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Trailer

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

1920Movie1 h 17 minNR

DramaHorror
89
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb8.0Letterboxd4.0/5Rotten Tomatoes96%89%

A nerve-racking, deeply unsettling drama movie about the mind and mystery, with standout direction and cinematography.

Good for friends night · teens · thought-provoking

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · graphic violence bothers you

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

You must become Caligari!

Francis, a young man, recalls in his memory the horrible experiences he and his fiancée Jane recently went through. Francis and his friend Alan visit The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, an exhibit where the mysterious doctor shows the somnambulist Cesare, and awakens him for some moments from his death-like sleep.

Feels like

  • German Expressionism
  • Silent Horror
  • Psychological Thriller
  • Surreal Nightmare
  • Visually Striking
  • Distorted Reality
  • Claustrophobic Atmosphere
  • Unreliable Narrator
  • Art House Classic

Cast

9 of 9

Crew

Directed by
Robert Wiene
Written by
Carl Mayer, Hans Janowitz
Produced by
Erich Pommer, Rudolf Meinert
Music by
Giuseppe Becce, Alfredo Antonini

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

February 27, 1920 · 1 h 17 min · NR

Released
February 27, 1920
Runtime
1 h 17 min
Age rating
NR
Content
Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama, Horror, Thriller, Crime
Original language
German
Also spoken
xx
Made in
Germany
Budget
$18,000
Box office
$8,811
Available in
139 countries

Tropes

Sleeping Dummy, Roofhopping, Big Bad +9

  • Sleeping Dummy
  • Roofhopping
  • Big Bad
  • Art Shift
  • Framing Device
  • Bedlam House
  • Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
  • Insane Equals Violent
  • All Just a Dream
  • Mad Scientist
  • Hypno Fool
  • Bizarrchitecture

12 of 67 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari?"

Questions about The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari?

fuboTVPhiloThe RokuKanopyHooplaFlixHouseFandorScreambox

In the United States, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari streams on fuboTV, Philo, Fandor, Screambox, and Eternal Family, and it is free with ads on The Roku, Kanopy, Hoopla, FlixHouse, Plex, Darkroom, Public Domain Movies, Fawesome, Xumo Play, Mometu, and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 138 other countries.

Is The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari worth watching?

89
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 89 (IMDb 8, Letterboxd 4.0 out of 5, and Rotten Tomatoes 96%). Critics rate it higher (96 out of 100) than audiences (83).

Will The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari scare me?

Not scaryTerrifying

At times: scares are rated 7 of 10, and some images are gruesome (grotesque 7 of 10).

Will I feel good after watching The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 7 for melancholy, against 3 for hopefulness.

Is The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari in English?

Germanxx

No, it was made in German, with some xx.

What tropes does The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari use?

Sleeping DummyRoofhoppingBig BadArt ShiftFraming DeviceBedlam HouseSelf-Fulfilling ProphecyInsane Equals ViolentAll Just a DreamMad ScientistHypno FoolBizarrchitectureand 55 more

TV Tropes lists 67 tropes for it, including Sleeping Dummy, Roofhopping, and Big Bad.