Nosferatu (1929)

One of the Greats

This was the 1st time I have ever seen this movie all the way through. I am more of a fan of current newer dracula than older but this movie really changed my mind and has my respect. I had seen clips as a child and remembered it being a favorite amongst many people. I have recently gotten back into old films and find myself enjoying them more now than when I was younger. Nosferatu and I mean the version from Kino has great film quality and I was amazed at how well it looked. I have seen some really bad transfers from companies I guess trying to make a dollar and have them look like a mess. Every movie so far I have seen from Kino has exceptional quality and so far I am happy with them. I know people are picky about their favorites and I don't know much about the films history but it looked great in this version. The sound was good as well with I think it was three separate audio tracks. I have heard people get mad when the movies they like are transferred and look like garbage. I enjoyed watching the camera tricks of the twenties and how the film was pieced together. This movie is not for everyone and I know I could not watch this with my younger neices and nephews and have them have an appreciation for it. The frights from this wont make you jump or anything but its great to see where movies come from and how far they have come. This movie is a classic horror and it will go in my collection as such and though some people would hate it I find myself impossible to do so. I see why now it was a favorite amongst my peers when I was a kid. December 28, 2008

Nosferatu Needs A Careful Watching to Appreciate

Ironically, for a film that is 86 years old, "Nosferatu" starts off, like a bad, self-produced YouTube video.

Thankfully, it improves.

I've always wanted to watch the first vampire movie ever made and the one that is often considered the greatest adaptation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula." Recently, I was able to. It's an unofficial version and Stoker's estate actually sued German Director F.W. Murnau over it. All copies of the film were ordered destroyed.

Obviously, it survived.

Murnau, who died in a car crash at age 43, didn't even try very hard to disguise the movie: naming Harker Huffer and Count Dracula Count Orlok, leaving little doubt about the source material.

It's difficult for a generation weaned on special effects, surround sound, and the miracle of HD-TV to really appreciate "Nosferatu" (1922) without boredom setting in (even at a short 80 minutes). The pacing is arduous and editing reflects the limited technologies of the day.

"Nosferatu" is black-and-white (and most versions, including the one I watched, are scratchy and a bit faded on the edges). It's also a silent film, the narrative constantly interrupted by written dialog boxes.

There's also a lot of overacting employed by actors of the day (after all they needed to convey in action what is now done through speech). But to modern audiences the exaggerated facial expressions get tiresome rather quickly.

Yet if you settle into the right frame of mind - there's a lot to admire in "Nosferatu." The highlight is actor Max Schreck as Count Graf Orlok. He's simply repulsive. Unlike the modern versions of vampires as charming seducers, Schreck's Orlok is a monstrosity. He's a hideous skeletal being with long bony fingers, ears like a bat, and fangs that look like they belong on an oversized rodent. There's nothing enchanting about him.

He's creepy. Very creepy. The famous shot of him rising up out of coffin - filled with soil from the graveyard of Black Death victims - his body stiff and straight - and it's easy to understand why the film has lasted more than eight decades.

Murnau accomplished a lot with his limited resources. He expertly uses light and shadow. In fact, Schreck's shadow could be considered another character in the film. And there are marvelous symbols scattered throughout the film: from a skeleton clock to the Venus Fly trap eating a bug. Murnau is able to cobble together a compelling narrative with few dialog cards, allowing, for the most part, the action to unfold.

But like any horror movie, the real question is: Is "Nosferatu" scary?

The answer, unfortunately, is: hardly.

By today's standards, the film would have a difficult time scaring a five year old. It has eerie moments - and Schreck is in most of them - but it's a tame ride for anyone who has watched John Carpenter's "Halloween" or Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining." Amazingly, the film was banned for "excessive horror" in Sweden until 1972.

"Nosferatu" remains an oddity, a film any serious horror aficionado should watch in order to understand the origins of the genre. The film's greatest impact may have been in bringing the world the concept of sunlight killing vampires. "Nosferatu" is the source material for that bit of legend.

Watch it, but don't expect too much. The hype and the legend around "Nosferatu" are much better than the actual film.

Like literate blather about films? Then shuffle on over to the Dark Party Review and we'll give you what you need: [...] November 18, 2008

The Best Nosferatu edition available on DVD

Kino entertainment releases the frequently issued DVD of the German silent vampire classic,Nosferatu(1922) in a beautiful two disc special edition,worthy of the film's classic status.
The print has been cleaned up to almost pristine quality,better than there previous release of 2002,and the original score for the film is available fnally.
The score adds immeasurably to the film,creating the atmosphere and emotion and epic scale that few of the earlier releases could come close to.
The second disc features lots of extras including a filmography of the film's director,F.W Murnau, an excellent documentary on him and stills from the film.
If your a fan of cinema,and especially,a student of the horror genre,than you should already own this masterpiece.
Time for an upgrade?
YEAH.
Get this DVD....now.
Note:Keep the main menu on and watch Nosferatu's face.
It's kind of creepy. November 8, 2008

The Great Dracula Movie!

This is by far my favorite Dracula movie. It was not copyrighted and was ordered to be destroyed in 1923. It didn't happen for many copies. This is a great movie and it would have been a tragedy to lose. Way back in the day when 8mm home movie projectors were in vogue and my mother was a public librarian, my brother and I used to take the 8mm version of the movie and play and play it again. We loved it and I continue that infatuation with the movie to the day. This is great DVD version with tinting, wonderful music and a wonderful print. The extras are terrific too. I'm glad I got this DVD. October 20, 2008

Creepy.... Creepy I tell ya

Great acting, great scenery and chilling story; Dracula, the master is back

The movie was released in 1922, but in 1994 it was named one of the top five German films of all time.
That just goes to show you that great work goes stronger with time. The greatness of silent movies originates from the difficulty of telling the story and in this silent great work, terror is a mission greatly accomplished.

Just a side note; the music wasn't good, but knowing that it isn't the original music of the movie, that just doesn't count.
October 14, 2008

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