NOSFERATU Movie Review

Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie des Grauens
Nosferatu, A Symphony of Terror
Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horror
Nosferatu, the Vampire
Terror of Dracula
Die Zwolfte Stunde

F.W. Murnau's silent 1922 adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula remains one of the creepiest and most eerily atmospheric horror films ever made. The film follows Stoker's plot relatively closely, though the characters’ names had to be changed to avoid copyright infringement problems (there's nothing new under the sun, if the Count will pardon the expression). Max Schreck plays Count Orlok, who sleeps in his unadorned wooden coffin by day, and seeks fresh blood by night. Schreck seems to be the cinema's first expressionist human being; his makeup and movements suggest a huge, scrawny rodent—giant, pointed ears, protruding teeth, sunken eyes, and massive, talon-like hands. He's envisioned as a nightmare personification of corruption, and the brilliant conception and execution of his character carries Nosferatu through the few patches that might otherwise seem uninspired. Nosferatu also contains the most startling—and practical—image in any vampire film ever: Count Orlok carrying his own coffin over his shoulder as he prepares to move in to his new home in Bremen. The word “atmosphere” gets tossed around a lot, sometimes when discussing movies that are simply well-designed; Nosferatu has real atmosphere—its powerful, primal aura of dread is unique in movie history. (Werner Herzog directed a remake/homage in 1979, which starred Klaus Kinski as Nosferatu.)

NEXT STOP … Vampyr, Dracula (1931), Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)

1922 63m/B GE Max Schreck, Alexander Granach, Gustav von Wagenheim, Greta Schroeder, John Gottowt, Ruth Landshoff, G.H. Schnell; D: F.W. Murnau; W: Henrik Galeen; C: Fritz Arno Wagner. VHS, LV KIV, MRV, NOS