The German horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was released in 1920.
Directed by Robert Wiene, the film follows Francis as he recounts disturbing events involving the mysterious Dr. Caligari and the sleepwalker Cesare. Its painted sets, distorted architecture, sharp angles, and theatrical shadows became defining examples of German Expressionist cinema.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. The film’s visual design reflects the Expressionist movement’s interest in representing inner emotion through deliberately artificial and distorted environments. Its framing narrative and ending have also encouraged decades of discussion about authority, madness, and unreliable perception.
The movie is sometimes confused with F. W. Murnau’s Nosferatu, which was released in 1922. Both are important early German horror films, but they are separate works with different directors and stories. Caligari’s 1920 release places it among the foundational features of cinematic horror and modernist film style.