The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Amazon.com

A milestone of the silent film era and one of the first "art films" to gain international acclaim, this eerie German classic from 1919 remains the most prominent example of German expressionism in the emerging art of the cinema. Stylistically, the look of the film's painted sets--distorted perspectives, sharp angles, twisted architecture--was designed to reflect (or express) the splintered psychology of its title character, a sinister figure who uses a lanky somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) as a circus attraction. But when Caligari and his sleepwalker are suspected of murder, their novelty act is surrounded by more supernatural implications. With its mad-doctor scenario, striking visuals, and a haunting, zombie-like character at its center, Caligari was one of the first horror films to reach an international audience, sending shock waves through artistic circles and serving as a strong influence on the classic horror films of the 1920s, '30s, and beyond. It's a museum piece today, of interest more for its historical importance, but Caligari still casts a considerable spell. --Jeff Shannon

Description

This milestone film, known for its expressionistic sets and techniques, tells the strange tale of a sleepwalker under the spell of the mysterious and evil Dr. Caligari.

Customer Reviews:

THE BIG BANG.......FOR HORROR!!!.......2007-08-30

I was saving this review for number 99! Buuuut a dear friend of
mine commented that he has never seen a Silent film?????
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is generally regarded as thee MOTHER
of ALL HORROR films(no argument from me) this highly influential
psychological chiller tells of sideshow magician Dr.Caligari
who exhibits a zombie-like somnambulist whom he also uses as
a weapon for murder.(spoiler)In the end,though,everything
turns out to be the ravings of an asylum inmate or is it? With its
stylized painted flat sets and exaggerated makeup and acting
technique,Caligari single-handedly established the Expressionistic school
of filmmaking and created MANY standard HORROR plot devices-The mad
doctor,the ZOMBIE,the abducted heroine being carried off and I LOVE
saying this the FIRST!!!!!!!! To use the FAMOUS shock-twist ending
that is STILL used today! If you are a lover of HORROR or just
great cinema...Buy the DOCTOR...ITS TIME FOR MOTHER TO COME HOME
AND YOURS IS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

creepy, cool.......2007-07-03

I've been getting into these old suspense/horror/sci-fi films lately, and this has got to be one of the better ones. The plot is cool and mysterious, and the twisted sets in which the story takes place give it a strange, surrealistic feel. Anyone interested in silent films has got to check this one out.

How diabolical can a woman be???.......2007-07-01

Dr. Caligari presents the viewer with a frightening vision of the world through the lens of German Expressionism.

I cannot recommend this film highly enough. It's truly fascinating. And, it really (really) is an art film, since it purposefully and strikingly exhibits the new art of the German inter-war milieu. So, be prepared for an other-worldly excursion into the "total work of art," or Gesamtkunstwerk, of this monumental and influential film.

This film is best seen at night, alone, and with the modern soundtrack which is available on the fully restored version. If the DVD you're watching does not have (a) choice of two soundtracks (traditional music and much-scarier modern track), (b) tinted inter-titles set in a surrealistic (actually expressionistic) font, and (3) is fairly high quality, then send it back and get the restored version. The quality and completeness of silent films are a major factor in experiencing the art form as it was meant to be experienced. The modern sound track in Dr. Caligari makes the film much more accessible for modern audiences (the eerie effects in the modern track heighten the feel of the film for the modern viewer) - try both tracks, you'll see.

It's surprising how frightening and impactful this film can be. You will have dreams about it, I promise. These between-the-wars German films are riddled with creepy foreshadowing for us in the present, who know what was about to happen in Germany.

Anyway, I think the film is best viewed with NO NOTICE. You don't really want to know the plot (the meaning of the end of the film can be interpreted in radically different ways - keep that in mind when it happens). Only one note - artistically the German Expressionist movement is worth reading about after you see the film - you'll notice the theme of "death and the maiden" woven into this artwork. Also, this film is the direct ancestor of films like "Nightmare Before Christmas" and a lot more - you'll recognize the Expressionist look in many presentations in television and film.

WARNING - I would NOT show this film to children. It's very subtly and psychologically undermining - you'll be thinking and freaking about this thing for months to come - such a thing shouldn't be experienced by children - it's an adult, art film (no, not that kind) made for adults.

Dream a little dream of me.......2007-07-01

Two men are sitting on a cement bench by the garden wall. One casually says there are evil spirits all around. As a woman in white glides by the second man Francis (Friedrich Fehér) says that is my fiancée Jane (Lil Dagover) and let me tell you what happened to us.

