The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
My favorite part of the film was when Francis
sneaks around the Asylum trying to obtain information about Dr. Caligari and
his somnambulist. Francis peaks into Dr. Caligaris’s hut and sees him sitting
there looking out the bars of his window with the immobile figure in a
coffin-like box lying right next to him. This film was made after WWI and is representative
to some extent of relationship between the soldiers and their higher authorities
who train them to killers without rationality, emotions or concern for human
life and its value. I chose this scene because it shows that the emotionless,
brutal and manipulative Dr. Caligari is himself empty, lonely and has no real
motive, contentment or satisfaction with what he does, but is trapped in his
own mind as he seems to be lost himself. Francis then discovers that Dr.
Caligari is no real doctor but a delusional impostor obsessed with a mystical figure
who he tries to imitate.
The scene is representative of the class
in a few ways. For one, throughout the entire film there’s a display of art originating
from the German expressionist movement. This scene in particular shows the nothingness
described in nihilism in Caligaris’s face as if he sits there emotionless like
he’s been vacuumed of all reason.
Great way of describing Dr. Caligaris' face and his emotions. I definitly agree with you on that, those whom find a sense of power or emotion from giving comands to other and control others, do so because they themselves lack emtion and power over themselves and feel a need to control other rather than committing to themselves.
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