Review of Nosferatu (1922) by Casey C — 28 Feb 2010

The grandfather of all vampire films, F.W. Murnau's landmark genre film NOSFERATU is an eeriely atmospheric and beautifully haunting silent version of Bram Stoker's "Dracula".The film is a work of art as Murnau embodied cinematic tricks which includes jump cuts, sped-up action, stop-motion, negative images, and double-exposures, to show such things as carriages speeding through the night, doors and caskets opening and closing by itself, as well as Orlok magically appearing and disappearing, or rising straight up out of his coffin.

Along with Fritz Arno Wagner's atmospheric cinematography, Murnau also cleverly uses dramatic shadows to depict Orlok's huge, claw-like hands and pointed head as he approaches upon a victim. Max Schreck, in particular, is so convincing as the vampire Count Orlok that his tall, gaunt figure and his real-life "ugly" presence, coupled with superb make-up makes him all the more frightening it's hard to believe he's an actor-in-disguise.

A must-see for all film enthusiasts.