Sunday, February 26, 2017

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)



THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI
Robert Wiene
1920 • 67 Minutes • 1.33 : 1 • Germany 
Decla-Bioscop AG 

Cast: Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Fehér, Lil Dagover, Hans Twardowski
Screenplay: Hans Janowitz, Carl Mayer
Cinematography: Willy Hameister
Producers: Rudolf Meinert, Erich Pommer

Awards & Honors

The Essential Films Countdown Lists
100 Essential Horror Movies - 2011 Edition
100 Essential Horror Movies - 2012 Edition
100 Essential Horror Movies - 2013 Edition

100 Essential Horror Movies - 2016 Edition

THE MOST AMAZING STORY EVER FILMED

Cesare, a somnambulist controlled by the demented Dr. Caligari, makes deadly predictions that come

to pass.  In fact, Caligari is hypnotizing Cesare to commit murders around the country.  Can our hero, Francis, stop the murders before it is too late? Or worse yet, before he descends into madness?

This is perhaps THE defining work of German Expressionist cinema with its sharp angles and twisted backgrounds and exaggerated set design. The style lends itself to the psychological horror of the film. It's an intentionally distorted reality to keep the viewer consistently on edge and cause anxiety and stress. The entire film has a nightmarish quality and plays into the climax, which may possibly one of the first twist endings in cinema. Even the film's intertitles have a creepy, unsettling style, far from the standard font used at the time. The film draws attentions to its words. Film scholars have noted that Cesare, manipulated into committing crimes while sleeping, is an allegory to the horrors of Germany at the time, a nation devastated by World War I.

Robert Wiene's expressionist style has a clear influence on modern filmmakers, especially Tim Burton. Look to Edward Scissorhands, Batman and Beetlejuice for the clear homages to this film. From film noir to modern horror, this film's influence is felt everywhere. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is the pinnacle of paranoid horror films.

You fools, this man is plotting our doom! We die at dawn! He is Caligari!



The 2017 Essential Film Awards

Celebrating the cinematic achievements of 2016.

Official 2016 Selections

 
 
  
 

__________

Best Film of the Year - Drama


MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
Kenneth Lonergan
137 Minutes • 1.85:1 • United States
Color • English • Amazon Studios

Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges
Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan
Producers: Matt Damon, Kimberly Steward, Chris Moore, Kevin J. Walsh, Lauren Beck
Cinematography: Jody Lee Lipes
__________

Best Film of the Year - Comedy or Musical


LA LA LAND
Damien Chazelle
128 Minutes • 2.55:1 • United States
Color • English • Summit Entertainment

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt
Screenplay: Damien Chazelle
Producers: Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz, Gary Gilbert, Marc Platt
Cinematography: Linus Sandgren
__________

Best Actor in a Lead Role - Drama


MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
Casey Affleck
__________

Best Actor in a Lead Role - Comedy or Musical


SWISS ARMY MAN
Daniel Radcliffe
__________



Best Actress in a Lead Role - Drama


FENCES
Viola Davis
__________

Best Actress in a Lead Role - Comedy or Musical


THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN
Hailee Steinfeld
__________


Best Actor in a Supporting Role



GREEN ROOM
Patrick Stewart
__________

Best Actress in a Supporting Role



MOONLIGHT
Naomie Harris
__________

Best Ensemble



HAIL, CAESAR!
Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hil, Scarlett Johansson, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Channing Tatum
__________

Best Director


LA LA LAND
Damien Chazalle
__________

Best Screenplay - Original Screenplay



THE WITCH
Robert Eggers
__________

Best Screenplay - Adapted or Historic Material



ARRIVAL
Eric Hiesserer
based on the story "Story of Your Life" written by Ted Chiang
__________

Best Animated Feature Film



MOANA
Ron Clements, John Musker
__________

Best Documentary



O.J.: MADE IN AMERICA
Ezra Edelman
__________

Best Foreign Language Film



THE HANDMAIDEN
Park Chan-Wook
__________

Best Film - Limited Theatrical Release



THE WITCH
Robert Eggers
__________

Best Blockbuster Film



CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
__________

Best Cinematography



THE NEON DEMON
Natasha Braier
__________

Best Film Editing



ARRIVAL
Joe Walker
__________

Best Production Design



HAIL, CAESAR!
Jess Gonchor, Nancy Haigh
__________

Best Costumes



ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
David Crossman, Glyn Dillon 
__________

