Masterworks of German Horror Cinema: Nosferatu / Der Golem / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (DVD)

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"Expressionism" is defined by the "Random House Dictionary of the English Language" as a manner of art in which "forms derived from nature are distorted or exaggerated for emotive or expressive purposes. In theater, a style of presentation stressing emotional content, the subjective reactions of the characters, symbolic or abstract representations of reality, and nonnaturalistic techniques of scenic design." German cinematic expressionism in the second and third decades of the twentieth century influenced almost every film to come, but it specifically impacted the horror film.

The three silent movies included in this two-disc package from Elite Entertainment probably had more to do in changing the way we view horror than any three films in history. Looking back eighty-odd years, we see in these works, "The Golem," "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," and "Nosferatu," the roots of everything we have come to know and love about today's fright flicks. The titles alone strike terror in the hearts of filmgoers, even if they haven't actually seen the original films.

The three movies are presented one to a side on two DVDs. This seems a little extravagant since all three films are short enough, about an hour each, to have been included on one side of a single dual-layered disc. But Elite have chosen to market them in a two-disc set, so that's the way it is.

The Golem
Side one contains "The Golem," from 1920 among the earliest of the trio. It is also the least expressionistic of the films, with a look that is more Romantic than angular. Long before James Whale introduced movie audiences to the Frankenstein monster, director Paul Wegener performed a similar feat with an old, sixteenth-century Jewish folk tale about a clay figure, the Golem, brought to life. And not only did Wegener direct, he starred as the creature. Later connections to "Frankenstein" are clearly evident in the monster's creation, the set design, especially the village, the heroine, and the monster's turning on his master. The DVD copy was transferred from 35mm reduction elements to a 16mm positive print. For its age it is remarkably well preserved, probably looking as good as it did when it first appeared. No audio track accompanies the film, it's completely silent (sorry, surround-sound fans), but there are chapter stops and a brief selection of stills among the special features. There is also an extremely valuable, twelve-page booklet insert written by film historian Miroslaw Lipinski that provides an enlightening overview of German expressionism in the cinema and some inside information on the making of each of the three films.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
On the flip side of "The Golem" is "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," also from 1920. It is the most expressionistic of the three films represented, full of weird, contorted angles, dark shadows, and bizarre, surrealistic sets. The story, directed by Robert Wiene, is about a looney doctor (Werner Krauss) who commands a somnambulist zombie (Conrad Veidt) to commit various murders. It's mainly a mood piece, the tone set by the grotesque art direction. The print was obtained from two original 35mm negatives reduced to 16mm for restoration. An orchestral audio track runs with the film, lending appropriate atmosphere to the proceedings. On the same disc are some production stills from "Caligari" and a brief clip from another expressionist film, "Genuine," from the same director.