Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)

Count Dracula moves from Transylvania to Wismar, spreading the Black Plague across the land. Only a woman pure of heart can bring an end to his reign of horror.

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog

Stars:

Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Adjani, Bruno Ganz

5 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Klaus Kinski	...	Count Dracula
Isabelle Adjani	...	Lucy Harker
Bruno Ganz	...	Jonathan Harker
Roland Topor	...	Renfield
Walter Ladengast	...	Dr. Van Helsing
Dan van Husen	...	Warden
Jan Groth	...	Harbormaster
Carsten Bodinus	...	Schrader
Martje Grohmann	...	Mina
Rijk de Gooyer	...	Town official (as Ryk de Gooyer)
Clemens Scheitz	...	Clerk
Lo van Hensbergen	...	Harbormaster's Assistent
John Leddy	...	Coachman
Margiet van Hartingsveld	...	Vrouw
Tim Beekman	...	Coffinbearer

Storyline

Jonathan Harker is sent away to Count Dracula's castle to sell him a house in Wismar where Jonathan lives. But Count Dracula is a vampire, an undead ghoul living off of men's blood. Inspired by a photograph of Lucy Harker, Jonathan's wife, Dracula moves to Wismar, bringing with him death and plague... An unusually contemplative version of Dracula, in which the vampire bears the curse of not being able to get old and die.

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Plot Keywords:

vampire | castle | plague | transylvania | rat | 

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Genres:

Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Procuring rats for the film proved difficult, though the production eventually procured a large quantity from a scientific research facility. When shipped to Holland for filming, a customs inspector reportedly fainted upon opening their crate and discovering its contents. In addition to the notorious dye job the rats had to endure, each had to undergo spaying or neutering to control their breeding. Animal rights activists have also alleged that the rats were underfed and actually began to eat one another during production.

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Goofs

When Harker rides his horse to the Count's town, his horse has a white bandage on its left front leg that appears and disappears repeatedly from one shot to the next. Although the journey to the town took 4 weeks to complete, it is highly unlikely that the horse would get injured, heal, and then get injured in the same spot again. Apparently two different horses were used.

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Quotes

Count Dracula: The absence of love is the most abject pain.

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Alternate Versions

The full 107 minute English version of Nosferatu has been released on DVD in the US and the UK by Anchor Bay.

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Connections

Featured in Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: New Nightmare (2011)

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Soundtracks

Sanctus
by Charles Gounod
Performed by Lorengar/Heinz Hoppe/Franz Crass/Choeurs René Duclos/Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire (uncredited)
Conducted by Jean-Claude Hartemann (uncredited)

User Reviews

Atmospheric Remake of a Classic

In Wismar, Germany, Lucy (Isabelle Adjani) and the real state agent Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz) is a happily married couple. Jonathan's boss Renfield (Roland Topor) sends him to Transylvania to sell an old house in Wismar to Count Dracula (Klaus Kinski). Jonathan is advised by the locals of a village to return since the count is a vampire, but he does not give up of his intent.

Jonathan visits Count Dracula and when he sees the photograph of Lucy, he immediately buys the real estate. He drinks the blood of Jonathan and navigates to Wismar, carrying coffins with the soil of his land, rats and plague in the ship. Along the voyage, Count Dracula kills the crew-members and a ghost vessel arrives in Wismar. Meanwhile Jonathan rides to his homeland to save Lucy from the vampire.

"Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht" is a wonderful and atmospheric remake of F. W. Murnau's classic film based on Bram Stoker's novel (but uncredited). Herzog has also changed the ending of the novel and uses wonderful cinematography supported by magnificent performances in his version. Klaus Kinski is one of the scariest Dracula of cinema history. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Nosferatu - O Vampiro da Noite" ("Nosferatu – The Vampire of the Night")

Details

Country:

West Germany France

Language:

German English Romany

Release Date:

17 January 1979 (France)

Also Known As:

Nosferatu the Vampyre

Filming Locations:

Tatra Mountains, Slovakia

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,874

Company Credits

Production Co:

Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, Gaumont, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min 96 min (theatrical)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1