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Perhaps the greatest example of German Expressionism in film and a box office smash upon its release in 1920, 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' is a bizarre and compelling story of horror and psychosis set in a brilliantly askew world. Inspired by theatrical special effects the filmmakers opted to place their actors against flat backdrops and paint highlights and shadows directly onto the sets themselves. The result is an angular and disjointed world which perfectly echoes the disturbed minds of the characters inhabiting it. The film is credited as having introduced the twist ending to cinema and is cited as an influence on Frankenstein and the book 'Shutter Island'. The live improvised soundtrack to the movie will be provided by the Empty Orchestra, whose own skewed and bizarre minds should suit it well.