The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: best edition?

[Lino]

Can anyone tell me which DVD edition is the definitive one for this film? I've tried the Beaver but the two editions compared don't seem to be the final word. Is there a recently restored version out on DVD or are there plans for it? This film deserves the goods, boys!

[manicsounds]

The Kino is my best bet.
Plus, the 4 disc German Horror boxset that it comes in is also very nice
(w/ Nosferatu, Waxworks, and The Golem)

"This Kino on Video edition is taken from a 35mm print restored by the Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv of Germany, featuring the original color tinting and toning. The title translation is by Kinograph Montréal."

[Lino]

I was hoping that there would be an edition that contained the original german titles and not the english translated ones. But I've even checked amazon.de and there doesn't seem to be one out even there.

Peerpee, do you have any info on this? You seem to be a reliable source for silent matters, no pun intended!

[peerpee]

Enquiries were made last year, it's ongoing for MoC. It's a possibility. It does need a good, definitive disc. The problem is that the market is flooded with shit boots of crap transfers.

[Lino]

As Wallace would say, "cracking good news, Gromit!"

edit: Oh, one more thing: forgive my lazyness but can anyone point me to the best edition of Nosferatu out there?

[nredding2]

This site has comparisons of DVD releases of silent movies.
http://www.silentera.com/DVD/index.html

[Keaton]

Hi,

Transit will release a remastered version (like the remastered Metropolis, Last Laugh or Golem from them, for example) in (hopefully) 2005. So you can expect, like with all the other films that Transit Film has restored, a new and far better edition in UK and/or US.

Regards,

Dennis

[Narshty]

edit: Oh, one more thing: forgive my lazyness but can anyone point me to the best edition of Nosferatu out there?

The best of the current crop is the BFI version. It has a gorgeous score by Hammer veteran James Bernard but a rather soft image and English intertitles (that are respectful of the original graphic designs, however).

The absolute definitive version has yet to emerge, so I'd hang on for now.

[The Digital McGuffin]

Another comprehensive comparison featuring 18 different versions and screen grabs for many and an overview of the different restorations. One of Nick's comments in the Eureka/MoC thread hinted that there might be something in the line from MoC. Might be worth bearing in mind.

[denti alligator]

I've been waiting for Caligari and Nosferatu with original intertitles. Until then I won't touch what's out there. I can only hope MoC will do it. That would be--as my mother would say--an answer to prayer (except that I don't pray).

[jt]

Sorry to resurrect this thread after so long but I'm getting desperate.

Is there a decent version of this in the pipeline anywhere? Nick, you hinted (two years ago) that MoC were looking at this, any update?

I'm not sure if I can wait much longer but neither the kino with crappy first reel and synth score or the image with a horrible, horrible picture (albeit with a Timothy Brock score) look particularly appealing.

Does anyone know if the source materials even exist for a definitive version?

[Tommaso]

There is a dvd in Spain from divisared, which has the German intertitles and original tintings (restored in 1995). I haven't seen this one, as I have the French dvd from FsF, which is apparently the same printwise (German titles, removable French subs) and it has a good, idiomatic musical score. I think the FsF looks quite good, although one wishes perhaps for slightly stronger colours. But as there doesn't seem to be a new version coming anywhere soon, this or the divisared would be the one to go for at the moment. Both can be gotten relatively easy and cheap either from retailers or from European ebay sellers.
Look here for a review of the French disc (in French)

[jt]

Thanks.
My french isn't so good, you know if either of the versions you refer to have English subs?

[Tommaso]

I'm pretty sure that none has, unfortunately.

[Caligula]

Enquiries were made last year, it's ongoing for MoC. It's a possibility. It does need a good, definitive disc. The problem is that the market is flooded with shit boots of crap transfers.

Almost three years later!

I am very tempted to buy the Kino disc, but am happy to wait for an MoC if there's a chance for the foreseeable future.

Nick, is there any news on this front?

[Rsdio]

If I recall correctly Nick's said before that films which already have a Eureka release will be a lower priority than films they haven't done at all, I'd love for that to have changed in this case though.

[videozor]

Here is a more recent instance of Peerpee mentioning MoC's Caligari plans.

As far as Kino's edition is concerned I wouldn't encourage anybody who owns it to sell it in anticipation of MoC re-issue. I already regret I've sold my Milestone Tabu. Point is, at least to me and as far as silents are concerned, NOT every MoC re-issue becomes a definitive edition (compare Metropolis, Faust, Tartuffe, Nosferatu with Tabu - untill somebody, maybe Milestone, re-do it, you'll need both MoC and Milestone...)

[HerrSchreck]

..and the point is now that you are not waiting for MoC-- you're waiting (like Nick is) for Transit to perhaps perform a new resto providing a tape w Original intertitles to everyone. I seriously doubt Nick or anyone else would release a disc nowadays based on a2 000/1 SD beta.

[Caligula]

Point taken. The Kino for now it is, then.

[OliverB]

Enquiries were made last year, it's ongoing for MoC. It's a possibility. It does need a good, definitive disc. The problem is that the market is flooded with shit boots of crap transfers.

Please make this happen!

[Murdoch]

Which DVD version is available at Netflix? I recently watched it online through their site, but found the text used for the dialogue to be more than irritating. It was written in a style that tried to match the surrealism of the film - some letters were stretched out or words had strange, large spaces in between letters - that made reading the dialogue confusing, I don't think the version used the original dialogue cards.

[Darth Lavender]

Sounds like you saw the "Kino" version, which is actually pretty good (except for the terrible first reel)
The DVD itself includes a brief excerpt with the original German intertitles, and Kino have done a pretty exceptional job of recreating the look in English.

[swo17]

Netflix shows the Image version, which does not have as good of picture quality (for the most part) as the Kino version. However, it does have, in my opinion, the absolute best score available for the film. Now if someone could just combine the picture quality and the extras from the Kino with the score from the Image...

[Darth Lavender]

Further frustrating; the Image does have a better first reel...

I still say the price of the Kino (cost me $15 at DVDPacific) and the copious extras make it an excellent buy for now, even if it isn't "definitive"

But, yes, the ideal would be to combine the beginning of the Image with the rest of the Kino, and put all the scores & commentaries on there as alternate tracks.

[HerrSchreck]

Ya the Kino represents the most recent FWMS restoration of the film. Apparently during copy print/print that resulted in the Shepard/Image, was a frame line running horizontal along upper-top of the Image (a la the original CC M) due to misalign. This was one of the things the Kino release corrected.