The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari | 100 Movies Bucket List

 

This is the oldest movie on the bucket list, and the only silent film, so I was really looking forward to seeing it - I'd never seen a silent horror film before and had no idea how it would work or if the horror would come through.

The first version of the film that I found on Amazon Prime had a voice over, which felt really jarring, not least because the movie is billed as a silent film. 

When I switched over to the proper silent version, it really made it clear why the film is told in this medium. There's something really powerful about only hearing the score. It changes the atmosphere of the film and gives it the undertones of horror that make it work well. 

One of the most important things about the film is the visuals. The filming style is really unique and adds to the tone the story creates. 

And then there's the story itself, which is great, particularly once you've seen the end. The way everything comes together is so much fun and the story is told really well. 

With limited time and no speaking, it is a bit hard to get to know the characters. With a story like this it's not entirely necessary, but it would have been nice to know more about them. 

Despite the short runtime it does feel like a full-length movie. Maybe because so much was packed in, or maybe because the pacing makes things feel elongated, but you definitely don't feel short-changed by only having 50 minutes of movie. 

But the runtime does mean that there's not a huge amount to say about it. It's a tight story, told in a unique way, and whether you love it or not, it certainly paved the way for horror movies that came after it.