Nosferatu (1922)
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (original title)

Vampire Count Orlok expresses interest in a new residence and real estate agent Hutter's wife. Silent classic based on the story "Dracula."

Director:

F.W. Murnau

Writer:

Henrik Galeen (screen play)

Stars:

Max Schreck, Greta Schröder, Ruth Landshoff

Top 250 #246 | See the Top 250 movies as voted by our users.

Cast

Cast overview:
Max Schreck	...	Graf Orlok / Nosferatu
Gustav von Wangenheim	...	Hutter (as Gustav v. Wangenheim)
Greta Schröder	...	Ellen Hutter - seine Frau (as Greta Schroeder)
Alexander Granach	...	Knock - ein Häusermakler
Georg H. Schnell	...	Harding - Hutters Freund (as G.H. Schnell)
Ruth Landshoff	...	Annie - Harding's Frau
John Gottowt	...	Professor Bulwer - ein Paracelsianer
Gustav Botz	...	Professor Sievers - der Stadtarzt
Max Nemetz	...	Kapitän der Demeter
Wolfgang Heinz	...	Zweiter Kapitän
Albert Venohr	...	Matrose 1
Eric van Viele	...	Matrose 2

Storyline

Wisbourg, Germany based estate agent Knock dispatches his associate, Hutter, to Count Orlok's castle in Transylvania as the Count wants to purchase a isolated house in Wisbourg. They plan on selling him the one across the way from Hutter's own home. Hutter leaves his innocent wife, Ellen, with some friends while he is away. Hutter's trek is an unusual one, with many locals not wanting to take him near the castle where strange events have been occurring. Once at the castle, Hutter does manage to sell the Count the house, but he also notices and feels unusual occurrences, primarily feeling like there is a dark shadow hanging over him, even in the daytime when the Count is unusually asleep. Hutter eventually sees the Count's sleeping chamber in a crypt, and based on a book he has recently read, believes the Count is really a vampire or Nosferatu. While Hutter is trapped in the castle, the Count, hiding in a shipment of coffins, makes his way to Wisbourg, causing death along his way, ...

---

Plot Keywords:

Nosferatu | Castle | Vampire | Death | Self Sacrifice | 

---

Genres:

Horror

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

3 June 1929 (USA)

Also Known As:

Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror

Filming Locations:

Baltic Sea

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jofa-Atelier Berlin-Johannisthal, Prana-Film GmbH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min 65 min (VHS) 92 min (DVD edition) 84 min 88 min (1997 restored) 84 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The creature that they say is a werewolf, during the scene at the Inn, is actually a Hyena.

---

Goofs

The captain of the ship carrying Nosferatu ties himself to the wheel with a 'granny knot' (which may slip loose), rather than the correct sailors 'reef knot'. Knot is clearly visible at 52:00 min on the DVD.

---

Quotes

Graf Orlok: Is this your wife? What a lovely throat.

---

Connections

Featured in Science of the Movies: Crafting an Action Figure (2009)
Scene featured

User Reviews

superb silent Dracula

For copyright reasons, Bram Stoker's novel was filmed with the names of the characters changed (Orlok for Dracula, for example) but otherwise the story remains the same: a young man goes on a trip to see a mysterious count in order to sell a house, leaving his bride behind, and finds that the creature he meets is not of this world.

As the extremely creepy Orlok, Max Schreck is brilliant, with his long fingernails and gaunt appearance. A triumph in early cinematic make-up. Gustav von Wangenheim portrays the confusion of the victim well, as does Greta Schroder as his wife. FW Murnau directed the film with flair, showing us not only shadowed vistas and abandoned castles, but the nature outside (foxes) and miniature worlds evolving under a microscope. This film sits well with his later 'Sunrise' in showing the effect of outside forces on a young couple, as well as being one of the key early horrors in its portrayal of Stoker's anti-hero.

This version of the Dracula tale remains one of the best, although all have some different perspective on the novel. On the strength of 'Nosferatu' alone, Murnau deserves his place as a true innovator of silent cinema.