Nosferatu the Vampyre

As one would expect from Herzog, this is a version of the Dracula story that is turned upside down: the hero is Lucy (the sister who is turned into a vampire in other versions), who understands what the count really is and seeks to destroy him all alone. Van Helsing in this version must be dragged along to see the truth, as he is a doddering old man at the end of his career and capacities to think. Indeed, he is a useless scientist. The time is also earlier, pre-industrial and with echos of the Middle Ages, even though it must be the 17C. Kinsky is absolutely brilliant as Dracula, in one of his best performances. Rather than the sexual magnetism that Lugosi or Oldham exuded with such charisma, he is pathetically aware that he can only prey on love and humanity, from a distance. But he is compelled by blood lust. Kinski really doesn't look at all human, but a true creature of the night. Adjani was never more beautiful and depressed. Dracula's arrival in Germany brings a fa... Read more

Herzog's remake of the F.W.Murnau masterpiece of 1922, is one of the most beautifully realized films on the vampire ever made. Alot of the film appears shot for shot, but Herzog adds his own touch to the proceedings that makes the images indelible. Herzog's film lacks the creepiness of the Murnau film and certainly Kinski can not frighten the same way that Max Schreck could in the silent original. This version brings more of a sense of pathos to the vampire and Kinski brings one of his most nuanced performances, so subtle and so menacing. The cast aids him well, especially Isabella Adjani who is gorgeous as Mina, the woman Nosferatu pines for and Bruno Ganz, whose transformation from meek Clerk to Vampire is downright chilling. The film is also aided immeasurably by a lush, classical film score that brings a sense of doom and epic quality to the gorgeous on location photography, several of which are similar to what Murnau had in his film. There are two different versions of the film... Read more

As a youngster, I remember seeing a clip of the original Nosferatu on television - some sort of movie monster documentary, I assume - and I still remember that image of Max Schrek, hunched over and roaming the deck of the ship that brings him to Germany, with his grasping, outstretched claws, and the unreal shade of the sky behind him. In all the years following, I've never tracked down a copy of the whole film - I'm afraid the impression I have from that singular memory of thirty or more years ago would be dulled by the affects of age on both myself and on the film. Instead, I have Werner Herzog's vision as a substitute, allowing me to preserve the terrible image I remember, and, I had hoped, to enhance it with a more modern experience. Unfortunately, when competing against a memory from childhood, the present will almost always fail, and for me, Herzog's 'Nosferatu' suffered in comparison with the tiny scrap of the original I remember. That doesn't mean that Herzog turned in... Read more

Nosferatu should absolutely be respected for it's contribution to, and advancement of, the film industry and particularly horror movies. The film offers special effects that were cutting edge at the time and still maintain some of their power in creating terror and tension. I had reservations about watching Nosferatu. Since I love movies that make good use of sound, the idea of silent film didn't interest me. I had similar prejudices toward the special effects, cinematography, acting, etc. I figured Nosferatu was a classic for purely nostalgic reasons. I mean, how could anybody actually enjoy a movie that could have been shot by a seventeen-year-old with a crappy camera? How naive I was... Nosferatu is an exercise in brilliant film-making. Murnau's heavy investment on the look of the film pays off. The film is fun to watch. The acting is over the top, which is necessary to avoid constant cuts to dialog cards. The music is great, too. Chilling and expressive without being overbearin... Read more

Quick service. Quality item. 5 stars. Not Murnau or Browning or Shrek or Lugosi, but it comes together beautifully.