Best Visual Effects


DOCTOR STRANGE
Stephane Ceretti, Richard Bluff, Vincent Cirelli, Paul Corbould 
__________

Best Stunts & Stunt Choreography


HACKSAW RIDGE
__________

Best Make-Up Effects


STAR TREK BEYOND

Joel Harlow, Richard Alonzo 

__________

Best Music - Original Score


NOCTURNAL ANIMALS
Abel Korzeniowski
__________

Best Music - Original Song


SING STREET
"Drive it Like You Stole It"
Gary Clark
__________

Best Music - Soundtrack


SING STREET
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
__________

Best Sound Design


LA LA LAND
__________

Best Action/Adventure Film


DEADPOOL
Tim Miller
__________

Best Horror or Thriller Film


GREEN ROOM
Jeremy Saulnier
__________

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Film


ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
Gareth Edwards
__________

Best Animated Short Film


PIPER
Alan Barillaro
__________

Best Performer in a Voice Acting Role


ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
Alan Tudyk
__________

The following films did not win any Essential Film Awards but are noteworthy for their cinematic contributions in 2016:

10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
THE CONJURING 2
DON'T BREATHE
EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM
HIDDEN FIGURES
HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE
HUSH
THE JUNGLE BOOK
KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS
THE LOBSTER
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
MIDNIGHT SPECIAL
THE NICE GUYS
OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL
THE SHALLOWS
SILENCE
WEINER
ZOOTOPIA

Sunday, February 19, 2017

FORCED PERSPECTIVE, Ep.89 – OSCAR-MANIA 2017, Part 2



It’s that time of the year once again!

THE ACADEMY AWARDS are upon us, and who better to preview the big show on February 26th than YOUR favorite movie podcast! In Part 2, join SportsGuy515 and Adolfo, along with special guest co-host BRANDON DRAVEN, as they wrap-up #OscarMania with their personal picks for the BEST and WORST films of 2016. Which films will have the honor (and dishonor) of making the cut? You’ve gotta tune in to find out! PLUS – the trio will look ahead and preview 2017’s offerings. OVER 2 HOURS OF GREAT FILM DISCUSSION! Don’t just stand there – DOWNLOAD/STREAM NOW!!!

***PROGRAMMING NOTE: FORCED PERSPECTIVE will be off next week due to the Oscars (as well as SportsGuy’s tradition of attending the AMC 24-Hour Best Picture Showcase in New York City), but the show will be back the following weekend with an all-new episode recapping next Sunday’s big show. In place of FP next week will be a NEW episode of THE ESSENTIAL FILMS PODCAST (also hosted by Adolfo and SportsGuy) covering the classic Billy Wilder film, Some Like It Hot. It will definitely be a great show with an equally great discussion (as always), so be sure to be on the lookout for that! Enjoy the Oscars, folks – and until next time, as SportsGuy likes to say, “we are outta here!” ****

Sunday, February 12, 2017

FORCED PERSPECTIVE, Ep.88 – OSCAR-MANIA 2017, Part 1



It’s that time of the year once again!



THE ACADEMY AWARDS are upon us, and who better to preview the big show on February 26th than YOUR favorite movie podcast! In Part 1, join SportsGuy515 and Adolfo, along with special guest co-host BRANDON DRAVEN, as they begin the Oscar hype with a recap of the Golden Globes before moving onto reviews of Best Picture contenders Moonlight, Hell or High Water, Manchester By the Sea, Fences, and La La Land. In the last segment, the trio will give their Oscar predictions – which films and actors will take home statues come Oscar night? Find out on this explosive episode – ALMOST 2 HOURS OF GREAT FILM DISCUSSION! So what are you waiting for?



DOWNLOAD/STREAM NOW!!!



FORCED PERSPECTIVE E-Mail: fpmpodcast@gmail.com
SportGuy’s Twitter: @SportsGuy515
Adolfo’s Twitter: @Adolfo_Acosta
The Essential Films Twitter: @EssentialFilms
FORCED PERSPECTIVE Twitter: @FPMoviePodcast
(***use the hashtag #FPMoviePodcast to discuss the show!***)