Review of Nosferatu (1922) by Jason M — 25 Jan 2016

This is arguably the greatest horror film of all time. Ironically, it is also one of the earliest. The film is on most of the top 100 horror movie lists of all time, or any movies for that matter. F.W. Murnau was one of the greatest directors of all time and this is a testament to his genius. The cinematography and acting create a sense of horror well before the era of special effects. Some early special effects were established in this film, and many directors have since studied and borrowed from Murnau's tour de force.

Count Orlock is so horrifying and believable that Klaus Kinski reprised this role in Shadow Of The Vampire, which is about the making of Nosferatu.

As a young student of the early and especially silent horror genre, I watched this and recognized its power in my have watched this in my late teens and many times since over the years. I recall seeing this on TCM a few years back and was spellbound yet again. That was one of the greatest cinematic experiences I ever had, and I felt that rarified feeling that you reach only a few times in your life during a film viewing. If you are a fan of early horror films and haven't seen this, it is a must-view.