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Nosferatu the Vampyre

Nosferatu the Vampyre

List Price: $29.98
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Herzog is the greatest living filmmaker
Review: This is simply the finest vampire film I think was ever made. Nothing else comes close. There is no "Hollywood" in this film. This is just stark romantic horror at its finest...and bleakest. The cinematography is incredible which is to be expected since Herzog is a master of creating a mood on film. Nothing really needs to be said about Kinski. The man was totally mad. You can actually find yourself feeling a little concerned about what his mental stability was like when he made films like this (Especially the films he made with Herzog). Any serious fan of film should own this DVD.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: As good as the original
Review: Yes I know the original is a classic. But no one said you couldn't try to improve. And Klaus Kinski (you should see him with makeup on) is a natural. I liked his rabbit teeth instead of canine fangs. The movie is not really gory. It is more suspenseful. The script is tight and when you get in to it seems plausible. Everyone thought that the plague was bumping off people. Although the real victim was Nosfaratu who just wanted to be human and love and be loved.

Bottom line don't let the Lucys (Isabelle Adjani) of the world distract you until the rooster crows. And especially no matter what you do if you see someone surrounded by crumbled consecrated host, do not let them talk you into cleaning the dusty floor.

See Klaus again in Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1973) ASIN: 6305972761

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A fantastic remake of a horror classic
Review: This movie is often seen on IFC at least once every 2 months. Gripping and frightening. A bit strange, but if you are familiar with foreign movies, it suddenly becomes alot less strange. You can feel for the characters, and the actress who plays Lucy is very sexy and charming. The make-up on Nosferatu is astounding, he is frightening to look at and his skeletal movements and girations will make you jump! Definitely a great example of foreign ingenuity.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: I don't know why the people at Widescreen Review rated this DVD so poorly, because as far as I'm concerned this transfer is marvellous. Details and colours are extremely rich, the cinematography is astounding, the soundtrack is clear in dialogue and atmospheric in musical score. Herzog's vision is a complete masterpiece - serving as both an homage to Murnau's still-astonishing original and as a reinterpretation and reassessment of the Nosferatu myth. Kinski's performance as the Count is both terrifying and achingly sad. He gives us more insight into the barren, haunted soul of the vampyre than I have ever seen in a film of this type. Adjani, as Lucy, is a beautiful doomed heroine. Adjani is an actress who never gives less than the most powerful performance, she inhabits every character she plays, and her Lucy is a passionate, sensual woman, acutely vulnerable and intensely courageous, whose disturbing psychosexual bond with the Count serves as the undoing of both of them. She illuminates the screen. Finally, Ganz's Jonathan Harker is a revelation. For once, it is a pleasure to see a completely three dimensional interpretation of Harker's character when, in most other movies, he is relegated to little more than glorified extra status after his initial foray into Castle Dracula. 'Nosferatu The Vampyre' is a perfect example of a director and actors coming together at the top of their craft, and what they have created here is nothing less than spectacular.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Klaus Kinski At The Peak Of His Acting Powers
Review: I loved Klaus Kinski even before I saw this movie when it was inititally released theatrically in 1979. However, with this movie, he really blew me away. He makes an utterly artistic, animalistic, poetic vampire. He doesn't even say all that much in this film, conveying most of his role through pure visuals alone, body and facial movement. This man could make high art of literally being on camera with his own shadow, which indeed you see in one scene. The rest of the casting is likewise inspired with the formidable and beautiful Isabelle Adjani in the Nina Harker role and Bruno Ganz in her husband Jonathan's role. This is a German-Werner Herzog inspired version of the classic Bram Stoker tale. That makes quite a difference to the story as a whole other culture is superimposed over an originally English novel. The town it is set in is fascinating to add to the tale with its interconnecting canals. To my utter astonishment, this version also has a feministic Nina Harker (not surprising, however, with Adjani playing her). Nina takes charge of the situation and decides to protect her husband and the village itself by taking the vampire on alone and by seducing him no less. Adjani is well up to the task of seducing even a vampire! I've seen the movie several times since 1979 and always thoroughly enjoy it. Until the Coppola version of "Dracula" was made, I was convinced this version was the best. But why split hairs? Both versions are excellent and stand well enough entirely on their own.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Not for gore lovers
Review: It is interesting to read the various reviews of this film. Those who give it 1 or 2 stars seem to have stumbled upon this film in their local video store under 'horror'. Anyone expecting a horror flick will be extremely disappointed, as this film reflects Dracula as Bram Stoker (a Dubliner, like myself) intended it, without actually recreating his work. The film is wonderfully atmospheric, right from the opening credits with it's chilling music. Interestingly, the film was made for $1m dollars, but is far better than Coppola's recent foray into this subject. The film was shot in Delft in Holland (near Amsterdam). Herzog won't be welcome back there, as the town council refused his request to release 100's of rats into the town. He did so anyway - at 6am - while Delft's council members slept! A wonderful film, well worth the money, ... .