As his story begins we are subjected to a weird world of light and twisted shadows. A string Dr. (Caligari played by Werner Krauss) brings a somnambulist (sleeping man played by Conrad Veidt) to a local fair. The somnambulist knows all things and can predict the future; he prophesizes correctly Allan's (friend of Francis and rival for Jane's hand) murder and pilfers Jane from her bed chamber. But how can this be; as Francis has been keeping an eye on the doc and the snoozer all night and they have not moved?

I leave you with this thought "Du mußt Caligari warden"

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.......2007-06-20

One of the finest achievements of the silent era and in some ways an allegory of Weimar Germany's decadent demise, Wiene's "Caligari" is an eerie, heavily stylized horror film. With its distorted angles, chiaroscuro lighting, and jarring German expressionist sets, the film is a striking precursor not only to Lang's "Metropolis," but to the look and atmospheric feel of 1940s American noir. And its tale of a crazed doctor and his zombie-like proxy introduced a basic template for many later horror features. Still creepy and lurid after eighty-five years, "Caligari" will cast a spell on you.

Average customer rating:

THE BIG BANG.......FOR HORROR!!!
creepy, cool
How diabolical can a woman be???
Dream a little dream of me
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Starring: Werner Krauss , Conrad Veidt , Friedrich Feher , Lil Dagover , and Hans Heinrich von Twardowski
Director: Robert Wiene
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001EFTV0
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Amazon.com

This haunting classic of the silent screen is familiar to every graduate of Film 101. Like Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin, Godard's Breathless, and Welles's Citizen Kane, Caligari helped define a cinematic school... and forever changed the way the world made movies. It's also great fun, even for modern audiences.

The film begins with two men trading horror stories. One promises the other a terrifying true tale--the harrowing story of his fiancée's narrow escape from death. Here's the story: an amoral asylum director wants to see if he can order somnambulist patient Cesare to commit murder. To this end, the nefarious doctor masquerades as a traveling showman and picks victims from the gawking carnival crowds. He sends his sleepwalker out to execute bloody deeds by night--crimes of which Cesare is barely aware. Soon, Cesare abducts the narrator's girl and is caught ... which is only the beginning of the surprises.

Caligari's world became the textbook example of 1920s German Expressionist cinema--a cockeyed dreamscape, where black-clad actors feverishly chase each other across moody, barely-realistic sets. Think of films such as Dark City or the Nightmare Before Christmas or Saturday Night Live's "Sprockets" sketches. Here's where it all began. --Grant Balfour

Description

As one of the first horror films to gain international praise, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, renowned for its highly-stylized, fantastic sets and even more bizarre performances, tells the twisted tale of a gangly sleepwalker named Cesare under the spell of the sinister and mysterious Dr. Caligari. The look of the film expresses the inner feelings of a character—a novel concept in the early era of cinema, but one that is widely used today. Collectible poster included

Customer Reviews:

THE BIG BANG.......FOR HORROR!!!.......2007-08-30

creepy, cool.......2007-07-03

How diabolical can a woman be???.......2007-07-01

Dream a little dream of me.......2007-07-01

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.......2007-06-20

German Horror Classics (Nosferatu (1922) / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari / Waxworks / The Golem)

Average customer rating:

Great collection of German silent classics
Awesome for those who get it!
German silent horror masterpieces in definitive prints
Landmarks in film history
The Height of Silent-Era German Expressionism

German Horror Classics (Nosferatu (1922) / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari / Waxworks / The Golem)
Starring: German Horror Classics
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006JMQJ
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Customer Reviews:

Great collection of German silent classics.......2007-06-19

F.W. Murnau's interpretation of Dracula, "Nosferatu", is a visually powerful film and perhaps the eeriest of all of the cinematic versions of the tale. In Max Schreck Murnau seems to have found an actor who was born to play the role of vampire Count Orlok. This combined with the vision of Murnau produces several unforgettable scenes in a tale most people already know very well - Orlok walking through Hutter's bedroom door, Orlok rising from his coffin on board the ship, and the shadow of Orlok walking up the stairway to Ellen's bedroom door, just to name a few.
Extra features on the "Nosferatu" disk include:
1. a still photo and promotional materials gallery (18 images)
2. More than 30 minutes of excerpts from the Murnau films "Journey into the Night" (1920), "The Haunted Castle" (1921), "Phantom" (1922), "The Last Laugh" (1924), "Faust" (1926) and "Tabu" (1931).
3. Scene comparisons between the Stoker novel, the script, and the film itself.
4. An excerpt from a 1938 Orson Welles radio performance.

