NOSFERATU (2024) Official Trailer Courtesy of Focus Features
When Vampires Aren’t Romantic
On March 4, 1922, German director F.W. Murnau premiered one of the first horror classic films, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 vampire novel Dracula. Though vampire mythos had existed for centuries before Murnau’s film was released and the stories would continue for centuries after, Nosferatu would create a new standard of vampire portrayals for generations to come. The vampire legend has a great history and the gremlin-looking giant has been able to stay relevant through the years.
What is a Vampire?
To explain the impact of the film, one must look back to a time when superstitions held more power than reality. Supernatural beings such as ghosts, werewolves, and witches have existed for centuries often created out of people’s fear of the unknown and the unwanted. Vampires (who originated in Eastern Europe thousands of years ago) have long symbolized “otherness” in society and culture, representing people’s views on immigrants, the disabled, or those who simply do not conform to the norm.
It is much easier to blame and fear a supernatural being than it is to own up to a possible reality. Mary McFadden wrote in her thesis for the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research and Innovation, 2, “…if humans create a monster—a myth—which is the perpetrator of their misfortune, they are no longer responsible.” This creates a breeding ground for storytellers to adapt a creature like the vampire to modern issues. These fears are what have led to Sheridan Le Fanu’s novel Carmilla, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire, and even Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series.
While Stoker’s gothic 1897 novel Dracula has been the blueprint for many modern vampire iterations, Stoker’s grotesque and perverted story was not the first of its kind. Earlier works include the queer novel Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu in 1872, and even earlier was The Vampyre by John William Polidori written for the same writing contest as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in 1819. In terms of film, Nosferatu stands out as the first of its kind. Of course, there have been many old films lost and destroyed over the years, but if it is true that Murnau’s work is the first vampiric piece to hit the big screen, there’s no wonder how it’s become one of the main influences of all vampire-themed films after that.
Murnau’s Dracula
Along with screenwriter Henrik Galeen and the briefly active silent-era film studio Prana Film, Murnau created a German expressionist film heavily based on Stoker’s Dracula. Prana Film founder and occultist Albin Grau had originally desired to make a vampire film for his supernatural-themed studio back in 1916 based on a war experience he had with a Serbian farmer who claimed his father was undead. This encounter would greatly influence the characterization of the titular character Count Orlok (portrayed by the then-unknown Max Shreck). However, filming for what would become Murnau’s film wouldn’t begin until July 1921. Despite not obtaining the proper rights to Stoker’s novel, Galeen wrote a story that would greatly admire the poetic dark romanticism of the nineteenth century while expanding on the artistic movements of modern Germany.
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The hour/hour and a half long film (depending on the version) would tell the tale of Thomas Hutter (portrayed by Gustav Von Wangenheim) as he visits Orlok and unknowingly brings him back to his homeland where the vampire would continue more of his gruesome kills. Heavily praised upon the film’s release, it introduced to new audiences the mythos of vampires. The appearance, behavior, and even the death by sunlight (that was not in Stoker’s novel) would all influence future horror films. Film critic and historian Robert Ebert added this film to his publications The Great Movies because of its captivating light on vampire lore before the parodies and stereotypes came about. He writes that the film, “…knows none of the later tricks of the trade, like sudden threats that pop in from the side of the screen. But Nosferatu remains effective: It doesn’t scare us, but it haunts us.”
Vampire Resurgences
As previously mentioned, the fear of the unknown and untrustworthy is a strong human trait that has kept the vampire subgenre alive. As vampires come and go, so does this iconic piece of film history. 102 years after its premiere, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror has continued to resonate in the modern age. Some of the many remakes and parody films include the 2018 Mimesis: Nosferatu directed by Douglas Schulze, the 1988 Vampire in Venice directed by Augusto Caminito and Klaus Kinski, and the upcoming Robert Eggers directed remake Nosferatu.
Hugh Cornwell and Robert Williams’ 1979 Nosferatu album as well as 1989 Art Zoyd’s album of the same name drew inspiration from the 1922 film. Even modern artists like Bad Bunny created a music video for his song “Baticano” based on the film just recently in 2022. As for literature, Stephen King’s novel Salem’s Lot also features a villain very reminiscent of Count Orlok, and the tabletop role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade features playable Nosferatu-like characters. And one can not discuss the modern legacy of this film without mentioning the Spongebob Squarepants cameo that taught the new generations the existence of the grotesque character.
Among the impacts of the original film, one has stood out for indie horror fans. One of the most popular Nosferatu inspired films is 2000 mockumentary Shadow of the Vampire directed by E. Elias Merhige and starring Willem Dafoe (who will also be starring in a different role in the Egger’s remake). The film tells the fictional story of how Murnau’s film was made, with the twist that the actor for Count Orlok was a real vampire all along. This unique concept of bringing old movies to modern audiences, garnered the film numerous award nominations and wins.
The Legacy Lives On
Whether it be unlawfully stealing rights to a Victorian novel, becoming a parody in pop culture, or finding its way through music, Murnau’s story would always find a way into existence.
Releasing Christmas of 2024, Robert Eggers will be continuing the film’s legacy by releasing his remake, Nosferatu. He told Esquire in June, “There hasn’t been an old-school gothic movie that’s scary in a while. And I think that the majority of audiences will find this one to be the case.”
For now, the original silent film of Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horrors can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
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Author
With a bachelor's degree in Film and Media Studies from Arizona State University, Ashley has a passion for the history of filmmaking and how audiences share a relationship with publicized media. Her love for the horror genre as well as feminist themes runs deep.
Sammie is an undergraduate student at Arcadia University where she is majoring in English and creative writing and minoring in media and communications. Sammie enjoys writing about her favorite movies and tv shows and hopes to have a career in the media industry.