Nosferatu
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Movie Reviews of Nosferatu
Movie Review: Everlasting Life and Greta Schroeder
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought "Nosferatu" on Halloween night, to screen a double-feature with "Shadow of the Vampire". This turned out to be a terrific idea and caused me to wish, for the first time since childhood and my array of Star Wars costumes, that Halloween came eleven or twelve times a year."Nosferatu" may be 80 years old, but its influence is, amusingly enough, going to be eternal. The "Symphony of Horror" special edition DVD is absolutely a must-have, with three audio tracks that basically create three different versions of the film, and with three excellent mini-features.
The basic audio track is an organ score derived from early-19th-century Romantic composers. Married to the film's flickering tinted images, this makes ideal Halloween (or, indeed, any post-midnight) viewing. The second audio score is more experimental, more modern, and much, much more fun. Whereas the organ track basically lies underneath the movie and provides a traditional (if static) experience, the "Silent Orchestra" compositions give the undead film a new life. This rock-jazz-classical track positively breathes in the way that Dracula never could.
The final audio track is the commentary by German film expert Lokke Heiss. Don't be fooled by the man's voice and delivery, which is about as dynamic as balsa wood and interesting as an American cheese sandwich on white bread. He cites both scholarly film treatises and Stephen King as he discusses Murnau's influences, the film's light-dark composition, and the use of mirrors and windows within the movie. This is a terrific commentary track in that it increased my understanding of the move ten-fold. Pity they couldn't have had someone with an actual voice (like Christopher Lee) read Mr. Heiss's words.
The featurettes range from cute to weird. Weirdest is the "Nosfera-Tour", ten minutes worth of home movies narrated once more by Heiss (oy vey) as he presents pictures of what the film's "Wisborg" looks like in the year 2000. The "Phantom Carriage Ride" is very eerie, spotlighting as it does one of the truly *bizarre* moments in the film. Finally, the art/photo gallery is splendid, one of the best galleries I've seen on a DVD. The real treasure comes at the beginnng -- the charcoal drawings that were producer Albin Grau's original renderings of Nosferatu.
The DVD packaging -- cardboard case with plastic snap -- may be cheap, but it contains within one of filmdom's finest moments, and provides far more than just 81 minutes of enjoyment. Highly, highly recommended.
Movie Review: Boo!
Summary: 5 Stars
There are really no words to explain how marvelous this film really is.
But, you need words to create a review, so I must try.
There are a few reasons to completely admire and respect this film. The first, and most obvious, is that the film is impeccably made, especially when you consider the date on the back of the DVD. Beings that this film was made in 1922, it is rather remarkable that it holds up today, but hold up it does. A solid mixture of intense use of shadows (who doesn't remember with sheer terror the image of a shadowy figure ascending the staircase) as well as stop motion editing (that spectacular coffin loading scene is just chilling) come together to create a breathtaking cinematic experience that exceeds in almost every area.
Next to the actual camerawork you have some marvelous directorial choices that elevate the films mood and tone, and then there is the performances from the entire cast that just take this film to another level all together.
Max Schreck is the king of all the vampires, for his Graf Orlok is a devastatingly infectious blend of human suffering and pure evil. While the film itself doesn't aggressively explore the more human side to this monster, Schreck's deliberate manipulation of character helps create someone three-dimensional. Gustav von Wangerheim is essential to the films growth, especially in the beginning. His theatrical delivery makes for a quirky and engrossing character. Greta Schroder takes reins in the films end and completely devours her screen time, giving us a woman who knows her destiny and is willing to embrace it. I also found Alexander Granach's humorous take on Orlok's devoted follower Knock to be delightful.
These are all obvious reasons to love the film, but the biggest reason is that the film itself is just really, really good.
The tale of Nosferatu is one of chills, thrills and perverse romance, and it is delivered spectacularly here. `Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens' is the essential vampire film, for it captures all aspects of this twisted tale; the mood, emotional connection and delicious terror. The final frames may have the edge as far as imminent horror, but the entire film carries a beautiful spookiness that cannot be matched by films today. With crisp sepia tones and startling use of fisheye lenses and sharp angles, `Nosferatu' is an outstanding film that lives up to all expectations and puts most horror films of today to shame.