"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" has a man, Francis, sitting in a garden reciting a tale of horror to another man involving a mad doctor, Dr. Caligari, and his sleepwalker, Cesare, who supposedly has the ability to tell fortunes that turns into a tale of murder. At the conclusion of the tale, though, you realize some things that make you doubt whether the tale as it was told is the truth at all. The story is very Hitchcock-like in its open-ended meaning, and the art design looks like it had a heavy influence on Tim Burton, with its oddly angled and decorated doors and hallways.
Extra features include:
1. a 44-minute condensation of Caligari director Robert Wiene's "Genuine" (1920) which represents nearly all of the surviving footage.
2. a sketch, photo and posters gallery (40 images, not counting detail closeups)
3. clips of Wiene on the set of I.N.R.I. (1923) (3 minutes)
4. excerpts from a German language print showing the calligraphic artwork of a few of the original intertitles (7 minutes).

"The Golem" lays the cinematic groundwork for the 1931 motion picture version of "Frankenstein" . In character design, wardrobe, and interaction with its creator and the world around it, the two monsters do resemble one another. In this case, "The Golem", is a monster created from clay and magic rather than from spare body parts and science, and the monster's creator is a Rabbi. I think I was more shocked to see a Rabbi portrayed as someone who openly dabbled in the black arts and astrology than anything else the film offered. The Rabbi is even shown conjuring up a "god" - Asteroth - and forcing him to produce the life-giving word to bring "The Golem" to life. If this is how Germans perceived the practice of the Jewish religion in 1920, fifteen years before the Holocaust began, it might explain a great deal, but nothing about this aspect of the film is mentioned in the extra features.
The extra features include:
1. an excerpt from a rough 1937 American print of Julien Duvivier's Le Golem (1936) [6 minutes]
2. a comparison of creation sequences from diverse sources such as Wegener's The Golem (1920), the Chayim Bloch book The Golem (1925) and F.W. Murnau's Faust (1926)
3. a gallery of stills, illustrations and promotional materials [15 images].

"Waxworks" is really more of a fantasy tale than a horror story. It has a young man applying for a job in a wax museum with the task of writing stories to accompany each of the exhibits. This allows the film to be turned into a series of rather imaginative short stories in various exotic settings.
The extra features for this film are Paul Leni's experimental short film Rebus-film No. 1 (1926), and an excerpt from The Thief of Bagdad (1924).

The prints are all good quality and the accompanying scores really fit the mood of the individual films. This set is probably a good place to start exploring German silent film. My only real complaint was a lack of a commentary track on the films. Certainly, don't fall for the budget releases that are available for some of these films. They are usually incomplete and certainly not restored. Unfortunately, silent film restoration costs money, but in Kino products you get what you pay for in good transfers and complete works.

Awesome for those who get it!.......2007-02-19

I purchased these as a piece of history and was not dissapointed. Kino obviously has their act together and I will be buying more of their high quality movies in the future. It is obvious that the greatest care was taken to make these DVDs as clean and clear as possible, and those of you who will actually enjoy watching something as facinating as silent expressionist films will totally love these. Those of you who laugh and crack jokes during the show (you know who you are!) won't appreciate the quality and should rent something stimulating like "Friday the 13--Part Seventy-Four" instead.

German silent horror masterpieces in definitive prints.......2005-09-25

When it comes to horror films, I am far off the beaten path and in another world. I like my horror subtle and moody and intelligent, not the modern slasher and splatter variety. Four of my all-time favorite horror films are the German Horror Classics silents in an elegant (and expensive--$70) boxed set from Kino Video-THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1919), THE GOLEM (1920), NOSFERATU (1922), and WAXWORKS (1926). This boxed set is perfect for Halloween season, year after year. It is the ultimaTe show and tell at parties. Kino has the finest and longest prints, with original roadshow color tinting and a variety of evocative new music scores. You get what you pay for, and you are averaging only $18 a movie.

Most prints of Robert Weine's DR. CALIGARI only run 52 minutes, in B&W. This collection has it color-tinted at 75 minutes from a 35mm German film archive print and with two music score options-modern jazz or soft orchestra. This is the first great horror film, about a traveling circus with a madman and his murderous assistant. Also included on the disk is a 48 minute condensation of another Weine film, GENUINE: THE TALE OF A VAMPIRE (1920). A CALIGARI photo gallery is included.

