The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu: Similarities in the Supernatural

It is safe to say that the horror genre just wouldn't be the same without two of its early marvels: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) and Nosferatu (1922). Caligari, directed by Robert Wiene, is the tale of a young German man's subjection to the madness of a dark overlord with supernatural powers while Nosferatu, directed by F.W. Murnau, is the tale of a young German man's subjection to the madness of a dark overlord with supernatural powers. Although the storylines prove to be quite similar, the two films each adapt a unique utilization of various cinematic techniques that, decisively, produce two very different kinds of horror.

The foremost attribute present in both Caligari and Nosferatu that placed them solidly in cinematic history is the introduction of the fantasy element onto the silver screen. This revolutionary look at the macabre was a means to entice audiences, revolutionize an art form, and provide an insightful social commentary. By invoking the rawest of emotions, horror, through their movies, Wiene and Murnau would draw the innocent viewers into a mindscape that they could each respectively cherish-that of German expressionism.

However, this manifestation was not born solely out of the imaginations of a few. Rather, it can be seen that expressionism rose out of the destruction brought on by World War One and the remorseful sentiment that accompanied it. It is no wonder that a land that has endured so much ugly death could give birth to something so beautiful. Cinematically, there is a multitude of approaches that this artistic movement entails: bold contrasts in lighting, surreal scenery, and the overall aesthetic quality of the mise en scene all play a role in determining the filmgoers' experience.

The lighting played a key factor in allowing the screenshots to be viewed as individual artistic representations. Rather than viewing three-point lighting that is typically used in filmmaking as a method for providing substantial luminescence to a scene, it was regarded as superfluous. For a scene to justly transcend the artist/audience barrier and be equally appreciated by those on both sides of it, it is imperative that it be constructed with a degree of minimalism; i.e., it was given flat light to tap into the visual element of the surreal. By eliminating the back light, thus creating a two-point lighting system, the three-dimensional depth common to reality is also eliminated. This dreamlike radiance brands each scene with the expressionist trademark and, in many ways, harmonizes with the story.

Examples of this synthesis can be found in Caligari and Nosferatu. In fact, many will argue that the lighting plays the primary role in making the duality of the films' characters apparent; the contrast of the black and white shapes parallels the bilateral nature of humanity-serving as a reminder that everyone has a dark side. For Wiene, it was a direct beam on Cesare, the murderous somnambulist pawn/ insane innocent in the story, which best elucidated the character's tormented being. During Cesare's awakening, the audience is treated to a close-up shot of the ghastly actor's contorting face, complete with makeup, in a shot that is nothing less than nightmarish. And that's not saying that Nosferatu's Graf Orlock, the bourgeois counterpart to the bloodsucking ghoul, Nosferatu, is any better looking. With Murnau's use of strong beams on the actor, strong shadows are cast and supernaturalism is aroused in a manner that is delightfully ghoulish.

Even more distinguished than the lighting is the scenery. For expressionism to remain genuine, it is imperative that directors do their best to transport the viewers directly into their fabricated world and, in the case of Wiene and Murnau, the transportation is executed perfectly. Although both plots involve small German towns, the difference in scenery couldn't be bigger. Wiene's Caligari contains radically warped backdrops and props that represent a rebellious outlook towards natural surroundings while proposing a new, pensive attitude regarding the warped visions of a cultured mind. Unnaturally angled houses adorn crooked cobblestone roads. Misshapen rooms contain demented furniture. Big tops curl over rather than point straight to the sky. Rooftops are acutely angled to the sides. Rarely does one find something he or she may estimate to contain a right angle.