Masterworks of German Horror Cinema: Nosferatu / Der Golem / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (DVD)

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Nosferatu
The final film on the agenda is "Nosferatu." It is, of course, director F.W. Murnau's unauthorized 1922 adaptation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula." The producers tried to disguise their plagiarism by giving the characters new names, but in 1925 Stoker's widow sued the filmmakers and won, a condition of the suit being that all copies of the film be destroyed. Fortunately, a few prints survived or we wouldn't be watching it today. Murnau and producer/art director Albin Grau filmed much of the story on location in the Carpathian Mountains, giving the film its look of authenticity. But it's probably the star, Max Schreck, who deserves the most credit for the film's success. Count Orlok, with his rat-like face, ears, teeth, and fingers, leaves a frightening impression on the mind, a far cry from the aristocratic vampires of Lugosi, Lee, or Langella. The DVD copy was taken from a positive print in the German Archives. It is more worn by age than the others, and a good digital restoration ought to be in its future. As for now, this is perhaps the best it will ever look, and we must accept it, warts and all. The accompanying music track I could not accept, however, and preferred to leave off via the mute button. The music features a small string ensemble playing a sometimes appropriate and sometimes not-so-appropriate background score. After the first ten minutes or so it became more annoying than not, the jazzy rhythms attending the journey scenes seeming especially out of place. After pressing "mute," the silence was golden. A collection of Grau's preliminary illustrations for the film is included as a bonus item, and one can readily see how Murnau was affected by them.

Parting Thoughts:
The entertainment value of these early silent films is obviously questionable by today's standards. They simply look old and often awkward. But they are more than mere film history. They still carry an impact, particularly in specific, selected scenes. And we mustn't forget they represent the first manmade monster in films, the first mad scientist, and the first vampire. I would not consider them movies necessarily to watch over and again, but I can't imagine anyone with even the slightest interest in the horror genre overlooking them. They should be the cornerstones of any film library of the occult or supernatural.

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