THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI

 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a psychological thriller that follows a series of events that take place in the city of Holstenwall. The main character, Francis, begins to suspect that a traveling carnival's so-called sleepwalker, who is being controlled by Dr. Caligari, may be connected to a string of murders. As Francis investigates further, he unravels a terrifying conspiracy. 

The film tells its story with the use of German Expressionist style and experiments with unconventional camera angles, abstract lighting design, distorted sets, and make-up.

The viewer learns Dr. Caligari is actually an asylum director who has been acting out a made-up reality in which he is a strong, supernatural character. This turn of events indicates that Francis, who is a patient at the same facility, made up the entire tale.

This movie's early 20th-century production might be considered a reflection of the uncertainty and confusion that characterized the time period during which there were widespread industrial and political conflicts and war.

When viewing this movie I couldn't stop to think about how similar it was to shutter island, both are similar in plots where the main characters are in an asylum, both looking for a culprit of crimes. Both main individuals are actually inventing these tales and have been living in a made-up reality, which explains why the endings are strangely similar. Similar to Dr. Caligari, Shutter Island makes use of shots with a dark gloomy feeling providing a dark atmosphere that heightens the suspense and draws you into the narrative.