THE GOLEM, from star/director Paul Wegener, is set in a medieval German town. A giant clay man helps save a village from an evil dictator. This was the forerunner of all the FRANKENSTEIN movies. It runs 86 minutes, from the Munich Film Archive, with a new music score.

Paul Leni's WAXWORKS was made in Germany only a couple of years before he did THE CAT AND THE CANARY (1927). Jon Marsalis provides a lush new music score. The movie has the original roadshow color tinting and runs 85 minutes. A young scholar is hired to write wax museum program notes for statues of Jack the Ripper, Harrun al-Raschid, and Ivan the Terrible. This is the finest print I have ever seen of this.

The crown jewel of this exquisite Kino boxed set is a restored, way longer than usual 93 minute archive print of Murnau's NOSFERATU. (I've seen several prints that only run 63 minutes!) You get what you pay for from Kino, the Rolls Royce of the DVD industry. An unauthorized, yet definitive, film of Dracula, this lovely print has full color-tinting and a choice of two different music scores. You also get a photo gallery and lengthy excerpts from several other Murnau silent films.

Happy Halloween with true chills from Kino with their German Horror Classics boxed set. Again, it is expensive, but a true labor of love for serious collectors. You know who you are. Now to choose between this and the Val Lewton Collection, the new 3-disk WIZARD OF OZ, and a special two disk PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925)! (REVIEWED ON 35MM ARCHIVE DVD)

Landmarks in film history.......2005-08-12

What an amazing boxed set. Wow. Works on every level. On a technical level, Kino Video has done a great job of presenting these films. They look great, have awesome menus, really cool extras, and each movie has two different music scores to choose from.

Now, onto the movies themselves. These are some truly great films. The most famous, and truly the most terrifying, is "Nosferatu." A groundbreaking feat from a legendary director, this is an atmospheric and chilling twist on the vampire legend (and quite a liberation from Bram Stoker's vision). I'm no film studies expert, but I know that a lot of the filming techniques here are pioneering, and produce a great "symphony of horror."

"The Golem" is an adaptation of an old Jewish legend dealing with the ancient branch of Hebrew mysticism known as Kabbahlism. (I wonder if all those Hollywood A-list types have seen this movie!) It is an eloquent and frightening tale of the chaos that results when man meddles with powers beyond himself; the Golem is Proteus' fire, or Victor Frankenstein's monster, or John Hammond's dinosaur theme park. A timeless message, presented here in a religious context. Quite a remarkable movie, boasting the best score of all the movies in this set.

"Waxworks" is perhaps less weighty than these first two, but no less entertaining. It's sort of like Madame Tussaud-meets-Scheherezade (pardon my poor spelling!). A compelling story well told, with good acting and pacing. Very good.

Finally, we come to "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." I've arranged my reviews in order of my esteem, and this one comes last because it fell short of my expecations. The story is fascinating. The set design, casting, and costuming are probably the best in the field of German expressionism (which is saying something) but the pacing of the film, in my opinion, is really off, and that causes it to drag a little bit. It's still a real thrill ride; after all, the story of a madman who uses a tragic somnambulist as a pawn in his diabolic schemes is wonderful. The set design and the actors work together to create an atmosphere as chilling and surreal as anything Tim Burton has ever done. It's just a little slow.

Over all, this collection is a must-have. German expressionism was a visionary art movement, one that died long before its time. The ultra-realism of most modern (and primarily American) art has its limitations, and expressionism, a sort-of counterpoint to realism, is a refreshing change. Furthermore, these movies are remarkable simply for their gravity. Although I love many movies from the 40s and 50s, it seems that many movies from that time were more pulp, whereas some silent movies were profound and human in a way that's often hard to find in cinema. (For example, compare Tod Browning's "Dracula" with Murnau's "Nosferatu." Both great, but Browning's is a bit more whimsical and stylized, I feel, whereas Murnau's is operatic.)

And so, whether you're a fan of all things antique, just a film buff, deutcheophile (try that one on for size!), or a sucker for horror flicks, this is a great buy.

The Height of Silent-Era German Expressionism.......2004-10-04

Like most artistic "isms," expressionism is difficult to define. In a general sense, it refers to art where the artist is less interested in depicting reality than in making a highly personal statement about a specific subject. Since this occurs to some degree in virtually all art, expressionism has very deep roots--but in the early 1900s it began to develop into a very specific arts movement, most often associated with the stage, where the legendary Eugene O'Neill would prove a master of the style. But it was also very specifically associated with post-World War I Germany, and in 1919 director Robert Wiene would create the first purely expressionistic film: THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI.

