Review of Nosferatu (1922) by Stuart B — 28 Jun 2011

I'm pretty sure this was my first viewing of this now infamous horror classic. And while I didn't find it particularly 'jump out of your seat' scary, despite it's age it was still remarkably eerie and evoked a true sense of death and forboding evil.

Max Shreck literally embodies the chilling nature of Nosferatu, he sends shivers down your spine every time he appears on screen, indeed I was surprised to find in a day and age where horror seems to go for increasingly outlandish visuals that his ghoulish image and creeping movements still make you truly uncomfortable.

Unfortunately the rest of the cast are never quite able to match such an imposing and iconic image, and so some scenes not involving Shreck seems to lag despite the film's short length. However, Murnau's expressionist photography serves to heighten the anguish with stunning location shots and shadows which stretch in all manner of gothic shapes, while the score, I believe to be some sort of industrial mix, worked in some areas, emphasising the nature of approaching death, while in others seemed a little bizarre and out of place.

Nevertheless, despite obviously high expectations of a film which has influenced pretty much every horror movie since 1922, I was left suitably impressed and even slightly disquiet of this masterpiece.