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Poetry in Motion
Review: Werner Herzog, in making this film did not intend to produce his idea of how the original silent film should have been, but to glorify the beauty of it. The film is constructed with very little dialogue, almost only that of the speech cards in the original silent. This, with the colour footage and the heavenly sound track make for the most beautiful and aesthetic movie I have ever seen. Every image is an oil painting, and every piece of acting is a pre-Raphaelite dream.

Isabelle Adjani is fantastic in her role, as is Klaus Kinski, reprising Schreik's original.

Don't be deluded by the technical review on this site, the picture quality is incredible when compared to the original video release, which was made by videoing the film projected onto a canvas screen (which needless to say was dirty). The soundtrack is incredibly clear in comparison also. This film was worth me getting a DVD for.

If you want to acquire one vampire film only, this is it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The thinking mans vampire!
Review: I must first say that I was not expecting this movie to be any good; since the original version from 1922 by F. W. Murnau is simply a masterpiece. However, to my utter surprise this movie in particular, i.e., Nosferatu the Vampyre DVD~ Klaus Kinski is fascinating and in my opinion so much more cerebral than then the Francis Ford Copola Version ( which in my point of view aims many times to the lowest common denominator by showing everything and being way to bloody). Klaus Kinski is eerie as the count and he exposes him as being cunning, evil and even though he is somehat deformed and physically not so attractive; he still has the power to make people, i.e., Jonathan Harker, Lucie and Mina, submit to his powers. The ending was also very smart and did not feel hokey at all. Adjani, by the way, whom plays Lucie, is amazing in her role and her scarifice in the end is commendable to say the least. The music in the beginning was not that great; however as the movie progressed it fit more the atmosphere of the movie and at times was it , i.e., the music, was very scary and left one grasping for air. I would have to say that Nosferatu the Vampyre DVD~ Klaus Kinski is vastly different from the original; yet it is a classic in its own right and does not in any way besmirch the original movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Klaus Kinski is wonderful
Review: As I first saw this movie I was mesmerized, especially by Klaus Kinski's performance, which is a quality that is unfortunatly not seen much these days, he has a wonderful way of absorbing his role. The last scene as the vampire is with Lucy, shall forever stick in my mind, it is so strangly romantic, that I almost feel sorry that the vampire dies.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Boring Snobish Vampires
Review: I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but this movie was just plain old boring. For gods sake, King Tut's dead and rotting corpse has more life in it than this movie does. I fell asleep one night while trying to watch this movie (hey my cable was out)and would you belive miracle upon miracle this movie was still on when i got up the next day. I have had root canals that have taken less time, and at least I got a ballon when i left the doctors office.

Now don't get me wrong, I love horror films, but come on, this is ridiculous. I was praying for some kind of action in this movie, but lo and behold did i get any no. WINNIE The POOH's GREAT ADVENTURE had more action in it than this movie did. During the month that it actually took me to watch this film ( hey you try watching this movie in one sitting)I dont think i've ever contempleted throwing my dvd player out the window so many times.

Granted, the movie does have a beautiful visual appeal, but to be very honest I would much rather rent or buy a Hammer Horror film (ie. Horror Of Dracula or Dracula Has Risen From The Grave ) if that was all i was interested in. Lucily for me I dont have to drive to a stake through a vampires heart, all I have to do get rid of Nosferatu is click my dvd player off.


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