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Caligari is a genuine masterpiece. The perfectly immersive, dream like atmosphere is something film makers are still striving and failing to recreate today.
I think most people these days would prefer a version of Caligari starring Johnny Depp directed by Tim Burton and for everything to be a little more clean and familiar. But when you watch these commercial entities that turn over millions of dollars every time they work you should really appreciate how much they are lifting from the past. German Expressionism and even more specifically Caligari is prominent in much of Burton's work.
People become familiar with certain standards of cinema though and when you go back to some of these old movies that don't quite follow the formula or have the aesthetic you expect it see, its hard for the mind to appreciate and enjoy it. That's a big part of why so many of these old movies seem dull or slow or 'boring'. Generally speaking, we all find it a little easier to watch 'ABC' movies, but its a real shame if you cant learn to appreciate those movies that don't quite conform to modern standards.
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