The Asheville Film Society will screen The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari on Tuesday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m. at The Grail Moviehouse, hosted by Xpress movie critic Scott Douglas.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Movie Information
In Brief: The Asheville Film Society has scheduled an October celebration of the horror film to coincide with Frank Thompson's month-long lecture series on the genre's history at the Asheville School of Film. We're kicking things off with what arguably constitutes the first "true" horror film, 1920's The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari. While earlier examples of films with the trappings of the horror genre undeniably exist, none of them so explicitly embrace the twisted worldview and unrelenting despair that would define horror films in the ensuing century. Even at almost 100 years old, Caligari is still a deeply disturbing film, owing not only to its subject matter but also to its status as possibly the earliest cinematic example of German Expressionism — this film demands to be seen on the big screen, if only to maximize the impact of its bizarrely distorted backgrounds. The significance and influence of Caligari on the development of modern film is almost impossible to overstate, and it is absolutely essential viewing for anybody with an interest in film history in general and horror movies in particular.
| Score: | |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Director: | Robert Wiene |
| Starring: | Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Lil Dagover, Friedrich Feher |
| Rated: | NR |
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.