This is Werner Herzog's adaptation of F.W. Murnau's silent classic Nosferatu. It's easily one of the best film remakes I have seen.
Nosferatu the Vampyre is tragic, mysterious and surreal. It merges beauty and horror. The pace is deliberate. Emphasis is put on atmosphere and, as Herzog did in Aguirre and Fitzcarraldo, a great deal of importance is invested in capturing the setting. The landscape is almost a character itself.
Perhaps unsurprisingly from a film that takes its source from a silent classic, Nosferatu the Vampyre derives its strength through its images not its dramatics. The dialogue is fairly sparse and exposition scenes are brief and to the point. The movie is, however, a visual tour de force. Right from the offset we are presented with close-up shots of mummies followed by the recurring slow motion bat dream. From hereon in Herzog presents the viewer with a variety of striking images ranging from sweeping shots of a sailing ship to shaky hand-held close-ups of dancing plague victims, there are haunting shots of mountain landscape, majestic rivers and hordes of rats. In homage to the original, shadows are also presented very artistically. The hypnotic score from Popul Vuh is also well worth mentioning. Its sinister dreamlike ambiance is perfect here.
As Herzog/Kinski collaborations go, this is arguably the best. Like the others it is a period piece that effectively uses indigenous non-actors, in this case gypsies, alongside the mercurial leading man. Although, acting-wise, the film belongs to Klaus Kinski; he delivers a subhuman rat-like performance that ranks alongside Max Shreck in the original. Kinski's count, however, is a haunted, tragic figure. A victim and reluctant predator trapped by his irrepressible killer instinct 'the hunter'. He is still a ruthless killer but he derives very little satisfaction from it. He is a far-cry from the suave aristocrat seen in most Dracula films. It's an excellent portrayal from one of the great European actors. The lack of dramatics doesn't allow for anyone else in the picture to really stand out, although Isabelle Adjani does well with the role she has and is in possession of an ethereal beauty that is perfect for her character.
This is one of the very few remakes that stands proudly alongside the original.
Nosferatu the Vampyre is tragic, mysterious and surreal. It merges beauty and horror. The pace is deliberate. Emphasis is put on atmosphere and, as Herzog did in Aguirre and Fitzcarraldo, a great deal of importance is invested in capturing the setting. The landscape is almost a character itself.
Perhaps unsurprisingly from a film that takes its source from a silent classic, Nosferatu the Vampyre derives its strength through its images not its dramatics. The dialogue is fairly sparse and exposition scenes are brief and to the point. The movie is, however, a visual tour de force. Right from the offset we are presented with close-up shots of mummies followed by the recurring slow motion bat dream. From hereon in Herzog presents the viewer with a variety of striking images ranging from sweeping shots of a sailing ship to shaky hand-held close-ups of dancing plague victims, there are haunting shots of mountain landscape, majestic rivers and hordes of rats. In homage to the original, shadows are also presented very artistically. The hypnotic score from Popul Vuh is also well worth mentioning. Its sinister dreamlike ambiance is perfect here.
As Herzog/Kinski collaborations go, this is arguably the best. Like the others it is a period piece that effectively uses indigenous non-actors, in this case gypsies, alongside the mercurial leading man. Although, acting-wise, the film belongs to Klaus Kinski; he delivers a subhuman rat-like performance that ranks alongside Max Shreck in the original. Kinski's count, however, is a haunted, tragic figure. A victim and reluctant predator trapped by his irrepressible killer instinct 'the hunter'. He is still a ruthless killer but he derives very little satisfaction from it. He is a far-cry from the suave aristocrat seen in most Dracula films. It's an excellent portrayal from one of the great European actors. The lack of dramatics doesn't allow for anyone else in the picture to really stand out, although Isabelle Adjani does well with the role she has and is in possession of an ethereal beauty that is perfect for her character.
This is one of the very few remakes that stands proudly alongside the original.