monsters in the movies 100 years of cinematic nightmares

Caligari being one of “the first true horror films.” Prior to the release of Caligari, many horror films revolved around gothic fantasies and the supernatural in the world of horror movies, Caligari is one of the first major leaps into psychological horror, exploring such themes as duality and the perception of reality.Īs a whole, Caligari involves an interesting dynamic in point-of-view given the twist that Francis is not sane, the audience spends the majority of the film believing his story, only to have the rug pulled from under them. In his 2009 review of the film, the late Roger Ebert said that a case could be made for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is the asylum’s director, and other characters like Cesare and Francis’ wife Jane, are also inmates in the asylum. Another reveal is that the supposedly evil Dr. In reality, the framed narrative is a fabrication made up by Francis, who is actually an inmate at the asylum.

As the narrative nears its end, Cesare ends up dead and Caligari is committed to an insane asylum.īut (spoilers ahead) all is not what it seems. Francis decides to investigate Caligari and Cesare, the plot eventually revealing the evil intent behind both.

Caligari and his somnambulist Cesare a somnambulist, or somnambulism, is used to describe a state between sleep and being awake. Presented as a framed narrative told by the protagonist Francis, the film focuses on the mystery surrounding the crazed hypnotist Dr. Caligari is a German silent film directed by Robert Wiene and written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. Released back in 1920, The Cabinet of Dr. This February is the 100th anniversary of The Cabinet of Dr. I bring all of this up because this year marks a special anniversary for one of the first profound horror pictures in all of film history. From Night of The Living Dead to Rosemary’s Baby and Hereditary, horror has continued to evolve and capture the minds of millions. Horror has always aimed to explore the taboo and encourage audiences to question the world around them. This sentiment is especially important when considering horror cinema out of all the genres, horror has always been at the forefront of depicting tales essential to the human condition. As we continue into a new decade of cinema, it will always be essential to look back on the works that came before and paved the way for new and innovative films. Whereas movies used to be silent and in black and white, nowadays we have epic cinematic universes brimming with CGI.

Throughout the years, filmmakers have been pushing the medium to deliver intimate and exciting stories. On both a technical and narrative level, it is remarkable to look back at the evolution of cinema.

Monsters in the movies 100 years of cinematic nightmares