Nosferatu the Vampyre

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Summary: A sympathetic and grotesque poem.
Review: Werner Herzog creates a dark and lyrical poem about the sad and grotesque vampire living in the carpathian mountains. Long stretches of beautiful and muted natural scenery evoke the mood of loneliness, isolation, and dread that words cannot provide. Some of the most haunting imagery filmed in cinema help to create a chilling retelling of the classic movie with the added dimension of a rich musical score which sounds more like a chant throughout. Anyone who loves cinema (and is tired of hollywood) should own this film and pay attention to how sometimes less is more.

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Summary: At Last Nosferatu!!
Review: When I saw Nosferatu at a local video store staring out at me. I was stunned. Packaged in its widescreen ratio and newly remastered. I never expected I'd see the film by Werner Herzog, I thought to myself. Back in 1979 I saw a picture in AFI of a scene from the film and a small review about it's coming release, but alas it never came to where I was growing up in Decatur, Il. (Alot of things never came there.) It was a shock when Polanski's TESS came there that same year. But as a fan of the original Marnau film I was a bit excited to see it and then very disapointed when it never arrived. So now finally 20 years later I have seen this film and was stunned. My first thoughts were how could such a great classic be remade in the way it was originally meant but updated with sound and color and be successful at it. The answer. Herzog had indeed suceeded in doing so. His film brings a freshness and bold style that the original could only hint at. Visually it is a masterpiece with every frame looking like a moving painting, the carpathian mountains, the castle, the city, the ship, everything beautiful and frightening to the eye. The scene of the Nosferatu going into Harkers bedroom is quite disturbing. The only thing that didn't succeed for me was the writing. Probably more thought should have gone into making the story a little more exciting and needed more character development, but with the same tone. Example: Mina almost is hardly shown or says anything. Her death leaves us unemotional about it since we really don't know her at all. Plus the lines uttered sometimes come off as contrived and in poor english and don't make sense. A little too much comedy is involved with Van Helsing and Reinfeld and both come off as total idiots. But, its star the late Klaus Kinski is quite frightening and makes us believe he is suffering from loneliness and bitterness, and to be sure, a vampire. Isabelle Adjani is so strikely beautiful that you forget about the lack of character her part has. I wanted more of her by the end and less of Johnathan Harker's character. One scene is quite affective when she realizes Johnathan is crazy and tears fill her eyes, as she pats his hand. The camera stays on both of them, without any cuts and I like that method very much for it's realism ala Bergman. A very affecting scene for her. I have now both the English and German versions and am very happy with both. Anyone who loves horror classics or film history should enjoy this film. I recommend watching with the light out and try not to believe in the Nosferatu!

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Summary: A Pre-Raphaelite's Haunting Dream
Review: Imagine the most languid of the Pre-Raphaelite artists' works coming to life on screen. This is what Herzog gives us in his lush homage to the original Nosferatu movie. Like the original film, which was a silent, the remake focuses on visual storytelling. The sounds that echo and chill with the most force are those of the vampire (Kinsky), who moans, laughs, and breathes with death-bed intensity. Musical references to Richard Wagner's "Ring" cycle are used to their utmost (but never overpowering) effect. Adjani is at her most beautiful as the pallid protagonist, Lucy. This film also presents Herzog's unique and haunting treatments of the Carpathian mountains and the mysterious gypsies who inhabit them. A gorgeous, eerie masterwork.

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Summary: 20 years waiting for the video - and well worth it!
Review: At long, long last, Werner Herzog's "Nosferatu" is now out on video (both the subtitled and dubbed versions) and laser disc (subtitled, with Herzog's commentary on the analog channel!).Considered by many to be Herzog's best movie, fans have been waiting for years for its release. You don't have to be a fan of Dracula/vampire movies to appreciate and enjoy this stunning film. The photography is exceptional, capturing Isabelle Adjani's ethereal beauty and her character's sad determination to defeat the Count, and win back her husband. In addition to the visual pleasure of watching this film, the audience is also treated to the mystical, haunting music of Popol Vuh throughout the film. This remains my favorite movie of all time, and I thank all of those people who worked on releasing the videos.

