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What a powerful old film. Director Wiene uses black and white like I've never seen before; it's more than black and white, it's patterns and shadows, mis-shapen doors, windows, and streets. While the stage-set looks particularly hard to maneuver by the actors, I thought that The Cabinet of Dr. Calagari was done beautifully.
I'll admit I had a somewhat delayed reaction putting it all together; about 15 minutes after the movie ended, I finally got the fact the story started in the asylum and ended in the asylum.
Having seen The Wolf Man first, the story lines are somewhat similar. Friends being murdered after attending the fair coming to town.
Just had to check the two words somambulist and zombie ...not the same.

zombie

1871, of W. African origin (cf. Kikongo zumbi "fetish;" Kimbundu nzambi "god"), originally the name of a snake god, later with meaning "reanimated corpse" in voodoo cult. But perhaps also from Louisiana creole word meaning "phantom, ghost," from Sp. sombra "shade, ghost." Sense "slow-witted person" is recorded from 1936. (http://www.etymonline.com/)

sleep (n.)

O.E. slæp from the root of sleep (v.) (cf. cognate O.S. slap, O.Fris. slep, M.Du. slæp, Du. slaap, O.H.G. slaf, Ger. Schlaf, Goth. sleps). Personified as L. Somnus, Gk. Hypnos (see somnolence). Figurative use for "repose of death" was in O.E.; to put (an animal) to sleep "kill painlessly" is recorded from 1942. Sleep deprivation attested from 1966. Sleep-walker "somnambulist" is attested from 1747. To be able to do something in (one's) sleep "easily" is recorded from 1953.