Season 2, episode 3 of Portlandia was, until recently, my only point of reference for this German Expressionism heavyweight. The humor is predicated on Caligari being a tougher watch than the average viewer might enjoy, foisted on these poor normies by conniving cinephile mailmen. There’s a definite truth to the silent movie being not as easy a cinematic swallow as sugary rom-coms, but inside those angular shapes and shadows is the basis for much of modern film. Here, presented with the inimitable David DiDonato’s live score and a post-show Q&A, you can see what’s often argued as the first horror film in as great an environment as ever offered. – James Scott
