The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

From the movie “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”, I decided to pick the opening scene between the two gentlemen and the woman in a white gown. Like many films, the opening scene sets the pace and mood for the rest of the film. Being a silent film, the characters rely on facial expression and background music to gives us the effect of the scenes. The interaction between the two men, one being Francis the narrator and the other an older gentleman is particularly noteworthy. I believe that the voice of Francis is the voice of common man, which at that time in Germany was not given its due. The lady walking away from Francis, also shows how the common voice was largely ignored by the people in power. Now to cut to the ending scene, where Frances is shown as the lunatic, and Caligari as the hero, is very surprising, because all along Caligari was portrayed as the villain. I think the ending opening scene and ending scene are depicted in a very contrasting manner. The opening scene has Francis as a smart man, and in end he is shown in a very bad light. I felt the ending should have been straightforward, without the twist.

1. What is the symbolism of Caligari’s power over Cesare?

The symbolism of Caligari’s power over Cesare is comparative of a master over a servant or a slave. So, when the master commands the slave to do something, the slave just follows the orders, without questioning the intentions of the master.

2. How does the profit motive affect cultural production in the modern age?

I believe that the profit motive of the modern age, has adversely affected originality. We have people churning out films, products, and things just with the profit motive. However, I would like to also commend the Academy Awards, for recognizing films like the “The Artist”, which was also a silent film and did well to come across as a film about love and had a deeper message.

3. How would you evaluate the Frankfurt School’s elitism regarding mass culture?

My evaluation of the Frankfurt School’s elitism as the name suggests is one that caters to the needs of the elite in society, with no regard to the mass public.

4. Explain three aspects of the film that relate to the attributes of the culture industry.

a) First aspect is the film is how like a regular industry, it tends toward monopolies.

b) Mr. Pommel, the producer of the film liked the script, but like many people made the

film with the profit motivation.

c) The ending of the film is twisted with Francis as the villain and Caligari as the hero. This shows traditional authority as being restored and the killing of artistic brilliance in favor of division of labor, with a profit motivation.

5. Why does Kracauer interpret the film as a choice between tyranny and chaos?

The film was a depiction of the dilemma faced by the German people of the 1920’s and 1930’s. A time after the first world war, when mass changes were taking place in the German economy.

6. Why was there increased pressure to develop the German film industry after the first world war?

The German film industry was seen a profit making enterprise for the German economy and so it was heavily promoted.

7. How would you evaluate that expressionism breeds excessive inwardness and withdrawal.

Expressionism helps to do self evaluation and one begins to look inside oneself to see the strengths and weakness of oneself. So much like the detachment philosophy of Siddhartha, where the person has given up attachment to the exterior world and looks inward to see the faults and tries to improve oneself. 

8. How does the film foreshadow the Nazi regime according to Kracauer?

It depicts Caligari as the tyranny that Hitler was about to bring.

9. What is praxis and how does it relate to cultural criticism?

Praxis is the fusion of theory and practice. It helps to keep a check on reality at the same

Time keeps theory from being obsolete. It relates to cultural criticism by helping to keep practical events alive and theory to back up those explain those events.