Nosferatu, Phantom der Nacht
Theatrical Film, 1979
Director: Werner Herzog
The Story
It’s Dracula. You’ve seen it a million times before. The only thing that’s different is that it’s set in Germany. And some of the names are different. And it’s better than most of the other vampire movies you’ve ever seen.
Review and Analysis
You know, I was going to give a really long analysis here? Something about how most vampire movies are schlocky, xenophobic, sexually-repressive-and-yet-sex-obsessed holdovers of Victorian mores owing to the Bram Stoker source material that they inevitably draw on? And how Nosferatu, even though derived from the same source is different and one of a handful of vampire films that can be called art?
But I’m dead tired. I’m unemployed (REAL LIFE ALERT) and my job search is taking up so much time right now I barely have time to keep up with this blog… two weeks after I began it. So I was going to talk about how great Nosferatu is, about how great Klaus Kinski is in the main role, about how great Herzog’s direction is or how great the music is but I won’t. I’m also not going to analyze all the symbolism and stuff in this movie – you’ll just have to watch it and see for yourself. Do it. It’s a great movie, probably the greatest vampire movie I have ever seen.
And I will watch and review Woyzeck next week, but don’t expect a long review on that either.
Anyways, see Nosferatu, Phantom der Nacht.
Screenshots
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| Haha, I love Herzog. Only he could start a vampire movie with THIS, and then switch to.... |
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| KITTENS! |
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| "Was it something I said?" |
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| "Guess so." |
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| Aww! Yes, he may be a blood-sucking beast, but he's such a wonewy bwood-sucking beast! |
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| When you absolutely, positively must deliver the plague overnight. |
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| Rats, rats, RATS! |
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| True to this film's roots, Isabelle Adjani gives us some good, old-fashioned silent movie acting. |
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| I honestly don't know who's scarier in this shot, Kinski or Adjani. |
The DVD
It’s basically the German-language disc from the 2 disc Anchor Bay set put out a few years ago (Nosferatu was shot simultaneously in both German and English – two separate movies), although interestingly it’s mislabeled as Nosferatu the Vampyre, which is the title for the English version. Oops. Anyways, it’s a decent DVD picture and audio-wise. There’s a neat “making of” featurette and a few trailers. The US trailer cracked me up by the way: “Unlike any other Dracula film ever made” …except, you know, the original Nosferatu.
Next Week: Woyzeck
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