I gave this a late night viewing and perhaps being tired made full concentration difficult, but this was not an easy film to evaluate in light of it being a silent film made in Germany in 1922 by Murnau.
The overall impression is one of familiarity with the "Dracula" theme, the young man being driven by a coach that will only go so far toward its destination before he has to get out and walk. (This has happened in so many horror stories that we can see it all began with stories like "Dracula" on which this is based). GUSTAV VON WANGENHEIM is the young man and he overacts with gusto in typical silent film manner. GRETA SCHRODER is his wife, Ellen, who seems to have an unusually strong link to Count Orlock's menacing presence. She's the woman whose portrait he is shown, upon which he makes the film's most famous remark: "What a lovely throat!" It's all very impressionistic, with dark shadows particularly menacing when they show Count Orlock's grotesque form (including his long fingernails) as he looks for victims. Some of the plot elements seem a little obscure which may be a fault of the title cards.
Very impressive was the musical score from 1997 by James Bernard which had the appropriately eerie effect that caught the mood of the piece with its somber atmosphere.
Damp and chilly are the words that come to mind when I think of this film and its overall effect. I can certainly see why it has the reputation it has as a classic horror film with allowances being made for the style of acting that was anything but subtle by today's standards. Worth a look, but not a film I'm likely to view again.
The overall impression is one of familiarity with the "Dracula" theme, the young man being driven by a coach that will only go so far toward its destination before he has to get out and walk. (This has happened in so many horror stories that we can see it all began with stories like "Dracula" on which this is based). GUSTAV VON WANGENHEIM is the young man and he overacts with gusto in typical silent film manner. GRETA SCHRODER is his wife, Ellen, who seems to have an unusually strong link to Count Orlock's menacing presence. She's the woman whose portrait he is shown, upon which he makes the film's most famous remark: "What a lovely throat!" It's all very impressionistic, with dark shadows particularly menacing when they show Count Orlock's grotesque form (including his long fingernails) as he looks for victims. Some of the plot elements seem a little obscure which may be a fault of the title cards.
Very impressive was the musical score from 1997 by James Bernard which had the appropriately eerie effect that caught the mood of the piece with its somber atmosphere.
Damp and chilly are the words that come to mind when I think of this film and its overall effect. I can certainly see why it has the reputation it has as a classic horror film with allowances being made for the style of acting that was anything but subtle by today's standards. Worth a look, but not a film I'm likely to view again.