Being an anti-horror film connoisseur, I did not know what to expect from what is widely
considered the first horror film. From menacing music to maddening madness, the six act, 1920,
German film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari challenged my attention span, requiring me to live a
way we no longer live, dialed in – no-distractions. Even with no distractions and a theatre type
viewing experience, I required a second viewing at home to write a thoughtful reflection. The
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari awakened my senses and even made me jump. While I admittedly did
not understand the end of the movie without my class discussion, I learned a lot as a first-time
film reflector.
When I think about what stood out first, or most in the film, I need to choose the music.
The music tells a story on its own. In fact, I played the movie while I was preparing to write and
listened to the score without watching the film. I could feel the lead up’s, the dramatic shifts, the
eerie downturns and up -swings, the sudden increases in tempo. Each of these musical elements
told me I was watching a scary story. The film would be lost without the music keeping the
viewers feeling suspense.
Another element of the film that really stood out to me was that in 1920 there was
seemingly font. The font of the subtitles warns us of something being awry. It alerts the viewer of
oddities and weirdness. While I am not overly familiar with Tim Burton, I believe the font and
the two-dimensional set are similar to his The Nightmare Before Christmas. I must wonder if this
film was his inspiration. I am also inclined to watch his work and compare the similarities.
I am sensitive to the individual elements of this film because there is no speaking. I am
better able to recognize the little, but big things like makeup, for example. No one is telling me
what to think. I do not have the actor’s words in my mind. I only have the visual expression of
each character’s horror. They are pure white and made to look ill, sunken in, with deep dark
circles. Many of them appear haunted. Dr. Caligari’s evil shines through to the screen. This is
accomplished both with makeup and the eerie coloring.
The final element I will speak on is the story and keeping my attention in a linear fashion
for an hour plus without words. I did get lost, and I was not at all distracted. I believe I am so
accustomed to half in, half out, when watching or listening to anything, my mind still wandered,
without distraction. I fully understand the importance of watching a film on the big screen. It was
harder to watch at home than in class.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is the first feature-length film without words I have seen. The
horror of the 1920’s is tame compared to that of the 2000’s. I find it intriguing that modern-day
filmmakers still draw their inspiration from the original films, despite our vast technological
advances in the last one hundred years.
