Director
Robert Wiene
Leading Actors/Actresses
Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Feher
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Lil Dagover, Hans Twardowski
Genre
Horror
Language
Silent/English
Awards
None
Date of Release
02/26/20
Producer
Rudolf Meinert, Erich Pommer
Setting and Context
Germany
Narrator and Point of View
The narrator and point of view for much of the film is Francis.
Tone and Mood
Surreal, dream-like, scary, psychological.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist: Francis. Antagonist: Dr. Caligari
Major Conflict
The major conflict (it appears) is the fact that people are being murdered in the town and Dr. Caligari seems to be behind the murders.
Climax
The first climax occurs when the doctors confront Caligari about his murderous ways and must put him in a straitjacket to hold him back from attacking them. The second climax occurs when we realize that Francis is a patient at the mental asylum, and he must be subdued with a straitjacket in the exact same way that Caligari was.
Foreshadowing
The final twist of the movie is foreshadowed by Francis' stricken behavior throughout the film, as well as Jane's catatonic state in the first scene. Additionally, the surreal quality of the setting and design foreshadows the fact that story is the account of an insane person.
Understatement
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
The design elements showcase many innovations of German Expressionism.
Allusions
The historical book alludes to the original Dr. Caligari, an Italian murderer.
Paradox
By the end, so many different revelations and twisted truths contribute to a generalized confusion about what is perception and what is reality. We as the viewer do not know who is insane and who is not, and this creates a paradoxical ending.
Parallelism
When Francis is put in a straitjacket and shown to be insane, this mirrors the moment earlier when the same thing happens to Caligari.
