Cabinet of Caligari

When young Jane Lindstrom's (Glynis Johns) car breaks down, she makes her way to a somewhat frightening-looking mansion for help. Once there, however, her problems go from bad to worse: Dr. Caligari (Dan O'Herlihy), the owner of the house, begins taking Jane on a slow, tortuous descent into her psyche that makes her increasingly uncomfortable. Moreover, she is held in the house against her will, and no on in Caligari's household seems willing to help her escape. With its compelling, haunting soundtrack and unexpected plot twists, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari just might send you screaming to your psychotherapist, or, perhaps, running in the other direction.

Deviating heavily from the original film from which it derives its name, this 1961 psychological thriller, written by respected horror writer Robert Bloch (PSYCHO), retains only the themes of somnambulism from its predecessor. Glynis Johns stars as Jane, a young woman who has lost her way and winds up spending the night at the creepy estate owned by Dr. Caligari (Dan O'Herlihy). Upon her attempt to leave in the morning, Jane learns that she has been drugged, and is now Caligari's captive. Caligari turns out to be a pervert, spying on her in the bathtub and attempting to pry into her sexual history, and the house is occupied by strange and helpless people. Jane's only friend is a handsome young man who shows her a way to escape. When she puts his plan into practice, however, Jane learns that nothing there is what it seems, and that her true captor is her own mind.

Doctors | Escape | Horror Classic | Psychodrama | Psychology | Thriller

Genre:

• Horror Movies

Movie Categories:

• Horror / Suspense