The Horror Remake Classic Everyone Must Stream Before Nosferatu
The upcoming release of Nosferatu will mark the second time that the 1922 F. W. Murnau horror classic has been adapted with sound and full color. But while eager fans are impatiently waiting for the December 25 release date, now might be the perfect time to explore the first remake of the silent film. Nosferatu the Vampyre made its theatrical debut 45 years ago and is regarded as one of the greatest adaptations of the 1897 Bram Stoker novel to date.
Werner Herzog’s Dracula Film
Though using characters and settings created by Stoker for his iconic late 19th-century tome, Nosferatu the Vampyre was meant to be more of a tribute to the Murnau film. Director Werner Herzog regarded the original version as one of the best films to ever come out of his native Germany and wished to bring the tale of Count Orlock to a new generation of fans. Herzog made some tweaks with the storyline and character names, however, trading the name of Max Shreck’s Orlock to Count Dracula.
Adapts The Classic Novel
Nosferatu the Vampyre plays out in a similar vein as both the Bram Stoker novel and the 1922 silent original. Real estate agent Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz) is sent by his employer, Renfield (Roland Topor), to Dracula’s castle deep in the Borgo Pass region of the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania. In classic movie monster fashion, Harker is met by the locals outside of the road to Dracula’s castle, who all beg him to give the place a wide berth.
Much of the rest of Nosferatu the Vampyre will be familiar territory to horror film fans. Harker meets the Count, who catches a glimpse of Harker’s photo of his fiance, Lucy. Convinced that Lucy is the reincarnation of his long-deceased lover, Dracula imprisons Harker in his castle, gathers his coffins, and heads to Germany.
Follows The Original Silent Classic
The plague rats that the Count brings with him on the ship are believed by the local Germans to be the source of mysterious deaths in their community. But the real plague is the vampirism that has been thrust upon the townsfolk from Nosferatu the Vampyre’s arrival. From here, the film stays fairly true to the Murnau film, using Lucy to trap the undead villain with guile.
Herzog’s Usual Eye For Style Elevates The Film
Werner Herzog’s masterful direction and the authentic sets in the film elevate Nosferatu the Vampyre to levels above and beyond many previous Count Dracula films. Adding the stellar performance of Klaus Kinski in the role of the vampire led to audiences getting one of the most chilling depictions of the character on the big screen.
Streaming for Free
REVIEW SCORE
Nosferatu the Vampyre is a film that is as horrific and grotesque as it is beautifully shot. Werner Herzog’s keen sense of color, his striking angles, and his admiration for Murnau combined to give horror fans a film worth remembering and certainly worth rewatching.
You can stream Nosferatu the Vampyre for free with Tubi, Pluto TV, and Crackle.
