Nosferatu (1922)

“A Symphony of Horror”

And now ladies and gentlemen, the greatest adaptation of the classic horror novel Dracula…well sort of.

Nosferatu is the 1922 German black-and-white silent horror film loosely based on Bram Stroker’s novel Dracula. It follows a real estate agent Hutter who travels to Transylvania to sell a house to a weird and creepy man, Count Orlok. But, little does Hutter know, that Orlok is beyond anything he can ever imagine. He is the stuff of horror.

This film started it all, seriously. Director F. W. Murnau couldn’t acquire the rights to Dracula, so he filmed this movie, which is referred to as the unofficial adaptation of the novel. Many things were changed for the film, such as the characters' names (e.g. Count Dracula to Count Orlok) and also the term “vampire” (in this film, vampire is referred to as “nosferatu”, the Romanian translation). Also, the myth that light is deadly to vampires was taken from this film.

I think it’s funny when I hear that this film was banned in Sweden due to excessive horror. And I laugh even harder when I hear that the ban was lifted in the early 70’s. I guess I find it amusing because, being 2011, I’ve seen scarier films. But, this film is truly horrifying. The music, the atmosphere, even the old sepia color of the film, are all factors as to why it is horrifying. And probably the most obvious factor is the nosferatu himself, played by the ever terrifying, and ugly, Max Schreck.

Murnau really does create a horrifying world in this film. The atmosphere he displays is very dark and eerie. It’s just so…atmospheric. The way that Orlok moves is also very spine-chilling.

The film was made during the Expressionist era, where artists tried to evoke someone’s mood and emotions. This film is an ideal example of German expressionism. And all the elements can be traced to the nosferatu, Count Orlok.

Nosferatu is a horrifying silent film that stirs up a person’s mood. I give the film a 5 out of 5 and you can buy it now on DVD or watch it on Netflix.