is seriously interested in world cinema.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Average customer rating:

creepy, cool
How diabolical can a woman be???
Dream a little dream of me
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
One of the most frightening movies of all time, and that's what matters

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Starring: Werner Krauss , Conrad Veidt , Friedrich Feher , Lil Dagover , and Hans Heinrich von Twardowski
Director: Robert Wiene
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Nosferatu
Metropolis (Restored Authorized Edition)
Battleship Potemkin
The Golem
The Birth of a Nation

ASIN: B0000897C2
Release Date: 2003-03-04

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Customer Reviews:

creepy, cool.......2007-07-03

How diabolical can a woman be???.......2007-07-01

Dream a little dream of me.......2007-07-01

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.......2007-06-20

One of the most frightening movies of all time, and that's what matters.......2007-03-26

Average customer rating:

creepy, cool
How diabolical can a woman be???
Dream a little dream of me
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
One of the most frightening movies of all time, and that's what matters

Werner Krauss: Cabinet of Dr Caligari
Starring: Werner Krauss , Conrad Veidt , Friedrich Feher , Lil Dagover , and Hans Heinrich von Twardowski
Director: Robert Wiene
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Nosferatu
Metropolis (Restored Authorized Edition)
Battleship Potemkin
The Golem
The Birth of a Nation

ASIN: B000067IW0
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

creepy, cool.......2007-07-03

How diabolical can a woman be???.......2007-07-01

Dream a little dream of me.......2007-07-01

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.......2007-06-20

One of the most frightening movies of all time, and that's what matters.......2007-03-26

Masterworks Of The German Horror Cinema (Nosferatu / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari / The Golem)

Average customer rating:

excellent collection
Nosferatu rules!
B/W TRIPLE THREAT
How bad do you want Der Golem?
Masterworks of the German Horror Cinema

Masterworks Of The German Horror Cinema (Nosferatu / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari / The Golem)
Starring: Lil Dagover , Friedrich Feher , Rudolf Klein-Rogge , Werner Krauss , and Hans Lanser-Rudolf
Manufacturer: ELITE ENTERTAINMENT
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Un Chien Andalou
Metropolis (Restored Authorized Edition)
Battleship Potemkin
Avant Garde - Experimental Cinema of the 1920s & 1930s
Luis Bunuel's L'Age d'Or

ASIN: B00002VW42
Release Date: 2000-01-18

Amazon.com

Three seminal works in one package make this an ideal choice for film buffs and horror fans. The Masterworks of the German Horror Cinema contains three influential masterpieces from the early 1920s: The Golem, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and Nosferatu. All three films are excellent, and their influence on later works, most notably Frankenstein, is clear. Nosferatu, directly plagiarized from Bram Stoker's Dracula, is by far the scariest of the three. Max Schreck's bizarre, creepy performance as the vampire is still surprisingly effective. The Golem is a retelling of the Jewish legend of a rabbi who dabbles in the black arts to protect the inhabitants of the ghetto. He makes a man of clay and brings him to life, with dire results. Though all three have gorgeous images, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, the tale of a mysterious mesmerist, is the most interesting as a prime example of German expressionism. The swooping, distorted sets are brilliantly nightmarish. The three silent films are best enjoyed with the volume turned all the way down. While The Golem is presented in silence, by far the most satisfying option, the music soundtrack tacked onto Caligari is unnecessary at best, and the score Nosferatu has been saddled with is absolutely dunderheaded. Bonus material includes stills and poster art from all three films and a clip from the lost film Genuine: A Tale of a Vampire. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

excellent collection.......2007-01-05

If you have a taste for the classic stories and an appreciation of the filmwork of the times, this will not disappoint. All stories are true to the original works and the background scenery is incredible. I would be surprised to find that much of Tim Burton's imagery is not influenced by these films.

Nosferatu rules!.......2001-05-29

I didn't have time to watch Caligari and the Golem, because I wanted to watch "Nosferatu!" The film is excellent, and the flaw at the end scene is hillarious! I won't tell you because it gives away the vampire's death sequence. Well, the honor of acting in this film has to go to Max Shrek, who probably was a vampire. At least I think so. Anyway, the makeup is simply the most powerful ever created for the cinema, next to Frankenstein's monster.

The plot is simple: Just the same as all the books. But with the absence of Van Helsing, the story falls a little flat.

To heck with that. Ignore the others on this great 2 disc set and only watch Nosferatu! That and, did you know that this film got involved in a lawsuit, and that all copies of the film were ordered destroyed?

