Nosferatu (1922)

 F.W. Murnau's "Nosferatu"

In 1922, F.W. Murnau created an unauthorized adaption of Bram Stoker's classic 1897 novel, "Dracula." In his version, he changed the name of the titular vampire, along with the film's title to "Nosferatu." This 1922 silent horror film is considered to be one of the most recognizable films of all time. 

In the film, a man named Thomas Hutter is sent to Transylvania to speak with a mysterious Count Orlock. The Count wishes to buy property in Thomas' hometown of Wisborg. Thomas discovers that Orlock is secretly the vampire Nosferatu. However, even after discovering this, he cannot stop the vampire from moving in. Nosferatu moves into the city, and brings with him rats carrying the plague. Night after night, he goes house to house and drains the civilians of their blood. The many deaths are attributed to the plague. However, Thomas and his fiance Ellen know the truth. Ellen sacrifices herself to Orlock so she can entrap him, holding him until the morning light shines on him and kills him.

The most recognizable aspect of the film is Nosferatu himself. Max Schrek, who plays Nosferatu, was fitted with makeup that has now become iconic. His frightening appearance can be recognized by anyone who has a knowledge of film history. This unnerving visage is the primary ignition point for the crux of the story. As soon as Thomas opens a closet door to unveil Nosferatu for the first time, his horrific image haunts the rest of the film. Even as Thomas escapes back to Wisborg, the vampire's grasp is inescapable. He is slowly making his way towards you, regardless of where you try and escape to. If it is to be understood that Nosferatu represents death itself, then it appears that one of the major themes of the film is the inescapability of death. Its presence is always impending. The second death is seen or known, its grasp slowly grips around you. This is made clear by the analogy of a venus fly trap in the film. This theme would go on to serve countless horror flicks. In 1982's "The Thing," once the thing is seen/known, your demise is always on the horizon. Death becomes a certainty. In the 2014 film, "It Follows," once you see the monster, it will continue to walk towards you regardless of where you go. The certainty of death is always marching slowly towards you. This theme serves well in the horror genre. In "Nosferatu," the slow certainty of death by Nosferatu haunts the entire film.

If you take this theme and apply it to history, it becomes clear that this film could only be made in 1920s Germany. After the horrors of the First World War, German filmmakers were making plenty of films that dealt with death. In Robert Weine's "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," the fear of disorder and death drives people to do morally corrupt things. In Fritz Lang's "Destiny," death is even personified as an eerie black-dressed man, whose grasp is inescapable. The fear by German citizens was palpable, and this echoes throughout their art.

Some film historians believe that "Nosferatu" is an anti-Jewish propaganda film. There was an "anti-Semitic atmosphere festering in Northern Europe in 1922" according to Professor Tony Magistrale. Because of this, many German felt that the Jewish immigrants entering their country were not only carrying diseases but taking German business and property for themselves. This is why many believe "Nosferatu" to be propaganda against the Jews. Nosferatu seems to resemble stereotypical Jewish caricatures that propagated in Germany at the time. His hooked nose, long claw-like fingernails, and large bald head all can be compared to the anti-Semitic propaganda being peddled. Not only this, Nosferatu immigrates to Germany in the film, bringing with him diseased rats. Jewish immigrants were often compared to diseased rats in many anti-Semitic materials at the time. This evidence for the film leaning toward anti-Semitism is evident. However, there are many that defend Murnau. English writer Kevin Jackson has noted that Murnau "was friendly with and protective of a number of Jewish men and women" throughout his life. Professor Magistrale (mentioned earlier) notes that Murnau, being homosexual, would have been "presumably more sensitive to the persecution of a subgroup inside the larger German society." Whether or not the film stands as an anti-Semitic propaganda film is unverifiable.

Because Murnau and his writer Henrik Galeen had taken the story from Bram Stoker's "Dracula," the Stoker estate sued over the adaptation. They won the suit and all prints of "Nosferatu" were ordered to be destroyed. However, several prints of the film survived. These prints were then circulated once again, which allowed "Nosferatu" to become an iconic film. The ghastly visage of Nosferatu will forever be stained in the memory of those who watch it. This horrific image is a constant remembrance of your doomed fate, always slowly but surely hunting you down. No matter where you run or where you hide, death comes for you.