The film divided both critical and popular response, but once pure expressionism reached the screen it touched off a series of German films that dabbled in the style to at least some degree. This memorable Kino Video box set collects four of the most famous: the aforementioned CALIGARI, the 1920 THE GOLEM, the 1922 NOSFERATU, and the rarely seen 1924 WAXWORKS. Both individually and collectively, these films and others like them have cast an extremely long shadow, influencing directors as diverse as James Whale, Frederico Fellini, and Bob Fosse.

CALIGARI, THE GOLEM, and NOSFERATU are widely available in various "budget" releases, but it has been my hard-won experience that in such situations you get what you pay for: most are unwatchable. The Kino editions, however, are very much "best case" prints, contrast balanced and with original tints restored. Short of full digital restoration, this is as good as it gets, and while they may seem pricey in comparison they are well worth every cent.

Sadly, none of the DVDs offer significant bonus material. This is particularly unfortunate in the case of CALIGARI, which is such a unique film that it alone would be worthy of a double DVD edition. Still, the occasional bonuses are entertaining if not greatly satisfying, and even with this drawback the box set as a whole--and every title in it--is a must-have for any one who is seriously interested in world cinema.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Masterworks Of The German Horror Cinema (Nosferatu / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari / The Golem)

Average customer rating:

excellent collection
Nosferatu rules!
B/W TRIPLE THREAT
How bad do you want Der Golem?
Masterworks of the German Horror Cinema

Masterworks Of The German Horror Cinema (Nosferatu / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari / The Golem)
Starring: Lil Dagover , Friedrich Feher , Rudolf Klein-Rogge , Werner Krauss , and Hans Lanser-Rudolf
Manufacturer: ELITE ENTERTAINMENT
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00002VW42
Release Date: 2000-01-18

Amazon.com

Three seminal works in one package make this an ideal choice for film buffs and horror fans. The Masterworks of the German Horror Cinema contains three influential masterpieces from the early 1920s: The Golem, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and Nosferatu. All three films are excellent, and their influence on later works, most notably Frankenstein, is clear. Nosferatu, directly plagiarized from Bram Stoker's Dracula, is by far the scariest of the three. Max Schreck's bizarre, creepy performance as the vampire is still surprisingly effective. The Golem is a retelling of the Jewish legend of a rabbi who dabbles in the black arts to protect the inhabitants of the ghetto. He makes a man of clay and brings him to life, with dire results. Though all three have gorgeous images, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, the tale of a mysterious mesmerist, is the most interesting as a prime example of German expressionism. The swooping, distorted sets are brilliantly nightmarish. The three silent films are best enjoyed with the volume turned all the way down. While The Golem is presented in silence, by far the most satisfying option, the music soundtrack tacked onto Caligari is unnecessary at best, and the score Nosferatu has been saddled with is absolutely dunderheaded. Bonus material includes stills and poster art from all three films and a clip from the lost film Genuine: A Tale of a Vampire. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

excellent collection.......2007-01-05

If you have a taste for the classic stories and an appreciation of the filmwork of the times, this will not disappoint. All stories are true to the original works and the background scenery is incredible. I would be surprised to find that much of Tim Burton's imagery is not influenced by these films.

Nosferatu rules!.......2001-05-29

I didn't have time to watch Caligari and the Golem, because I wanted to watch "Nosferatu!" The film is excellent, and the flaw at the end scene is hillarious! I won't tell you because it gives away the vampire's death sequence. Well, the honor of acting in this film has to go to Max Shrek, who probably was a vampire. At least I think so. Anyway, the makeup is simply the most powerful ever created for the cinema, next to Frankenstein's monster.

The plot is simple: Just the same as all the books. But with the absence of Van Helsing, the story falls a little flat.

To heck with that. Ignore the others on this great 2 disc set and only watch Nosferatu! That and, did you know that this film got involved in a lawsuit, and that all copies of the film were ordered destroyed?

