Robert Wiene, 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' (1920) and Fritz Lang, 'Metropolis' (1927)

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Robert Wiene, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920) and Fritz Lang, "Metropolis" (1927)
This paper compares visual and thematic aspects of the following films Robert Wiene, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920) and Fritz Lang, "Metropolis" (1927). It also explains how both films had German expressionist film tendencies.
"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," is a German Expressionist film and it is a horror movie. The film is mostly a reflection / flash back as it is being narrated by Francis. The thematic effect of the film is that film shows on the society madness, how the inner side of human mind works and the paranoia experienced at the aftermath of war. Unlike Fritz Lang, "Metropolis" (1927) The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari has imagery which resembles dagger. This is depicted by the door hinge which is pointed directly to the heart of Hutter at his room.
The Fritz Lang, "Metropolis" (1927) is a fictional movie based on science; it is known as the most expensive film and cost about $200 milion to produce it. It was set in the gothic skyscrapers in the city state; this is the reason for its name metropolis. The society in the metropolis is divided into two groups i.e. the thinkers living in luxury above the earth and the workers living underground and work to sustain their livelihood. The story is about the revolution by the workers advised by Maria (Brigitte Helm) so that the two sides of the society can be equal.
The main thematic effects in the film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari are expressionistic, irrationality and restored authority. The theme expressed in the film has influenced genres which are now staples of horror cinema. Use of expressionistic themes has made the film to be able to link reality and non-existent.
Unlike Fritz Lang, "Metropolis" (1927) whose main theme is dualism on most of the characters and the themes are physically replicated as a robot. Robert Wiene, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920) has capitalized on Expressionistic which is used to make what seems to be unrealistic to be seen as reality.
The themes in the movie are based on the revolution and technological aspects, for instance a scene where the workers flood the underground city; when Maria narrates a story of Babel as given in the Bible. This is a juxtaposition of the problems the workers are going through. The theme given is on perseverance as they can be able to change their way of life through this revolution. The main theme developed in this story is the lack of communication between the two social classes.
Technology is also greatly used in the movie; in fact most of the devices and technology applied in the movie are bizarre, for instance the heart machine, and the M-machine. There are also t...