The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Gotta say, the number one thing I was not expecting this remake to do was have sound! Like, it’s one thing to create a low-budget, green screen-laden reimagining of one of the most iconic silent films ever made, but to make it a TALKIE?! Insanity. It certainly doesn’t help that the screenplay they created for this was a complete disgrace, and to top it all off, Tubi did not have subtitles available for it! 

I suppose Doug Jones was the best choice to play the role of Cesare, but the production quality of this thing was so abysmally low that nothing he was able to bring to the table could elevate it out of mediocrity. I think I officially checked out once I realized that my favorite scene, the one where Cesare abducts Jane from her bed, was completely fumbled and nowhere near as hypnotizing as the original. 

This version was just so utterly devoid of any sense of intrigue or allure … all the things that made the original unique and compelling and influential have been totally stripped away, and for what?? I genuinely can’t fathom the reason why this movie was made.

Watching this so soon after viewing the original for the first time gave me the same feeling I felt when I initially watched Donnie Darko in high school and then promptly decided to follow it up with a screening of S. Darko, which is to say … terrible, terrible regret!!

Gotta say, the number one thing I was not expecting this remake to do was have sound! Like, it’s one thing to create a low-budget, green screen-laden reimagining of one of the most iconic silent films ever made, but to make it a TALKIE?! Insanity. It certainly doesn’t help that the screenplay they created for this was a complete disgrace, and to top it all off, Tubi did not have subtitles available for it! 

I suppose Doug Jones was the best choice to play the role of Cesare, but the production quality of this thing was so abysmally low that nothing he was able to bring to the table could elevate it out of mediocrity. I think I officially checked out once I realized that my favorite scene, the one where Cesare abducts Jane from her bed, was completely fumbled and nowhere near as hypnotizing as the original. 

This version was just so utterly devoid of any sense of intrigue or allure … all the things that made the original unique and compelling and influential have been totally stripped away, and for what?? I genuinely can’t fathom the reason why this movie was made.

Watching this so soon after viewing the original for the first time gave me the same feeling I felt when I initially watched Donnie Darko in high school and then promptly decided to follow it up with a screening of S. Darko, which is to say … terrible, terrible regret!!

🎃Spooktober🎃 Film #6:

Two friends go to a fair and interact with a strange man who says he can predict the future. One of them (Alan) asks how much longer he will live. Before getting met with a chilling response. The following morning he comes up dead, but who is responsible? Except this time… IT’S WITH DOUG JONES!

I found out of the existence of this film from Doug Jones himself at a screening for his new “remake” of Nosferatu. This is a much similar, re-filming of an already beloved film with modern technology. Now there are some real complaints as the CGI looks really horrible, and for some reason it has that weird 2000’s Twilight style glare to it.

The David Lee Fisher re-shots are a lot of fun, but I still prefer the original for both films. You can tell they put a lot more detail into Nosferatu than this, but this was made in 2005 after all, so I can’t be too harsh.

Don’t come in expecting anything special or better than the original. In all honesty you’re better off just going and watching the original. But it’s fun enough to get a few friends, have some drinks, and have a few laughs at this!

🎃Spooktober🎃 Film #6:

Two friends go to a fair and interact with a strange man who says he can predict the future. One of them (Alan) asks how much longer he will live. Before getting met with a chilling response. The following morning he comes up dead, but who is responsible? Except this time… IT’S WITH DOUG JONES!

I found out of the existence of this film from Doug Jones himself at a screening for his new “remake” of Nosferatu. This is a much similar, re-filming of an already beloved film with modern technology. Now there are some real complaints as the CGI looks really horrible, and for some reason it has that weird 2000’s Twilight style glare to it.

The David Lee Fisher re-shots are a lot of fun, but I still prefer the original for both films. You can tell they put a lot more detail into Nosferatu than this, but this was made in 2005 after all, so I can’t be too harsh.

Don’t come in expecting anything special or better than the original. In all honesty you’re better off just going and watching the original. But it’s fun enough to get a few friends, have some drinks, and have a few laughs at this!

This one was a little better. It was much funnier

This one was a little better. It was much funnier