Having loved Faust(1926) I realised I had never seen Nosferatu(1922), which was apparently even better. I could really kick myself, for Nosferatu is every bit as good as everybody says. As much as I did love Faust, I love Nosferatu even more. It plays loosely with the Dracula story but is just as effective. The film is atmospheric, and the scary scenes still pack a powerful punch, the finale with Orlock's shadow outside his victim's door is terrifying. The expressionistic images do look really beautiful, but not overly so to undermine the scares or the atmosphere. The restored version's music score is suitably haunting, and FW Murnau's direction is superb. But if anything is to be remembered long after Nosferatu is over, other than the ending, it is the performance of Max Schreck. He is mesmerising as Orlock, exuding great amounts of authority and making scenes all the more tense. And this is by his appearance alone, the grasping claws, pointed fangs and cadaverous white body is enough to give anybody nightmares.
So all in all, a masterpiece. 10/10 Bethany Cox
So all in all, a masterpiece. 10/10 Bethany Cox