B/W TRIPLE THREAT.......2001-05-10

AFTER SEEING (AND ENJOYING) SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE, I THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING A COPY OF NOSFERATU (1922) (64 MIN) ON DVD. WHILE CHECKING OUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT VERSIONS TO SEE WHICH OFFERED MORE OPTIONS, I RAN ACROSS THIS EDITION THAT ALSO INCLUDES DER GOLEM (1920) (68 MIN) AND THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1921) (51 MIN). I'VE READ ABOUT AND SEEN PICTURES FROM ALL 3 OF THESE FILMS BUT HAD NEVER ACTUALLY VIEWED THEM. WHAT A TREAT IT WAS TO SEE THEM CONTAINED IN ONE PACKAGE ON 2 DVDs. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I BOUGHT IT AND ENJOYED THEM OVER THE NEXT 3 EVENINGS. THE APPROXIMATE TIMES I HAVE LISTED ABOVE FOR EACH OF THE FILMS ARE CLOSER TO CORRECT THEN THE ONES LISTED IN THE EDITION DETAILS... A VERY MINOR ERROR THAT SHOULD NOT DETER YOU FROM PICKING UP THIS CLASSIC BLACK AND WHITE TRIPLE THREAT FROM AN ERA GONE BY.

How bad do you want Der Golem?.......2001-02-18

I won't rehash what most people already know; two of these films are considered classics while the other is a well-respected but lesser known silent work. This three-pack was a big disappointment overall from a technical standpoint. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is basically unwatchable because the high contrast obliterates the details and bad framing destroys the picture composition. Also, the title cards have been replaced, and this version doesn't have any of the tinting.

Nosferatu fares a little better. The contrast is high but not unwatchable. More annoying here is transfer speed of 24 frames per minute, which makes the characters appear to be moving at super-human speed; this works okay for comedy but terrible for horror.

There are several versions of both the above films out on DVD and VHS; I hear good things about the Image Editions but haven't seen them. What isn't available anywhere else is Der Golem; the tale of the stone figure brought to life to protect a Jewish community. It stars Paul Wagner. The film has got a heavy contrast but with nothing to compare it to, I can't say if this is the fault of the source material or the transfer. This was the only film that doesn't have a musical score, which definately detracts from the film. The movie itself is good but not up to the level of Caligari or Nosferatu. Whether to buy this set or not ultimately rests with how bad you want this film.

Masterworks of the German Horror Cinema.......2000-08-09

The box set made by IMAGE (not ELITE) does not have all of the technical problems that Paul Kesler wrote of in his review.

Average customer rating:

THE BIG BANG.......FOR HORROR!!!
creepy, cool
How diabolical can a woman be???
Dream a little dream of me
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

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ASIN: B0000897C2
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

THE BIG BANG.......FOR HORROR!!!.......2007-08-30

creepy, cool.......2007-07-03

How diabolical can a woman be???.......2007-07-01

Dream a little dream of me.......2007-07-01

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.......2007-06-20

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (UMD Mini For PSP)

Average customer rating:

Texas Hold 'em. Then Kill 'em.
IF IT AIN'T BROKE...
She said they were all going to die and the girl wasn't lying

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (UMD Mini For PSP)
Starring: Andrew Bryniarski , John Larroquette , Brad Leland , Marietta Marich , and Andrew Prine
Director: Marcus Nispel
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP

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Accessories:

ASIN: B000B5IOUM
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Description

Inspired by a true story and the classic 1974 film. A group of teenagers take a detour from a road trip and what happens next is beyond anyone's darkest fears and raw nightmares.

Customer Reviews:

Texas Hold 'em. Then Kill 'em........2007-01-25

When you talk about the TV shows Desperate Housewives, 7th Heaven, CSI, The OC and even The Guiding Light wouldn't you think it strange to mention The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in the same breath? Similarly, when you say R. Lee Ermey you're usually not talking about 2003 and 2006's Texas Chainsaw Massacre films, right?

The main actors in both The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beinning (2006) were plucked right out TV. And R. Lee Ermey?...He starred in both Texas 2003 and 2006, but we all know what we really associate that guy with...the colorful Full Metal Jacket (1987) boot camp sergeant, of course.

Ah, and let's not forget the up and coming Jessica Beil (2006's The Illusionist); while the 2003 remake of Texas Chainsaw was one of her first big screen films, I expect that we'll see a lot more leading roles from this fine young talent in the future.

I was lucky enough to find a very inexpensive 2 pack on sale at Amazon for the price that just one of the disks is selling for today. Unfortunately, as of this writing I see that Amazon isn't offering the same deal, but the two pack is still available.

Enough trivia. About the movies.

