20 Horror Movie Endings That Are Practically Perfect

20. The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari - The First Twist Ending

The 1920 German Expressionist classic The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is often regarded as the first true horror film, and it's also noteworthy for having what has often been described as cinema's first twist ending - and it's a great one at that. 

For most of its runtime, this fantastic piece of cinema appears to be about Francis (Friedrich Feher) investigating a series of murders. These are being committed by a somnambulist named Cesare (Conrad Veidt), who's under the control of a wicked showman named Dr. Caligari (Werner Krauss). 

The majority of it is a gripping murder mystery, then the rug is pulled out from underneath at the very end: none of it is real. 

The final scene shows Francis, his love interest, and even Cesare as inmates in an asylum, while Dr. Caligari is actually the asylum's director. It would appear everything that just unfolded was imaginary, a result of Francis' delusions. 

Usually, the "It was all a dream" ending is a cardinal storytelling sin, but here? It actually works really well and adds a gripping new layer to the story. Furthermore, with its unusual visuals and expressionistic design, this whole movie plays like a dream, so it's actually fitting in this particular case.