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Summary: The Thinking Viewer's Vampire
Review: "Nosferatu" is a wonderous example of what an innovative, imaginative filmmaker can do with a worn out formulaic idea. Werner Herzog injects his film with poetic imagery and a amazing restraint in telling the tale told in the original 1922 version. Klaus Kinski is a pathetic, pale-faced, recreation of the character made famous by Max Schreck. He is eccentric, educated, and diabolically evil at the same time. The film moves at a slow, ponderous pace, that draws one in with its' melodic and well filmed sequentially staged scenes. The film is not for those expecting a loud, obnoxious, "Lost Boys" or "Interview With The Vampire" type storytelling. It is a strange type of art form that will hopefully be eventually seen as the classic that it is. The DVD presentation is excellent, both the original German Language version and the lesser English language version are contained on the disk. There is also interesting commentary by the director in which he points out many similarities between the earlier version and his. The film is also letterboxed, presenting the entire scope of beautiful and horrific images. "Nosferatu" is simply a great film that those looking for a change of pace from the usual should see.

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Summary: Nosferatu: A Symphony Of Pretence
Review: This 1979 German sound remake of the 1922 Murnau silent classic (The making of which was later to be the basis for the ficticious film SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE) is again closely based on Bram Stoker's novel DRACULA.
Klaus Kinski plays the Count as a victim doomed by circumstance to be one of the undead. A lonely, brooding soul craving love. After a meeting with businessman Jonathan Harker, the Count soon sets upon his fiancee Lucy (the stunning Isabelle Adjani) to be his next conquest/unsuspecting prey.
Written, Produced and Directed by Werner Herzog; the film begins promisingly with its hypnotic & chilling opening credits; but despite eeriely effective photography by Jorg Schmidt-Reitwein this version is slow, arty, pretentious and just not scary.
The movie's highlight is the sequence featuring the pack of rats. Apparently there's some deep meaning to it- probably tied in to the sickness and decay brought on by the plague. But I'm not in a deep and meaningful frame of mind at the moment. When a movie is this self-absorbed, is it truly deserving of that kind of analysis?
This version is poorly dubbed in English and is 10 minutes shorter than the German print. The ending does come as a surprise however.
The classical score is also worth noting, as Herzog appears to be using it as a means to pay homage to the Max Schreck version: Murnau's superior feature was sub-titled A SYMPHONY OF TERROR.
But in the long run you're probably better off watching the original version or Coppola's BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA instead. Kinski is good in the role (his interpretation of Count Dracula is closer to Jack Palance's than Lugosi or Lee), but even this slightly truncated version will test the patience of horror fans who prefer lashings of blood & bulging bodices in their vampire flicks.
NOSFERATU is more arthouse fare than a traditional horror flick, so it's probably more geared towards audiences of that persuasion. If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea (or chalice of blood) you may want to check out one of the old Hammer movies starring Christopher Lee instead. I also recommended George A. Romero's MARTIN (1978) & Kathryn Bigelow's NEAR DARK(1987).

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Summary: "The best Nosferatu ever!"
Review: It's widescreen, but that usually never matters to me. This movie is the best since F.W. Marnau's older version of the film. Although a few things have changed, the wives of Harker and Westenra were switched around and the vampire's name is Dracula instead of Graf Orlock. But I don't care, it's the same vampire that has the black cloak, long fingers, bald head, and pointed ears. That's probably the scariest version of Dracula that there will ever be. I just started reading the novel by Bram Stoker, and I'm so far impressed. One day I hope to find this video in a non-widescreen format, as it gets a little irritating after a while. This movie should actually get a difinate PG-13 for the scenes at the beginning that included all those desmembered corpses and victims of the vampire, heck, I'd even give it an R if I had to. But oh well. Klaus Kinski does a very good job of playing Nosferatu, he's very scary. I don't recommend this film for young children, I'd suggest ages 9 and up.

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Summary: Good remake!
Review: Remakes don't get much better that this, lets give a round of applause to the drictor, it's hard to make a remake of a classic film. So the film follows the story of the orignal, some guy goes to see Dracula, who he later bits( the guy goes crazy). Dracula later takes a ship to England and starts a rampage of death. This film does not have as much action as the first but it's still fun to wach. Make-up for Dracula rocked. Worth every penny.