Might as well start at The Beginning (2006). The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning was perhaps one of the top 5 most shockingly brutal movies that I have ever seen. Torture. Brutal murder. Intense violence. All acted out superbly by a cast that mostly made you believe that this horrible stuff was happening.

The Beginning was directed by short-resumed Horror vet Jonathan Liebesman, and he mostly kept it real. He made his actors take their rolls seriously, unlike so many Horror movies that throw in teenage camp to dumb down the shock. Liebsman had only a few "oh c'mon that would never happen" scenes versus almost an "oh my God" ever 5 minutes throughout the 96 minute Horror gala (that's like 25 'oh-my-Gods').

The over the top and stretch the imagination scenes are enough to bring the film down a notch, but I was out of breath after exposure to so much shock and awe by the time the credits rolled. So The Beginning was affectively above average.

The thing about The Beginning is that you know it's not the end. No happy ending expectations here; just a sense of dread for all who come in contact with Sheriff Hoyt's family of degenerates. The Beginning is the prequel that plays right into The Texas Chainsaw 2003 remake of the original 1974 Tobe Hooper cult classic that shocked the nation. Hooper had oversight as a producer in both Texas 2003 and 2006.

2003's remake was probably about 1/2 as brutal as the 2006 (unrated version) story of The Beginning, so that should speak volumes as to how to set your expectations. Texas 2003 continues the murderous story of the unfortunate that ventured to close to Sheriff Hoyt's jurisdiction.

Shock and awe (or should I say shock and gore) should not be confused with greatness. Both Texas 2003 and 2006 were good Horror movies. They were better gross-out movies. So all in all, if you're into Horror, these moves do indeed epitomize the genre. They are good...not great. If you are rating these on shock these two are at the top of the list. If you're looking for other impressionable films to have crossed the screen in the past 25 years or so, click on my name above and check out my Amazon Listmania List of 15 Flicks Guaranteed to Leave A Permanent Impression.

IF IT AIN'T BROKE..........2006-06-07

Having seen the 1974 original, I looked forward to seeing this re-make. The original had a quasi-documentary feel to it with its grainy footage and cast of virtual unknowns. The film was a visual cornucopia of terror and horror, though there was actually very little gore shown on screen. The unusually macabre sets and the relentless sound of the chainsaw bandied by Leatherface were enough to make the viewer tremble.

This re-make has stuck relatively close to the original in terms of a general story line, though there are, of course, some differences. In the re-make, a group of teens set off in their van on their way to a concert in Texas, where they end up in a rural area. After picking up a dazed, female hitchhiker, their world is turned upside down when she does the unspeakable.

They go looking for help and, unfortunately, come across a house inhabited by one heck of a family of crazies. From the moment they do so, the teens run hither and dither, as they are chased by a chainsaw wielding, leather faced maniac. Unlike the original, this film is a real slasher type horror film with plenty of blood and gore. This is the real difference between the original and the re-make.

While the re-make has much better production values than the original, as well as better acting by its cast, the original was far scarier. The director of the original, Tobe Hooper, did far more with far less. Still, if you are a fan of bloody slasher films, this is worth a rental. Better yet, rent both the original 1974 version, as well as this re-make, and then judge for yourself as to which is the superior horror flick.

She said they were all going to die and the girl wasn't lying.......2005-12-29

Well, this 2003 remake of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" creeped me out. Of course I waited until late at night to watch it, which is what you were supposed to do with a horror movie, because lately even when a horror film has a good start, such as "Jeepers Creepers," they almost always end up being laughable. Now, I will not go so far as to say this is a great horror film, and I am not suggesting that it replace the raw power of Tobe Hooper's original in any one's mind, but it sure creeped me out more than anything I have seen in a while (except for last month when I watched "The Exorcist" again).

What does this remake have working in its favor? Well, first the film is selective in what it takes from the original. We have the same beginning with the grainy film and the same narration talking about "one of the most bizarre crimes in the annals of American history" (again narrated by a now considerably more famous John Larroquette), and we have the same basic idea that a group of teenagers in 1973 make the mistake of running into Leatherface and his kin. But in terms of the specifics the screenplay by Scott Kosar does not treat the original like gospel: the hook is still there, but we lose the bizarre dinner scene where the original really lost me.

I was also surprised to see that cinematographer Daniel Pearl is back to show what he has learned since 1974, which is apparently a note. Maybe the music video sensibilities of director Marcus Nispel have something to do with this at well, but this horror film looks the way that horror films are supposed to look. You know that things are going well when you are getting the wiggins and the sun has not yet set in the film. There are plenty of bad things to see in this film, but the camera does not wallow on them the way so many splatter flicks do.