B/W TRIPLE THREAT.......2001-05-10

AFTER SEEING (AND ENJOYING) SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE, I THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING A COPY OF NOSFERATU (1922) (64 MIN) ON DVD. WHILE CHECKING OUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT VERSIONS TO SEE WHICH OFFERED MORE OPTIONS, I RAN ACROSS THIS EDITION THAT ALSO INCLUDES DER GOLEM (1920) (68 MIN) AND THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1921) (51 MIN). I'VE READ ABOUT AND SEEN PICTURES FROM ALL 3 OF THESE FILMS BUT HAD NEVER ACTUALLY VIEWED THEM. WHAT A TREAT IT WAS TO SEE THEM CONTAINED IN ONE PACKAGE ON 2 DVDs. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I BOUGHT IT AND ENJOYED THEM OVER THE NEXT 3 EVENINGS. THE APPROXIMATE TIMES I HAVE LISTED ABOVE FOR EACH OF THE FILMS ARE CLOSER TO CORRECT THEN THE ONES LISTED IN THE EDITION DETAILS... A VERY MINOR ERROR THAT SHOULD NOT DETER YOU FROM PICKING UP THIS CLASSIC BLACK AND WHITE TRIPLE THREAT FROM AN ERA GONE BY.

How bad do you want Der Golem?.......2001-02-18

I won't rehash what most people already know; two of these films are considered classics while the other is a well-respected but lesser known silent work. This three-pack was a big disappointment overall from a technical standpoint. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is basically unwatchable because the high contrast obliterates the details and bad framing destroys the picture composition. Also, the title cards have been replaced, and this version doesn't have any of the tinting.

Nosferatu fares a little better. The contrast is high but not unwatchable. More annoying here is transfer speed of 24 frames per minute, which makes the characters appear to be moving at super-human speed; this works okay for comedy but terrible for horror.

There are several versions of both the above films out on DVD and VHS; I hear good things about the Image Editions but haven't seen them. What isn't available anywhere else is Der Golem; the tale of the stone figure brought to life to protect a Jewish community. It stars Paul Wagner. The film has got a heavy contrast but with nothing to compare it to, I can't say if this is the fault of the source material or the transfer. This was the only film that doesn't have a musical score, which definately detracts from the film. The movie itself is good but not up to the level of Caligari or Nosferatu. Whether to buy this set or not ultimately rests with how bad you want this film.

Masterworks of the German Horror Cinema.......2000-08-09

The box set made by IMAGE (not ELITE) does not have all of the technical problems that Paul Kesler wrote of in his review.

Wicked Carnival - Carnival of Souls/Funland/The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

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Wicked Carnival - Carnival of Souls/Funland/The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Starring: Wicked Carnival
Manufacturer: Vintage Home Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A2XD66
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Description

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari - Dr. Caligari (Werner Krauss) exhibits a somnambulist that can predict the future, Cesare (Conrad Veidt), at a local fair. During his hypnotism Caligari compels Cesare to carry out fiendish murders. This silent film features elaborately stylized sets, surrealistic acting, and eerily subjective camera work and became a groundbreaker for the genre of horror films and psycho-dramas.

Carnival of Souls - Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) crashes her car off of a bridge, drowning everyone in the car. Some time later, however, Mary emerges from the river. After she recovers she accepts a job in a small Utah community. Life seems to be returning to normal, until a mysterious man seems to be following her wherever she goes. She follows him to a carnival whose patrons seem to be between living and dead, and realizes it may hold the secret to her ultimate destiny.

Product Description

Doctor Blood's Coffin Kieron Moore stars as research scientist Dr. Peter Blood, who's been experimenting with heart transplants. Thrown out of Vienna for wishing to move from lab animals to humans, Blood sets up shop in the village of Cornwall. Within a few months of his arrival, several Cornwallians disappear from view. Dr. Blood, you see, has been merrily transplanting hearts in a secret lab located in an abandoned tin mine. Unfortunately, one of his resurrected humans reacts negatively to the operationespecially after he discovers that Blood has been dallying with his wife The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari In one of the most influential films of the silent era, Werner Krauss plays the title character, a sinister hypnotist who travels the carnival circuit displaying a somnambulist named Cesare (Conrad Veidt). In one tiny German town, a series of murders coincides with Caligari's visit. When the best friend of hero Francis (Friedrich Feher) is killed, the deed seems to be the outgrowth of a romantic rivalry over the hand of the lovely Jane (Lil Dagover). Francis suspects Caligari, but he is ignored by the police. Investigating on his own, Francis seemingly discovers that Caligari has been ordering the somnambulist to commit the murders, but the story eventually takes a more surprising direction.

DVD:

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Golden Years/The Langoliers

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