Dr. Caligari (1989) ****1/2

Weird, wild, wacky, and very much my speed, Stephen Sayadian’s Dr. Caligari (1989) is an inexplicable, surreal, expressionist, avant-garde, psychosexual mindfuck. Like some deranged, oversexed, 1980s off-off Broadway version of The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari (1920) (review), Sayadian’s film simply has to be experienced.

Dr. Caligari is a hyper-stylized satire, a hilarious and horrific head trip filled with fourth wall breaking, intentionally stilted dialogue, a nightmarish score, kooky special effects, theatrical camera movements, and eye-popping, off-kilter production design. I feel like John Waters and Devo must love this movie (I sure do).

Recommended for fans of Forbidden Zone (1980), Liquid Sky (1982) (review), Videodrome (1983) (review), Flesh For Frankenstein (1973), and David Lynch’s early shorts.