Film ParticularsPassed
Creative Contributors
F. W. Murnau
1888 - 1931
Nosferatu
Original Title: Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens
In this highly influential silent horror masterpiece, the vampire Count Orlok expresses interest in a new residence and real estate agent Hutter's young wife.
Why Watch This Film?
Watch it to experience the ultimate root of all cinematic vampire lore. Max Schreck's unearthly physical performance remains genuinely terrifying and stands as a masterclass in German Expressionist shadow design.
Original Editorial Review
F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922) is the ultimate landmark of German Expressionist film. As an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, the film was subject to a lawsuit by Stoker's estate, which ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed. Fortunately, a few prints survived, preserving Max Schreck's terrifying, rat-like portrayal of Count Orlok. Unlike later charming Dracula figures, Orlok is a bald, taloned pestilence incarnate, casting long, menacing shadows across Murnau's beautifully eerie location shoots. This film stands as a foundational text in vampire cinema, introducing the classic trope of vampires being destroyed by sunlight.
Archival Registry & Licensing Details
This film is hosted on the Internet Archive, a digital library with 501(c)(3) non-profit status that provides free public access to digital materials. It has been verified as public domain under United States copyright laws.
Archival Note: Under the 1909 US Copyright Act, statutory works published without an explicit copyright notice entered the public domain immediately. This film resides within public domain distribution.
Frequently Answered Questions
Why was Nosferatu almost destroyed?
The movie was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. Stoker's widow sued for copyright infringement and won, and the court ordered all prints to be burned. However, copies had already been distributed globally, and several survived to make it one of the most acclaimed films of all time.
Who played Count Orlok in Nosferatu?
Count Orlok was played by German actor Max Schreck. His performance was so unnervingly realistic that it inspired legends that Schreck was an actual vampire, a myth explored in the 2000 film Shadow of the Vampire.
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