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Summary: Stylistically Faithful Remake of Murnau's Masterpiece.
Review: "Nosferatu the Vampyre" is director Werner Herzog's tribute to F. W. Murnau, whom he considers to be Germany's greatest filmmaker, as well as a haunting gothic horror tale in its own right. It is a remake of Murnau's 1922 film "Nosferatu", which is the earliest surviving cinematic adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula". Herzog has combined ideas from Murnau's film, Bram Stoker's novel, and his own imagination in creating a film that is, if anything, even more expressionistic and romanticist than the 1922 masterpiece. It is also more languid and pathetic than other "Dracula" adaptations.

This version of the Dracula tale, like 1922's "Nosferatu", takes place in Germany and Transylvania. Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz) is a real estate agent employed by a madman named Renfield (Roland Topor) to deliver a contract to Count Dracula in Transylvania, who wishes to purchase property in Wismar, Germany. When he reaches his destination, Jonathan finds a hideous, predatory Count Dracula (Klaus Kinski) eager to sign the deed to his new home. Several days later, ill and traumatized by horrors that he experienced at Dracula's castle, Jonathan understands that his young wife Lucy (Isabelle Adjani) will be in grave danger if Dracula reaches Wismar and sets out to save her. Count Dracula's arrival in Wismar coincides with the Plague. The city is overrun with rats and its population decimated by disease. Only Lucy comprehends the nature of the evil that has befallen the city and understands what she must do to stop it.

"Nosferatu the Vampyre" adheres pretty closely to Murnau's storyline, rather than Stoker's, except for the ending. The characters and actions have been embellished, however, sometimes with inspiration from the "Dracula" novel. Herzog's film moves slowly but steadily and spends more time with the characters than any previous "Dracula" adaptation. Count Dracula closely resembles Murnau's vampire but is even more grotesque and the least aristocratic of any cinematic Dracula. He is rodent-like and closely associated with rats and the Plague. But he departs from other Dracula interpretations in lamenting his permanent un-dead existence without light or love for centuries, which makes him a slightly tragic character. Although Count Dracula is the force that drives the narrative, the first half of the film is about Jonathan, and the second half concentrates on Lucy. Lucy Harker takes much inspiration from the character of Mina Harker in the novel "Dracula". The film's Lucy is more mystical and less methodical than the book's Mina. But, like Mina, she is stronger and smarter than the characters who surround her, and she tries her best to save everyone in spite of their blindness. Isabelle Adjani's Lucy Harker is the strongest heroine of any "Dracula" film.

Like Murnau's 1922 film, "Nosferatu the Vampyre" is visually expressionistic and romanticist. More of the film takes place outdoors than in other adaptations. There are lots of wide open spaces which are brightly lit, lending the outdoor scenes an airy feel, while scenes indoors tend to be dark and oppressive. This is clearly taken from the Murnau film, with its seaside scenes and bright sunshine. But the color cinematography and superior technology creates a sense of space that Murnau's film doesn't have. Colored lighting is lifted directly from Murnau's film, however. 1922's "Nosferatu" was filmed in black-and-white and tinted several colors to communicate time and mood. "Nosferatu the Vampyre"'s night scenes are bathed in blue light, and the inside of Dracula's castle is close to sepia, producing much the same effects as Murnau's toning.

English and German versions of "Nosferatu the Vampyre" were filmed concurrently. Werner Herzog shot the scenes with dialogue twice -once in German, once in English. The two versions differ by only seconds in length, but they are edited slightly differently. Whichever one you see, "Nosferatu the Vampyre" is one of the most interesting adaptations of Bram Stoker's "Dracula", even if it is an indirect adaptation. It is also the slowest paced and highly expressionistic, which somewhat narrow its appeal.

Rating:
Summary: Now here is a great adaptation!
Review: Herzog blows the breath of life into this tale - kind of a dedication to another great German director - Murnau. This is filmed with a gorgeous detatched feel - common to Herzog's best films. This one also boasts the talents of Bruno Ganz - who you may recognize as the star of 'Wings of Desire' and 'The American Friend'. Herzog gives the tale his own interpretation of the tale - wisely avoiding the remake approach - and throwing his own insight onto this almost tortured looking count dracula - played by Kinski - who is, as always, really into the role. This ranks as one of Herzog's best - and certainly one of the best of the genre of horror films!