Dr. Caligari

Director - Stephen Sayadian (Silk Stalkings)

Starring - Madeleine Reynal (Space Mutiny), Fox Harris (Repo Man, Forbidden World), and Laura Albert (Bloodstone, The Unnamable)

Release Date - 1989

Genre - Comedy/Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "the MAD doctor is in"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Mondo Macabro is one of those labels that brings us films that we would never get the chance to see if it wasn’t for them. Hell, a good portion of the films they release are completely unknown to myself and most of my circles of friends. While I’m always excited to check out these odd and obscure films I will be completely transparent with everyone that takes the time to read my reviews. Sometimes I review a Mondo Macabro film that I just don’t like. They are a company that I enjoy watching and collecting but their films or either loved or disliked. There is no in-between. Sometime back I was sent a few MM released and one of them was Dr. Caligari. This is one I had seen bits and pieces of growing up but never actually sat down to watch the whole film. I’m glad Mondo Macabro was kind enough to send it over because I fucking loved it. I want to take a second to thank MM for hooking me up! 

      The film follows a female doctor who is a descendent of the original Dr. Caligari. She is employed at a mental asylum and has been conducting experiments on the patients there. However, it’s not innocent experiments that she is conducting. Her sexually charged research has her working on a variety of patients from serial killing cannibals to housewives with libido issues. 

      Dr. Caligari is a loose sequel to the classic silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. While both films are memorable they are memorable for very different reasons. The original film is known the world over for it’s beautiful imagery and tone while the sequel has just as memorable visuals but the sexual humor and colorful characters makes the follow up stand out. The acting in this one absolutely amazed me. While the film does focus on sexuality and perversion, it does give viewers some of the most memorable characters I’ve witnessed. I would be here all day if I was to pick apart the cast because everyone delivered amazing performances. However, I will take a moment to mention John Durbin’s performance. His character had me laughing so fucking hard. This is easily my favorite performance of his and the film wouldn’t be nearly as funny if someone else was cast in that role. The story for this one is very different than the original while paying tribute to the film that was released 60 plus years before it. While imagery is still an important part of the film we follow a story that doesn’t shy away from laughs or the sleazy side of cinema which is to be expected when it was produced by the same folks behind Café Flesh. The film’s focus is Dr. Caligari and how she experiments on the deranged in sexual and perverse ways. You would think this set up would wear thin as the film progresses but the new wave style sets and wardrobe mixed with the colorful characters carries this simple story further than it should have. Finally, the film has plenty of practical effects and beautiful set designs but those of you looking for blood and gore will be very disappointed. While there is blood it is not the focal point of the film. In fact, it happens in passing with no real time spent on it. We do get some wild scenes with some enjoyable practical effects and visuals but that is the extent of it. Overall, Dr. Caligari is nothing like the original film but I believe that is a good thing. It pays tribute to a historical film while making a name for itself. It’s a must see cult film that I highly recommend snagging on blu from Mondo Macabro. Check it out.