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Nosferatu the Vampyre

Nosferatu the Vampyre

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Dreamlike Fantasy
Review: What more can be said about tis movie? A true treasure. Klaus Kinski gives his best performance as Count Dracula. The movie scores high points on all levels, the story book village, the beutiful landscape, and of course the Count himself. The makeup for Kinski is superb and fits his role. The story is of course Jonathan Harker's trek to Castle Dracula, in the land beyond the forrest there he meets his host, the centuries old Count Dracula. This ranks high above any Dracula movie ever. The film is dream-like with Great music throught out. Watch for Renfield, a stand-out! The most beutiful and greatest Dracula ever!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Worthy of its predecessor
Review: Several great film makers and actors have had a go at the Dracula story since FW Murnau's stunning "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror" in 1924, and each extrapolates something very different, but still bewitching, from the same raw material: And so it is that Werner Herzog's "Nosferatu - the Vampyre" - ostensibly a remake of Nosferatu itself - does nothing more than borrow the odd visual motif from Murnau.

Nosferatu the Vampyre is decidedly an expressionist film so, if your interest lies in the bloodlust and suspense of the Dracula story, then look elsewhere: The only flowing blood you'll see - honestly - is when Jonathan Harker cuts his thumb. Instead, Herzog builds a haunting atmosphere through some quite startling cinematography. The credits roll over hundreds of desiccated cadavers arranged in a crypt; on his way to Castle Dracula Jonathan Harker struggles into the Carpathian Mountains against all nature can throw at him: verdant Romanian valleys give way to cathedralesque caverns, furious waterfalls, and still, through seemingly impassable mountain terrain, Harker battles on. But when we reach the castle, Kinski's morose portrayal of the Count, drawn on a psychic level to Lucy Harker, poses questions of a curiously more unsettling variety: Who is the victim in all this, and who is the predator? The lonely, pallid count, drawn like a wasp to the honey-pot or the seemingly pure-in-heart Lucy Harker, dressed head to toe in virginal white, but with tresses of black hair befitting a black widow? If you think I'm reading too much in to this, consider Lucy's makeup: it's virtually identical to Dracula's - sickly white skin and black, sunken eyes. And consider the outcome of the film (which I won't give away here).

In its final twenty minutes Nosferatu really makes its mark, and one scene in particular gave me the willies: In Delft's main square, the Black Plague has taken hold, and Lucy runs through stray farm animals, miscellaneous household furniture and contaminated townsfolk who are intoxicatedly celebrating their own last hurrah. What makes the scene so striking is that it is totally silent (and thus reflective of the original Nosferatu), and accompanied by an extraordinary piece of polyphonic choral music. The credits don't mention it, and after about three days trying to track it down I've finally found it: it is a traditional Georgian folksong entitled Tsintsqaro ("At the Spring"). This confluence of music and images is perhaps one of the most haunting scenes Herzog has captured on film (which, given his gift for such scenes, is saying something).

The DVD presentation is great - I don't think the English version of the film is significantly inferior to the German one (Adjani, who's French, was dubbed in both languages anyway) and in a couple of places had a nicer touch - Kinski's groan of irritation at laying eyes on a crucifix is funnier in the English version, for example. The commentary from Herzog is also well worth listening to. In other words, I have watched the same film three times in the last five days, and I'm still singing its praises!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: NOSFERATU-THE VAMPIRE
Review: Beautiful, hypnotic, and haunting telling of the vampire legend...Probably better than most "DRACULA" movies...musical score throughout the picture will compel you to watch what is truly a visual treat...Highly recommended to any horror movie fan, or those just interested in vampire lore.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Greatest Vampire Film Of All Time
Review: ....yes, better than the original, much better than the Hammer films, better than Lugosi's version, and WAY better than Coppola's watered-down love story...this is the gothic vampire film to rule them all.

One of Werner Herzog's and Klaus Kinski's greatest collaborations. Fitzcarraldo is also highly recommended.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Nosferatu (1979)
Review: I have seen both versions of Nosferatu (1922, 1979) and i would recommend them both. The 1922 version is a classic but this remake has done a great job of using its era's advantages to make it great like sound, color and more places to film etc. I especially like the end of this movie when Johnothan rides away on the horse across the beach of sand while the opera song plays. This was not even attempted in the original and the idea of having the vampire survive is a great idea. I loved that opera song at the end and would watch this movie anytime. I would suggest getting it on DVD though.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Without question...
Review: ...the most effective and powerful film based on the Dracula legend. Herzog fills the screen and ultimately, the viewer's senses with a dreamy landscape that though not terrifying, is almost unbearably creepy and penetrating. Klaus Kinski gives an understated and moving performance as the lamentable Nosferatu, a creature seemingly at serious odds with his vampiric nature yet unable to change it, forever trapped in his isolation and doom. What can be said about the flawless Isabelle Adjani, except that she is absolute perfection as Lucy. Fragile and almost unbearably beautiful, she is to all appearances frail yet determined to bring an end to Dracula's pestilence. The surrealistic scenes are very memorable with Popol Vuh's score adding immeasurably to the atmosphere of corrosion and misery. Nosferatu, Phantom of the Night is not unlike a wicked dream, irresistible and hypnotic, it distracts the viewer with incredible images while it burrows deep into the mind and the bone. My one and only complain concerns Renfield's incessant and incredibly annoying cackling. Fortunately, he is not on screen too often so my quibble is very minor, indeed. Forget Coppola' beautiful, yet everything-but-the-kitchen-sink version or even Tod Browning's original masterpiece with Lugosi as the unforgettable bloodsucker. Herzog's approach is far more subtle and intelligent than anything done before or since. The pacing is dead on, the performance's are uniformly excellent, the cinematography beautiful, though bleak and the direction beyond reproach.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Superior remake
Review: This is Werner Herzog's 1979 superior remake of silent classic German Expressionist vampire film F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu: Symphony of Horror. This film is all that the 1922 silent version was, and more. It begins showing Dr. Renfield giving Jonathan the order to travel to the "haunted" land beyond the Forrest, Translvania, to give Count Dracula the papers for his new home. Lucy, Jonathan's wife begs him not to go, but he does not listen. Upon arriving to Dracula's castle, Dracula sees Lucy's picture and immediately signs the papers, and travels by ship to her town. Jonathan quickly rides back, but slowly gets sicker and sicker, until he cannot even remember how he met Lucy. Dracula's arrival brings the plague, and Lucy must make the ultimate sacrifice to destroy this hideous monster deprived of love.

