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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 411759" data-attributes="member: 23">Nosferatu: A Symphony Of Horror (1922) <img src="https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2Fac%2Fee%2Fea%2Faceeea6fbf76137d5b0c11c91cd7240e.png&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=ed689e35df4f60e8f8e9f3179b7b0830aeefbe5badb3945092025aa558bd8afb&ipo=images" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> This has been on my viewing bucket list for decades. It goes without saying it's one of those "must-see" films because of how influential and important it has become. Like many classics, there is certain iconography from the film that is known ahead of time. In this case, even the "unknown" in between the famous stuff is somewhat familiar since the story is heavily adapted from Bram Stoker's Dracula. Allowance does need to be made for the fact that this film is over a century old (I can't be certain, but this could well be the oldest film I've ever watched). Truthfully, some parts did drag a bit... especially the journeying which took place somewhere around the one hour mark. There's also a whole lot of fainting going on, which gets a little wearing. The minute something begins to get intense, someone faints before it all gets too much. All things considered, though, the film holds up impressively well. Considering the best-known imagery is very gothic, it was something of a surprise to find there was an awful lot of location work that was shot in the cold light of day. These scenes have a charm of their own in large part thanks to the beautiful Northern Germany scenery. It's also surprisingly creepy to see Count Orlok walking round in the open. Which brings me to the makeup and effects. The way Max Schreck is made up is convincing and unsettling. I can imagine the original audience going to watch this unprepared and being completely horrified by it. I can see the influence this look had on  later genre work such as Salem's Lot or The Lost Boys. Incidentally, the film's most iconic image of the shadow going up the stairs lasts no more than a few seconds (if that), so felt almost anti-climactic. But in that moment it works very well. I wouldn't say this film is the best of its kind, but it seems quite likely that the best of its kind wouldn't exist if this film hadn't been made. So in a way it is.</blockquote>

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