Review of Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) by Stuart K — 17 Jan 2012
Even though they'd nearly driven each other insane during the making of Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), director Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski got back together for this retelling of F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu (1922), but for a horror film, it has Herzog's visual look all over it, well and truly.
It's not a horror film that goes for easy scares, but it builds up it's horror through it's uneasy, gothic atmosphere. In 1850, estate agent Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz) is sent to Transylvania to finalise a property deal with Count Dracula (Kinski), who is wishing to buy some property in the German town of Wismar.
Harker travels out to Transylvania, leaving his young wife Lucy (Isabelle Adjani) behind. The Count is a strange, eccentric man indeed, white skin with long fingernails and a face like a rodent, but he learns of Lucy, and back in Wismar, Lucy experiences nightmares.
Harker starts to lose his mind while staying with the Count. After the Count makes his way to Wismar, the town goes into a sullen depression, with people thinking it's a plague sweeping the town. Dr.
Abraham Van Helsing (Walter Ladengast) investigates why this is happening. It's a very atmospheric film, but it's not a conventional horror film, especially if it's Herzog at the helm. Kinski makes his Dracula a sad, lonely outcast who only wants to be recognised.
It has some brilliant scenes and set-ups in it, the sort that only Herzog could dream up.
This review of Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) was written by Stuart K on 17 Jan 2012.
Nosferatu the Vampyre has generally received very positive reviews.
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