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![]() Ratings (1-10): content: 8 / video: 6 / audio: 9 / overall: 8.
Listing for Nosferatu in the Progressive Silent Film List.
Review Copyright � 1999-2000 by Carl Bennett.
There are a handful of seminal works from the silent era that will remain in high regard by film enthusiasts worthwide. They remain the principal artistic influences from the silent era, and the emotional impact of their images resonate throughout cinema history. Nosferatu remains today as one of the most powerful visual influences on filmmakers, and it was nearly lost forever to modern audiences.
When fledgling German film company Prana-Film began producing their version of the novel Dracula they didn't bother, through neglect or ignorance, to secure the film rights from Bram Stoker's estate. Their intent probably was to circumvent the legal requirement because character names and locations were changed in the screen adaptation.
Stoker's widow, Florence, was not about to let this unauthorized film adaptation of her husband's novel continue to circulate. At some point in the legal proceedings Prana-Film went out of business. Stoker's estate forged an agreement with the holding company controlling Prana-Film assets to destroy all prints of Nosferatu. The film nearly went the way of Charles Chaplin's production The Sea Gull, a feature film directed by Josef von Sternberg and completely destroyed in a contract settlement.
Fortunately for all who love silent era films and those who love monster films, a positive print of Nosferatu survived. Because the original German negative was most likely destroyed in the early 1920s, Nosferatu stood its best chance of survival in pristine form in export positive prints. (It is a fascinating question as to whether an original export negative survives somewhere in England or America.) Unfortunately, it appears that the best 35mm prints of Nosferatu are second-generation dupes taken from original release prints. The 35mm print utilized for this disc's video transfer is soft in photographic detail and a bit contrasty, with precious little detail remaining in dark, shadowy areas of the picture. The transfer does not seem to have been redone for this reissued videotape, as it appears to be identical to the transfer available on the 1991 laserdisc release. New English intertitles have been prepared for this edition, however, we do not think it is necessary to add digital speckles to the intertitle cards in an attempt to make them look contemporary to the film. This home video edition does feature a wonderful pipe organ music score performed by Timothy Howard, which we love to turn up as loud as our sound system and our neighbors can handle.
Much has been made of actor Max Schreck's contribution to Nosferatu. His unworldy thin rodent-like features, exaggerated by makeup and high-shouldered wardrobe, leave even the casual film viewer with the most unsettling feelings. If ever an actor was born to play a role, Max Schreck was born to play Dracula. In concert with Schreck, director F.W. Murnau brought easily the eeriest Dracula to the motion picture screen. It is no accident that several of the shots of Orlok the vampire are among the most visually striking in cinema history: the shot of Orlok walking through the doorway into Hutter's bedroom, the shot of Orlok rising from his coffin on the seafaring ship, the low-angle shot from the ship's hold looking up at Orlok walking on the deck above, the shot of the shadow of Orlok walking up the stairway to Ellen's bedroom door, the shot of Orlok feasting on Ellen's blood only to realize that dawn has arrived. On and on the list of influential visuals goes.
Despite the compromised quality of existing prints of Nosferatu, the film remains a must for film scholars and horror film collectors. We heartily recommend that you add this film to your home video collection. | 