The film is beautifully shot, and acted, with Werner Herzog behind the camera capturing, Klaus Kinkski's terrifying portrayal of the evil Dracula killing his victims. So many memorable scenes of darkness and horror are scattered throughout this film, with the silent beauty of nature watching on the side. The music in this film adds to the atmosphere of the good side of Jonthan/Lucy, and to the evil side of Dracula. The original 1922 version of this film, was perfect in its display of gothic horror, and this film has all that the original offered, but adds more philosophy and insight, and a tragic ending that makes this version superior. Another classic from Herzog and Kinkski, I highly recommend this film to all fans of horror, vampires, and classic films. 5 stars.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Werner Herzog creates the ultimate vampire.
Review: Nosferatu was originally a German expressionist film, much in the style of "The Cabinet of Dr. Calgari. Moody, extremley gothic, and very scary, shot in Germany in 1922. Max Schreck played the part of Nosferatu, aka Count Orlok, the ugliest, scariest Dracula in cinematic history. Orlak is tall and skinny, shriveled, actually, with elongated limbs, and long, sharp claws for hands. He is ancient as well. We have no leading man type here, a la Christopher Lee, who was actually a sex symbol back in the late sixties, or handsome Bela, Frank Langella, or more recently, Gary Oldman. Orlak is the combination of an evil old man, mixed with a rodent. His ears are batlike, his eyes, wide and scary, a beak nose, and his full lips hide long, ratlike fangs. He is bald as well. Klaus Kinski captured Nosferatu to a tee, although Klaus is well, flat out not as ugly as Schrek. the story is virtually Dracula retold, including Harker's trip to Transylvania, the Count buying Real Estate, the Count lusting after Lucy, and Lucy's sacrifice. There is a hidden eroticism in the final scene with Lucy that must be seen to be believed. Lucy, by the way, is portrayed by the ever sexy Isabelle Adjani, and she portays a perfect damsel in distress, who knows what she must do. The contrast in Lucy's beauty, compared to Orlak's hideous repulsiveness, only adds to the erotic chemistry that is on the screen during their scenes together, especially when Lucy is first confronted by the lustful old vampire, and he demands her love. During the famous, final scene, we see Orlak consumate his vampiric love, in full detail. Lucy almost seems to be enjoying it. Orlak must have Lucy, even if it means that his very existance is the price to be paid, so he enjoys his night of bloodlust, and lovemaking to the fullest. The movie is atmospheric, and well acted throughout, although the Van Helsing character seems a bit powerless. Then again, aside from Lucy's sacrificial beauty, what can stop the evil Count Orlak.....Highly recommended.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Count Dracula
Review: This is one of my favorite. i once saw it on the channel AMC around Valentine's Day, and I loved it. I bought it. I thought music gave a eerie, sad sound to the movie. Even though it was not as quit close of being like the book, Dracula, but it had and outstanding story. I can see why Roger Ebert, rated it 4 stars. Very goood movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Gorgeous, Poetic, Dreamy, Even Feminist!
Review: I can't come up with enough superlatives for this film. It is right at the top of the Kinski-Herzog ouevre. Plus every other element is first rate as well. Kinski plays the Bram Stoker Dracula character mostly by movement, shadow, light and gesture and he is brilliant. He is otherworldy throughout and brings many layers to the vampire character, including melancholy blended with evil and feralness. It is set in a town of canals with terrified townsfolk who believe the plague is upon them instead of a vampire. But Lucy Harker, played by Isabelle Adjani, knows better and she sets out to vanquish the vampire. Her husband Jonathan, played by the wonderful Bruno Ganz, is foolish and under the vampire's thrall so she deals with him as well. This is no Lucy that needs rescuing by all the males in the film. She's ready to take on everyone and indeed she does. Adjani is deathly pale throughout but has never been more breathtakingly beautiful either. The details of the period and place have been stunningly recreated throughout. You are there for all intents and purposes. You can also buy this as part of the newly released Herzog-Kinski boxed set.


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