That scene was so awesome. I can't imagine what audiences must have thought at that point in the film back in 1920. Regardless of what they thought, it was a wonderful artistic depiction of obsession and madness. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." I agree with the previous post that my expectations were inevitably high (due to all that in-depth discussion of what exactly it was we planned on studying) for baby's first avant-garde, and yet I was not at all disappointed. I've been reading here and there about the film. Many consider it to be the first horror film. It's often referred to as a milestone or a "museum piece." Some reviews say that it is more relevant as a piece of history than as an actual film. I agree that it an important piece of cinema history and that part of what makes it so captivating is the understanding that it was made 90 years ago, but I really thought it was well done--entertaining and thought-provoking still.
After the screening, we spoke briefly about the clear inspiration modern filmmakers (most notably Tim Burton) have gotten from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. I wouldn't call Mr. Burton a copycat, exactly, but the dark, jagged forms that infiltrate such films as The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands can't be an accidental reference. These films are much more "Hollywood" than avant-garde, but something tells me this is the kind of trail the original filmmakers and set designers would have wanted to leave. The popularity of these concepts, which were then so novel and strange, only serves to heighten the sense of avant-gardism within The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
Here is a short video comparing Dr. Caligari to Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CHDgeK2EAw
No comments:
Post a Comment