Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)

Director:

F.W. Murnau

Writer:

Henrik Galeen (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

3 June 1929 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Plot:

Vampire Count Orlok expresses interest in a new residence and real estate agent Hutter's wife. Silent classic based on the story "Dracula."

Plot Keywords:

Lust | Woman In Jeopardy | Mountain Country | Bremen Germany | Cult Favorite

Cast

Max Schreck	...	Graf Orlok
Gustav von Wangenheim	...	Hutter (as Gustav v. Wangenheim)
Greta Schröder	...	Ellen Hutter, seine Frau (as Greta Schroeder)
Alexander Granach	...	Knock, ein Häusermakler
Georg H. Schnell	...	Westenra, Harkers Freund (as G.H. Schnell)
Ruth Landshoff	...	Lucy, Westenras Frau
John Gottowt	...	Professor Bulwer, ein Paracelsianer
Gustav Botz	...	Professor Sievers, der Stadtartzt
Max Nemetz	...	Käpitän der Demeter
Wolfgang Heinz	...	Matrose 1
Albert Venohr	...	Matrose 2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eric van Viele	...	Sailor
Karl Etlinger	...	(uncredited)
Guido Herzfeld	...	Wirt (uncredited)
Fanny Schreck	...	Krankenschwester im Hospital (uncredited)
Hardy von Francois	...	Artzt im Hospital (uncredited)
Heinrich Witte	...	Wärter im Irrenhaus (uncredited)

Directed by
F.W. Murnau

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Henrik Galeen		writer
Bram Stoker		novel "Dracula" (uncredited)

Produced by
Enrico Dieckmann	....	producer
Albin Grau	....	producer

Original Music by
James Bernard		(1997)
Hans Erdmann
Carlos U. Garza		(2001)
Timothy Howard		(1991)
Richard Marriott		(1989) (as Club Foot Orchestra)
Richard O'Meara		(2001)
Hans Posegga		(1989)
Peter Schirmann		(1969)
Bernd Wilden		(2004)

Cinematography by
Fritz Arno Wagner		(as F.A. Wagner)
Günther Krampf		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Albin Grau

Costume Design by
Albin Grau

Production Companies

• Jofa-Atelier Berlin-Johannisthal
• Prana-Film GmbH

Distributors

• Film Arts Guild (1929) (USA) (theatrical)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Timeless Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Kino Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Eureka Video (1999) (UK) (DVD)
• Eureka Video (1999) (UK) (VHS)
• Kino Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Arrow Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Dark Vision (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• E-Realbiz.com (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Ventura Distribution (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• British Film Institute (BFI) (2002) (UK) (VHS)
• Catcom Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Divisa Ediciones (2002) (Spain) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2002) (Spain) (DVD)
• Grapevine Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Kino Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (2002) (Canada) (DVD)
• Navarre Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Siren Visual Entertainment (2003) (Australia) (DVD)
• BijouFlix Releasing (2004) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R)
• Delta Expedition (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Delta Music Inc. (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Reel Media International (2007) (USA) (all media)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (two-disc special edition)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Foothill Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• GoodTimes Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Grapevine Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Hollywood Home Theatre (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Hollywood's Attic (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Kartes Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1977) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Yesteryear (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Nosferatu (USA) (short title)
Nosferatu the Vampire (USA)
Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror
Nosferatu, a Symphony of Terror
Terror of Dracula
Nosferatu le vampire (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Nosferatu (Sweden) [sv]
Nosferatu (Poland) [pl]
Nosferatu (Brazil) [pt]
Nosferatu - symfonia grozy (Poland) (informal literal title) [pl]
Nosferatu el vampiro (Spain) [es]
Nosferatu il vampiro (Italy) [it]
Nosferatu, o Vampiro (Portugal) [pt]
Nosferatu, una simfonia del terror (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Zwölfte Stunde - Eine Nacht des Grauens, Die (Austria) (recut version) [de]

Runtime:

94 min | UK:88 min (1997 restored version) | Sweden:84 min (DVD version) | Belgium:85 min | 84 min (1994 restored version projected at 20 fps) | USA:81 min | Spain:65 min (VHS version) | Spain:92 min (DVD edition)

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Finland:K-12 (1987) | Canada:13+ (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Finland:(Banned) (1922) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) (DVD rating) (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:(Banned) | UK:PG | USA:Unrated | Spain:T | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating) | Canada:G (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Baltic Sea

Company:

Jofa-Atelier Berlin-Johannisthal

Trivia:

The movie was banned in Sweden due to excessive horror. The ban was finally lifted in 1972

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The captain of the ship carrying Nosferatu ties himself to the wheel with a 'granny knot' (which may slip loose), rather than the correct sailors 'reef knot'. Knot is clearly visible at 52:00 min on the DVD.

Quotes:

[as Hutter is on his way to Knock's real estate office]
Prof. Bulwer: Wait, young man. You cannot escape destiny by running away!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Fear in the Dark (1991) (TV)

superb silent Dracula

For copyright reasons, Bram Stoker's novel was filmed with the names of the characters changed (Orlok for Dracula, for example) but otherwise the story remains the same: a young man goes on a trip to see a mysterious count in order to sell a house, leaving his bride behind, and finds that the creature he meets is not of this world.

As the extremely creepy Orlok, Max Schreck is brilliant, with his long fingernails and gaunt appearance. A triumph in early cinematic make-up. Gustav von Wangenheim portrays the confusion of the victim well, as does Greta Schroder as his wife. FW Murnau directed the film with flair, showing us not only shadowed vistas and abandoned castles, but the nature outside (foxes) and miniature worlds evolving under a microscope. This film sits well with his later 'Sunrise' in showing the effect of outside forces on a young couple, as well as being one of the key early horrors in its portrayal of Stoker's anti-hero.

This version of the Dracula tale remains one of the best, although all have some different perspective on the novel. On the strength of 'Nosferatu' alone, Murnau deserves his place as a true innovator of silent cinema.