Maybe part of the effectiveness of this remake is that for those of us who watched the original we know the basics of what is going to happen so that there is a sense of anticipation that no matter what is happening on screen something really bad is about to happen. But if I were going to point to something else beyond the cinematography it would be the fact that this time Leatherface (Andrew Bryniarski) is not the really scary one. No, the honor goes to R. Lee Ermey who brings his drill sergeant from hell to the character of Sheriff Hoyt. Even before Leatherface shows up these teenagers are in way over their heads.

Ripe for the slaughter are good girl Erin (Jessica Biel), her boy friend Kemper (Eric Balfour), young stud Andy (Mike Vogel), the friendly hitchhiker Pepper (Erica Leerhsen), and for comic relief stoner Morgan (Jonathan Tucker). They are driving through Texas to get to a concert when they almost run over a disoriented and frightened girl walking along the road. They try to help, but she is beyond help and so, as she plainly tells them, are they.

Biel, still trying to put her good girl image from "7th Heaven" behind her, manages to play a scream queen without going off the deep end like she did in "Gear" (even in a freezing meat locker). Often these films come down to the good girl character trying to survive the maniac with their weapon of choice and in that regard Biel is one of the better to come along. Yeah, she is smart and sexy, but for once when she gets to the part where she has to fight back you actually believe she might pull it off.

This is a grim and relentless film that assaults its audience as much as it does its characters. After so many horror films that fail on that score perhaps the biggest shock is any film could get this far doing what it is supposed to be doing and if you come here expecting a cathartic ending abandon hope on that score right now. Also, when you decide to watch it late at night, remember not to turn all the light out.

Average customer rating:

review at bottom is incorrect
Titles included have changed
Five Stars for the Movies; Three for the DVD

German Silent Masterworks Collection
Starring: Maly Delschaft , Max Hiller , Emil Jannings , Georg John , and Emilie Kurz
Manufacturer: Sling Shot
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: 1584480939
Release Date: 2001-10-16

Customer Reviews:

review at bottom is incorrect.......2001-12-09

one of the comments below states that this disk contains the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.. which was the main reason why i bought it.. note that it DOES NOT! the other Murneau films are worth the buy, but it would have been great to have Cabinet too.

Titles included have changed.......2001-11-21

(...) Unfortunately, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is not included in this disk. Nosferatu, The Last Laugh, and Der Golem are packaged together from Triton Media. Bummer, huh?

Five Stars for the Movies; Three for the DVD.......2001-02-24

Even in the early days of cinema, Hollywood provided fluff. The Germans began to really experiment in the 1920s and were considered the real artists as well as the main rival to the studios. The three films on the German Silent Masterworks--The Golem, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and Nosferatu--represent this great experimentation and high art that Germany had to offer; I only wish that the compilers had provided more features to complement the great works.

Der Golem (The Golem, directed by Robert Wiene, is the earliest example still in existence of a full length horror film. It is also the earliest surviving example of German Expressionism. The film is considered to be a forerunner of the classic image of Frankenstein. The moody atmosphere would influence the other tow films as well as movies to our present day. The grittiness of ancient Prague has never been captured as well. It is through this early film that we can understand and appreciate the horror genre more fully while still being entertained.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is fascinating. There is no other word to describe the mood, set, or storyline. This is when film took on a new life. We could actually see a new world. German Expressionism fully flowers in this shocker about a mad scientist and his helper who appears to be in a coma. This, like the other two, not only is important to watch for film history; it still packs a punch!

Nosferatu is the third and best known film in the collection. It is the first Dracula film as well as one of the great F. W. Murnaus' films. This vampire is not the suave Dracula of later films of even the book, yet a frightening bloodcuker with oddly elongated limbs and teeth. There is a forboding air throughout the film that doesn't lift until the very end. Don't watch this one without a light on!

Now, I have to tell you that these films are necessary for any film or buff. The question is: Is this the right format? The set does come with a useful booklet and some stills; however, where is the additional commentary? Books upon books have been written on these three films, yet not even one film historian could provide an audio track for one of the movies? I think that's a shame which is why I give the DVD itself three stars.

So, if you want to splurge and try to get all three films separately, that would probably be the best thing. If you're a film addict as myself and want to own three of the best early German flicks without spending a fortune--look no further.

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