Movie Review: Flickering Shadows
Summary: 5 Stars
Nosferatu eine Symphonie des Grauens has always been one of my favorite movies. I actually have two copies one on VHS and the other on DVD. Of the two I prefer the music on the VHS, although it's rather churchy sounding, it seemed appropriate for the story. Max Shreck was subtle in his performance and his appearance seemed to get more and more disturbing as the movie went on. With most movies you get adjusted to the creature's features, not this one. One thing I like about the movie is how it sticks in one's memory, and continues to bother one for days afterwards, because it's more visual than visceral. The only special effect was Graff Orlock's disappearance in a puff of smoke at the conclusion. Very few movies have this retention effect. I've only had it from four other movies: Bela Lugosi's Dracula, Roman Polanski's Repulsion and Macbeth, and the Nicole Kidman's The Others. Nosferatu stripped the book Dracula to the bone and almost succeeded in making a totally seperate vampire story. Even Gustav von Wagenheim's exaggerrated performance seemed dead on, even when he was pulling the covers over his head and cowering. The early lovey-dovey scenes with his wife Ellen were a little sticky sweet though. Greta Schroder was even more the Victorian Angel in the House than Mina in the novel Dracula. The character in the novel showed a lot of backbone and thoughtfulness. Schroder's long-suffering demeanor did grow tiresome after awhile though. A funny thing was that in some scenes Schroder's reminded me of Susan St. James. Maybe that's why the latter was casted in Love At First Bite. I'm inclined to doubt it, although I understand that's why Roman Polanski casted himself in The Fearless Vampire Hunter's, because of his resembelance to von Waggenheim. The shadows of the movie were interesting in portending doom, but now days I have to admit it makes me think of the Simpson's take-off of the mediocre Bram Stoker's Dracula. The shadows of the vampire were contrary to Stoker's book, but perhaps not to all legends. I also could have done without the extended chase scene after the insane Knock, played by Alexander Granach.
Movie Review: Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens
Summary: 5 Stars
If Todd Browning's "Dracula" is about the sound of Bela Lugosi's accented voice saying "Good Evening," then F. W. Murnau's "Nosferatu" is about the sights of Max Schreck's grostesque figure rising up out of his coffin. The fact that this is a silent film actually adds to the atmospheric tension; think of the moment when the death ship slips into the port of Bremen, carrying its cargo of death. The story is clearly Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (although the names have been changed to pretend otherwise and avoid paying the author's estate), and this 1922 film is actually more faithful than most versions of the novel, which almost invariably avoid the actual conclusion to the tale. Murnau's version ends with vampire's downfall being caused by a sacrifice based on the love of Ellen Hutter (Greta Schroder, the "Mina" character) for Thomas (Gustav von Wangenehim as the "Jonathan Harker" character). Even though Schreck's "Count Orlok" is clearly an example of German Expressionism with his gaunt countenance and immensely long talons he stalks his prey through a decidedly realistic 19th-century world, which also somehow magically adds to the film's effectiveness. Similarly, the "special effects" are nothing more than such rudimentary tricks as stop motion and double exposure, but none the less potent for their simplicity. Perhaps the greatest testament to this film is that directors who have filmed the Dracula story since "Nosferatu" have included homages to Murnau's masterpiece, from Browning (the actor playing the count is also the coachman) to Coppola (the count's terrifying shadow cast large on the wall). When released in 1922 this film was also known as "Nosferatu the Vampire," "Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror," "Nosferatu, a Symphony of Terror," and even "Terror of Dracula." The 1998 reissue title in the United States was "Nosferatu: The First Vampire."Movie Review: Women as the special saviour and go-between
Summary: 5 Stars
That old silent film is of course a classic. It comes from the German school of horror films in the 1920s. It is an adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, but it takes liberties with the original. It is situated in Bremen and not in London. His girlfriend or wife is quite rightly Mina. Rensfield is the boss of the real estate agency. The trip to Dracula's castle is standard. Dracula's voyage to Bremen is also very standard. The real change comes at the end when Mina sacrifices herself by giving herself to Dracula to keep him active up to after the [..] crows. Then he dies and everyone is saved. Naive rewriting of the ending into some palatable cathartic compensation of the horror of life : salvation is possible and escape is a real eventuality. But it is also a very Christian ending in a way, or isn't it Jewish after all ? The woman sacrificing herself for the sake of the social group that is menaced by Dracula. And this sacrifice is epiphanic since it brings salvation. This fantastic and horror period in the German cinema seems to be longing for a happy ending, just as if the reality of Germany then was so bleak that happiness could only be a dream and a consolation or a solace the cinema could propose to people. The film though is admirable by the quality of the pictures and the shooting. A black and white film on such a subject could easily become drab, which it never does. The pictures are always innovative in a way or another with a contrast or a composition that makes the poor technique of the days quite able to translate complex situations. The acting of these silent actors is also quite admirable in the body language they use that is never overdone which would make it grotesque. It is just expressive enough to mean what it is supposed to mean without any negative second level reading.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Paris Dauphine & University of Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne