As I go backwards in time through the space in my mind I come to my childhood and when I first began watching silent films. Because of my personal loyalty and love of the Abbott and Costello comedy team I was also thereafter introduced to the comedy of the charming Charlie Chaplin. Now, as I look at the simplistic beauty of dark pictures and music that make up silent film I realize that the greatest art of the Silent Era came through the morbid and dark renditions of Gothic storytelling and literature. One of the quintessential examples of this terror came in the form of a vampire by the name of Count Orlok.
There is something so compelling and frighteningly dark about the figure of Count Orlok stalking about his castle in the classic German Expressionist film, Nosferatu. Though his screen time is limited his presence makes for a creepy and dark atmosphere all its own. Nosferatu, is a film adaption of the original story of Dracula by Bram Stoker and it is a masterpiece.
I feel like many audience members have issue with this film due to its age and slow methodical pace. In many ways it is these elements that make Nosferatu the macabre, compelling nightmare it is. To me, sitting and watching Nosferatu is like dreaming. These images move fluidly on the screen in front of you while some rendition of organ music plays methodically in the background. I soon found myself lost within the world of this poor vampire. Without back story and without the help of development through dialogue we somehow manage to experience the pain and sorrow of the vampire in this film. His facial expressions and strange movements are words enough.
It is the emotion of the story and the dark style that communicate the realism of these characters into our own lives. Indeed, it does have strong elements of melodrama. For my this added to emotional and compelling nature of the film.
There is something so compelling and frighteningly dark about the figure of Count Orlok stalking about his castle in the classic German Expressionist film, Nosferatu. Though his screen time is limited his presence makes for a creepy and dark atmosphere all its own. Nosferatu, is a film adaption of the original story of Dracula by Bram Stoker and it is a masterpiece.
I feel like many audience members have issue with this film due to its age and slow methodical pace. In many ways it is these elements that make Nosferatu the macabre, compelling nightmare it is. To me, sitting and watching Nosferatu is like dreaming. These images move fluidly on the screen in front of you while some rendition of organ music plays methodically in the background. I soon found myself lost within the world of this poor vampire. Without back story and without the help of development through dialogue we somehow manage to experience the pain and sorrow of the vampire in this film. His facial expressions and strange movements are words enough.
It is the emotion of the story and the dark style that communicate the realism of these characters into our own lives. Indeed, it does have strong elements of melodrama. For my this added to emotional and compelling nature of the film.
In many ways I am extremely grateful for this film and its imagery and its emotion. One of my favorite movies of all time is the 1931 adaption of Dracula. I can see how the dark atmosphere and use of imagery in Nosferatu may have influenced Bella Lugosi and the directors. Yet both films are diverse in their approach to the story. I feel that Nosferatu is much more of a tragic story. It is a story of sacrifice and loss of self. Dracula from 1933 was more about conquering the darkness and of new hope, hope for dawn.
Nosferatu captures elements of the Vampire story that no other film does. There is an entire set up for Jonathan Harker at the beginning of the film that creates a sympathy for him and his wife Nina. It is this relationship that creates a sadness and worry for the couple but also a contrasting sadness for the vampire himself. I feel they are foils for one another and create a connecting relation to the audience. I also feel that the sequences about the plague that the vampire brings over to the city are important elements. At first it seems that this plot line is divergent from the more important story of the vampire himself. In many ways, however, the plague is symbolic of the deterioration and fear of the people in a society. We all hide away in our homes while the devil walks the streets. But who is the devil who walks among us? He tells the sad story of one of us, lost and alone and simply looking for companionship.
The story of Dracula has many things to teach us about the reality of human nature and flaw. This is why Dracula is possibly one of the best and most compelling horror stories of all time. Nosferatu in many ways captures the elements of Bram Stoker's novel in a way that no other version of Dracula does.
Nosferatu captures elements of the Vampire story that no other film does. There is an entire set up for Jonathan Harker at the beginning of the film that creates a sympathy for him and his wife Nina. It is this relationship that creates a sadness and worry for the couple but also a contrasting sadness for the vampire himself. I feel they are foils for one another and create a connecting relation to the audience. I also feel that the sequences about the plague that the vampire brings over to the city are important elements. At first it seems that this plot line is divergent from the more important story of the vampire himself. In many ways, however, the plague is symbolic of the deterioration and fear of the people in a society. We all hide away in our homes while the devil walks the streets. But who is the devil who walks among us? He tells the sad story of one of us, lost and alone and simply looking for companionship.
The story of Dracula has many things to teach us about the reality of human nature and flaw. This is why Dracula is possibly one of the best and most compelling horror stories of all time. Nosferatu in many ways captures the elements of Bram Stoker's novel in a way that no other version of Dracula does.
Summing it Up
Nosferatu is a dark and compelling work of Gothic film. The elements captured in this film set the stage for many vampire films and horror films to come. The figure of the vampire stalking its prey is one of the most frightening experiences in film. And in the end we realize that in some small way that this dark creature is somewhere inside us, a part of us, and we too must learn to make the sacrifice to put him to sleep.
Deaths: A whole ship full of people
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 1
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 3
Fun Factor: 5
Overall Rating: 5
Deaths: A whole ship full of people
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 1
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 3
Fun Factor: 5
Overall Rating: 5
To learn more about my rating system click here
To buy a copy of this film go to Amazon.com
This review is dedicated to Cara Patterson
To buy a copy of this film go to Amazon.com
This review is dedicated to Cara Patterson