The Cabinet of Caligari (1962)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Roger Kay

Writer:

Robert Bloch (writer)

Release Date:

5 October 1962 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

No one permitted out or in during the last thirteen nerve-shattering minutes!

Plot:

Jane's car breaks down and she makes her way to a nearby estate, owned by a mysterious man named Caligari...

Plot Keywords:

Surrealism | Horror Movie Remake | Remake | Character Name In Title

Cast

Glynis Johns	...	Jane Lindstrom
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Caligari / Paul
Richard Davalos	...	Mark Lindstrom
Lawrence Dobkin	...	Dr. Frank David
Constance Ford	...	Christine
J. Pat O'Malley	...	Martin
Vicki Trickett	...	Jeanie the Maid
Estelle Winwood	...	Ruth
Doreen Lang	...	Vivian
Charles E. Fredericks	...	Bob
Phyllis Teagardin	...	Little Girl

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #20179) | Finland:K-16

Company:

Associated Producers (API)

Goofs:

Continuity: As Jane sits at the dinner table having a private discussion with Paul, the bowl of lobster bisque she refuses to eat disappears between shots.

Quotes:

Caligari: How old were you when you first let a man make love to you? Next, who was he? Next, how did you feel at the time? Next, how did you feel afterwards? What did you feel? What did you think? Were you pleased, frightened, ecstatic, disgusted? What did he say? What words did you speak? That's what I want to know. Now. Tell me. Now. Now. All of it, now. Tell me. YES!

Movie Connections:

Remake of Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari. (1920)

a cure for insomnia

What was Robert Bloch thinking when he wrote this? As weird as the character's interactions are (no understandable motivations), the dialogue is full of dramatic clichés out of any context, like clips from a soap opera. Not a very thrilling blend for a horror movie. The original 1920 movie involved mesmerism and somnambulism: this film does both - it will hypnotise you into sleep immediately, even in the light of day. However, if you can stay awake, the story does have some dramatic impact, and the acting is fine throughout. The twist ending was done one better in a very similar 1950's EC comics (ie Tales from the Crypt) where the woman is cured but starts to have a relapse that cycles her back to the beginning of the story (a la "Dead of night").