Nosferatu (1922)

Directed by: F. W. Murnau

Written by: Henrik Galeen

Starring: Max Schreck, Alexander Granach, Gustav von Wangenheim

Count Orlok really looks like a vampire. Watching Nosferatu, I was constantly reminded about how easy it would have been to come up with the idea for Shadow of the Vampire, a film about the making of this movie in which the actor cast to play Count Orlok turns out to be an actual vampire, and they destroy him for real in the finale.

I feel that having not read Bram Stoker's Dracula, I am missing context. Knock, who seems to be already under the spell of the vampire at the start of the movie sends Hutter out to close a deal so the count can buy a local home. The count moves by ship and brings coffins full of rats with him, causing a plague wherever he travels. A lot of the latter half of the film is dealing with the panic and paranoia stoked by the plague, and how the townsfolk blame Knock and are chasing him through the streets. At this point, Orlok seems forgotten.

The true hero of the film is Ellen Hutter. Most of the run-time she's weeping, in a sleepwalking trance, or moping about her husband being gone. I think that she is under the spell of Orlok. It seems that she might be the reason he decided to travel to this town in the first place. That the story was put in motion to bring her and the count together. After all, the book about Nosferatu that Thomas finds at the inn claims that the only way to kill him is for an innocent maiden to offer herself willingly. The vampire will be so mesmorised, they will forget that the sun is coming up, and will perish. That is exactly what happens. I was expecting a greater special effect. Sometimes I forget that these films are still the early days of cinema because of the obvious money put into them in costume and location.

The soundtrack on the version I watched (which I will link at the end) is odd. It starts very upbeat and happy, but moves towards sinister even before Hutter starts off on his travels. The rest of the time it's this eerie droning that fits well, but no scenes of horror are punctuated by the music. The final scene in Ellen's bedroom returns to a triumphant bombast. I'm not sure if it added or detracted from the images, but it is preferable to silence.

This is the first silent movie I watched where I felt its slow pace was a detriment. Birth of a Nation was slow paced, but still engaging. It was also double the length of Nosferatu. I could feel my interest waning at certain parts of the film. This is hyperbole, but after Orlok is introduced, every scene that did not feature him, or a reaction to him, did not engage me like the rest of the movie.

I've now watched two films from Germany in the early 1920s and both are horror films. I find the context of the culture a film is made in fascinating. My guesses are the climate of post World War 1 Germany, especially with the scars of those who had survived the conflict led to a need for the expression of darker themes. The next film on my historical list (I'm trying to alternate between modern films and going through film history) is Dr. Mabuse - The Gambler, also from Germany. We shall see if it too is a horror film.

I'd recommend Nosferatu to horror fans. There are two scenes in particular that I'll always remember. Orlok shuffling towards the camera outside Hutter's room and the infamous shot of Orlok rising out of his coffin on the ship. Orlok is definitely one of the best vampires I've seen in film.

Personal enjoyment: ★★★

The version I watched can be found here.