8 ms·

Nosferatu: The monster who still terrifies, 100 years on

52 points by Turukawa 5y ago

hardlianotion 5y ago
An immortal bloodsucking monster? Of course it's terrifying 100 years on, especially if we have lost track of where it is now.
- krapp 5y ago
pelasaco 5y ago
I thought the monster who terrifies us was the soviet union..
Andrex 5y ago
With your expectations firmly set to "silent film era," Nosferatu is very entertaining and goes by remarkably quick. What helps is there's so much to look at in nearly every frame, you're rarely bored visually. The other good silent horror film I'd pair it with is Haxan: Witchcraft Through The Ages.
- krapp 5y ago
  Also Metropolis and the Cabinet of Doctor Caligari. And, keeping on the subject of vampires, the Spanish language version of Dracula (1931) is superior to the English version in many ways.
- teddyh 5y ago
  That’s “Häxan”.
- gedy 5y ago
  Not silent, but 'Vampyr' from 1932 is quite creepy and artistic: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023649/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023649/
  - Bayart 5y ago
    Murnau and Dreyer both had an incredible sense of photography.
loufe 5y ago
A couple years ago I got into the idea of vampires and did a watch-through of some of the best Dracula movies. There are a staggering number of them, truly, there are "top 10 best Dracula movies" lists. Some of them really are phenomenal. Like The Batman out right now, there truly are so many different ways to approach a story. I watched the 5 or so I chose chronologically based on release date and so Nosferatu was first, it's actually pretty good for what it is and I can recommend for anyone interested - just keep in mind film standards for the time when setting expectations.
- thatBilly 5y ago
  I really like Nosferatu and I suspect anyone else who does would really enjoy "Shadow of the Vampire" (2000) with John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe and Eddie Izzard.
- kowlo 5y ago
  If you haven't already, check out "What We Do in the Shadows"... first the movie and then the TV series
- philk10 5y ago
  Yeh, the Guardian just did a Top Dracula Films - https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/03/count-draculas-on-film-ranked https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/03/count-draculas-...
ahartmetz 5y ago
Nosferatu is quite good, but I prefer it with an analog synth soundtrack. The original soundtrack is very generic and not particularly dramatic, actually, I would say pretty low quality and boring. I can't find my favorite right now, but IMO several analog synth soundtracks and one I found with organs are good soundtracks for Nosferatu (all easy to find on YouTube). They create an ethereal atmosphere that fits the movie well.
- hereforphone 5y ago
  Do you find the original video low quality as well? Would you like the video to be updated to be more modern?
  - ahartmetz 5y ago
    There are, in fact, digitally restored versions that look better than unrestored versions ;) Nosferatu is not so old that it's some kind of sacred artifact to me. It's a movie, it's meant to be enjoyed first. And the original music really does nothing for me. It isn't about technical quality either. There are high quality versions that don't "work" any better for me.
- Finnucane 5y ago
  About 20 yrs ago I saw a screening of Nosferatu with the Alloy Orchestra playing live in front. That was pretty cool. I’ve seen their Metropolis a couple of times as well.
- stirfish 5y ago
  When I was 15, I checked out nosferatu from the library and watched the whole thing in silence, not knowing there was supposed to be a score!
lc3sim 5y ago
Alamo Drafthouse is showing this film (new score composed by Bob Lanzetti) in theatres (and on demand) in collaboration with GroundUp Music. https://drafthouse.com/nyc/event/the-press-room-presents-nosferatu-sylva-by-snarky-puppy-metropole-orkest-double-feature https://drafthouse.com/nyc/event/the-press-room-presents-nos... I believe Zach Brock will be featured on violin, but don't quote me on that.
eezurr 5y ago
The 1979 version of the film is really good. The actors and director nailed the suspense (both the immediate and far off). I unfortunately lost my copy of the film. If anyone knows This scene gives me goosebumps every time I watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdzHAKPV7dk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdzHAKPV7dk

52 points by Turukawa 5y ago

An immortal bloodsucking monster? Of course it's terrifying 100 years on, especially if we have lost track of where it is now.

krapp 5y ago

pelasaco 5y ago

I thought the monster who terrifies us was the soviet union..

Andrex 5y ago

With your expectations firmly set to "silent film era," Nosferatu is very entertaining and goes by remarkably quick. What helps is there's so much to look at in nearly every frame, you're rarely bored visually. The other good silent horror film I'd pair it with is Haxan: Witchcraft Through The Ages.

krapp 5y ago
Also Metropolis and the Cabinet of Doctor Caligari. And, keeping on the subject of vampires, the Spanish language version of Dracula (1931) is superior to the English version in many ways.
teddyh 5y ago
That’s “Häxan”.
gedy 5y ago
Not silent, but 'Vampyr' from 1932 is quite creepy and artistic: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023649/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023649/
- Bayart 5y ago
  Murnau and Dreyer both had an incredible sense of photography.

loufe 5y ago

A couple years ago I got into the idea of vampires and did a watch-through of some of the best Dracula movies. There are a staggering number of them, truly, there are "top 10 best Dracula movies" lists. Some of them really are phenomenal. Like The Batman out right now, there truly are so many different ways to approach a story. I watched the 5 or so I chose chronologically based on release date and so Nosferatu was first, it's actually pretty good for what it is and I can recommend for anyone interested - just keep in mind film standards for the time when setting expectations.

thatBilly 5y ago
I really like Nosferatu and I suspect anyone else who does would really enjoy "Shadow of the Vampire" (2000) with John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe and Eddie Izzard.
kowlo 5y ago
If you haven't already, check out "What We Do in the Shadows"... first the movie and then the TV series
philk10 5y ago
Yeh, the Guardian just did a Top Dracula Films - https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/03/count-draculas-on-film-ranked https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/03/count-draculas-...

ahartmetz 5y ago

Nosferatu is quite good, but I prefer it with an analog synth soundtrack. The original soundtrack is very generic and not particularly dramatic, actually, I would say pretty low quality and boring. I can't find my favorite right now, but IMO several analog synth soundtracks and one I found with organs are good soundtracks for Nosferatu (all easy to find on YouTube). They create an ethereal atmosphere that fits the movie well.

hereforphone 5y ago
Do you find the original video low quality as well? Would you like the video to be updated to be more modern?
- ahartmetz 5y ago
  There are, in fact, digitally restored versions that look better than unrestored versions ;) Nosferatu is not so old that it's some kind of sacred artifact to me. It's a movie, it's meant to be enjoyed first. And the original music really does nothing for me. It isn't about technical quality either. There are high quality versions that don't "work" any better for me.
Finnucane 5y ago
About 20 yrs ago I saw a screening of Nosferatu with the Alloy Orchestra playing live in front. That was pretty cool. I’ve seen their Metropolis a couple of times as well.
stirfish 5y ago
When I was 15, I checked out nosferatu from the library and watched the whole thing in silence, not knowing there was supposed to be a score!

lc3sim 5y ago

Alamo Drafthouse is showing this film (new score composed by Bob Lanzetti) in theatres (and on demand) in collaboration with GroundUp Music. https://drafthouse.com/nyc/event/the-press-room-presents-nosferatu-sylva-by-snarky-puppy-metropole-orkest-double-feature https://drafthouse.com/nyc/event/the-press-room-presents-nos... I believe Zach Brock will be featured on violin, but don't quote me on that.

eezurr 5y ago

The 1979 version of the film is really good. The actors and director nailed the suspense (both the immediate and far off). I unfortunately lost my copy of the film. If anyone knows This scene gives me goosebumps every time I watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdzHAKPV7dk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdzHAKPV7dk