by F. W. Murnau, 1922.
Starring: John Gottowt, Alexander Granach, Max Schreck, Greta Schroeder, and Gustav von Wagenheim.
Rating: 8/10, 7/10.
It’s a shame I couldn’t have seen this when it was new. Then, I’m sure, what with film being practically brand-new, and Dracula itself taken much more seriously than it is now, Nosferatu would have been an genuinely scary movie.
Now, though, it’s a little hard to take seriously. The silent-film style of acting now seems a bit ridiculous. The film never really looks dark, either—the way they filmed at night then was apparently to film during the day. So not much of the creepiness comes through. Plus, some of the scenes (like where the progress of the coach is sped up to a ludicrous degree) are just hilarious.
That said, it’s obviously a great film. Count Orlock (Schreck), aka Dracula, is an astonishingly portrayed character. The plot of Shadow of the Vampire (which suggests that Schreck was, in real life, an actual vampire) seems almost plausible when you’ve seen this film. As non-frightening as the movie itself is, Orlock himself is positively creepy.
Plot? Everyone knows the plot. It gets cut off very short, but the set-up’s the same. There’s not much else to say about it, really...although if you want a really incredible review of it, click on the link at the bottom of this page.
read roger ebert's essay on nosferatu