Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror: In this 1922 silent film Count Orlok wishes to establish a new outpost in Germany and become acquainted with his real estate agent’s wife. He finds her neck lovely. The film is a fairly close adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, but due to objections from the author’s family, the names and places were changed to avoid copyright infringement.

In modern times, this film might seem like a curiosity, but it remains essential viewing for true movie buffs. It stands in the pantheon of early film creators, possibly second only to Georges Méliès’ 1902 classic, Le Voyage dans la Lune (the rocket in the eye of the moon movie).

Both movies pioneered special effects, compelling storytelling, and other cinematic techniques that have been refined through the ages, creating a viewing experience still admired and appreciated today. Nosferatu shocks, sexualizes, and instills suspense to great effect. While it wasn’t the first horror movie (that honor likely goes to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, released in 1920), it certainly captured the imaginations of viewers back in the roaring ’20s.

Trivia: The word “Nosferatu” originally comes from the Greek nosophoros, meaning “plague carrier.” Old Slavic languages retained this meaning, and it morphed into being synonymous with the undead or vampires in archaic Romanian. In Chapter 18 of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Professor Van Helsing states, “The Nosferatu do not die like the bee when he stings once.”

Genre: Horror

Directed by: F.W. Murnau

Screenplay by: Henrik Galeen

Music by: Hans Erdmann

Cast: Max Schreck, Gustav von Wangenheim, Greta Schroder

Film Location: Baltic Sea, Germany, Slovakia

ElsBob: 8.0/10

IMDb: 7.8/10

Rotten Tomatoes Critics: 97%

Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter: 87%

Metacritic Metascore: 79%

Metacritic User Score: 7.4/10

Theaters: 4 March 1922

Runtime: 65-94 minutes        

Budget: $

Box Office: $

Source: Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, Metacritic. Graphic: Count Orlok, Film Poster, Public Domain. Nosferatu Trailer.