In 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari', a sinister hypnotist named Dr. Caligari uses a somnambulist, Cesare, to commit murders on his behalf. This silent horror film, with its twisted, dreamlike visuals and chilling narrative, is considered a masterpiece of German Expressionism.
Wiene orchestrates psychological terror entirely through expressionist production design—skewed sets, jagged shadows, and distorted perspectives—proving that visual storytelling alone can sustain narrative complexity and emotional dread without a single spoken word.
