Review of Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) by Daniel P — 21 Mar 2011

"There are things more horrible than death.".

Herzog's retelling of the Nosferau/Dracula story is a sublime piece of work. Obviously different from the silent original expressionist piece, it does however have a pervading sense of atmosphere, and a similarly masterful use of shadow. Klaus Kinski's hypnotic performance as the Count is arguably the finest portrayal of the character to date - it is certainly one of the most sympathetic - it is very easy to overcome suspension of disbelief when there is such flawless work on screen. The film takes its time but is almost joyous to watch whilst gradually imbuing the viewer with a quiet dread, particularly from the loading of the ship onwards. The dialogue often has a poetic feel which added to the dreamy visuals sucks you into this world of pestilence, plague and death. Sublime.