Reel Horror

Nosferatu - Special Edition asin: B000055ZB8

Nosferatu is a film based on Bram Stokers Dracula, and it has to be, if not the first, one of the first filmed versions. It's made back in 1922!! Of course it's a black and white thing, and also of course it's a silent movie. But of all the Dracula films I have seen, I have to put this in the first room. The Director BW Murnau really captures the blackness of the count. You really gets a feeling that it's a guy that's been around for like 500 years or so, and that he do his stuff; sucking blood, with grace! The make up artist did a great job with the count's face. I would guess that actor Max Shrek (making the role performance of his life) was an ugly bastard in real life.

The story is based on the book, but Murnau, had to change the name "Dracula" to "Orlok". This because Stokers widow wasn't a fan of letting people using her late man's stuff. She threatens Murnau to take legal actions, but when he changed the counts name, he was safe from the old hag.

The movie is, as said, a silence movie and B/W. Buts it's also very old. It's a scratchy and a jumpy movie. These film-scars fit so very nice with the film. It only makes it better, and it gives it a realistic touch. And some of the text frames are so cool.

In those days there was no sex and blood in the movies. And Nosferatu is no exception. But its fun to watch how the director use different methods to illustrate the vampire in action. It's a great scene were they use a shadow to show the count in action.

I like this film a lot, and I recommend it. It's not only for horror fans. It's a study how they made films in the past. Check it out.