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Poster for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Seen it?

1920 | 77 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller, Crime

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences rate it highly (7.9 out of 10) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for crime-drama fans, anyone who likes to be kept guessing and horror fans. If you loved Insomnia, start here.
The mood
Scary, dark and gritty.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 17 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in German, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Made in 1920: an older pace and style.

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.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    96% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.9 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $9K worldwide on a $18K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 266K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Robert Wiene

  • Werner KraussDr. Caligari
  • Conrad VeidtCesare
  • Friedrich FehérFrancis
  • Lil DagoverJane
  • Hans Heinrich von TwardowskiAlan
  • Rudolf LettingerDr. Olsen
  • Henri Peters-ArnoldsYoung Doctor (uncredited)
  • Rudolf Klein-RoggeCriminal (uncredited)
  • Hans Lanser-RudolfOld Man (uncredited)
  • Ludwig RexMurderer (uncredited)