Silent Sunday: Nosferatu

Today is Sunday, and you know what that means—silent movie time! For this installment of Silent Sunday, I would like to introduce you to one of the most iconic, influential, and greatest horror films in history: Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (Nosferatu, A Symphony of Terror). You can’t go wrong with the OG vampire film and, let’s face it, horror movies are just more terrifying in black and white.

Nosferatu, released in 1922, was directed by F.W. Murnau and starred Max Schreck in the title role. The film is an unauthorized adaption of Bram Stoker’s book, Dracula. The studio could not obtain the rights from the Bram Stoker estate, so it changed several aspects of the story, including the character names. For instance, Count Dracula became Count Orlok. Despite the changes, the estate still sued—and won! Copies of the movie were supposed to be destroyed. Luckily for us, some survived.

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

The story begins in 1838 Germany. We are introduced to our protagonist, Thomas Hutter, and his wife, Ellen. Hutter is happily getting ready for the day while Ellen plays with a kitten before taking up her sewing. Thomas picks some flowers from the garden for his wife, who awkwardly asks why he had to kill such beautiful flowers. Isn’t it the thought that counts? Sheesh, Ellen! Hutter is unphased and gives her a big hug.

Thomas goes to his job working for an estate agent named Knock. Knock has just received an odd letter from a new client, Count Orlok. The Count wishes to purchase a house in their small town, and Knock recruits Hutter to visit him. Hutter excitedly packs while his wife has a bit of a panic attack. They decide she will stay with friends while Thomas is away.

He arrives in the country, first stopping at the local inn before hiring a coach to take him to the castle of the Count. While there, Hutter announces he is to visit Count Orlok and discovers the mere mention of the man’s name frightens the local people. Not a good start!

The next morning, Hutter heads out for the castle. His carriage will only take him so far, forcing him to walk part of the way. While walking, a strange coach arrives to take him to the castle. At the castle gate, he is pseudo-welcomed by the notorious Count Orlok, who chastises Hutter for making him wait until midnight for his arrival.

Orlok has food brought for Hutter. While dining, Thomas is distracted by a creepy skeleton clock and cuts his thumb. Orlok has a Gollum moment and tries to suck the “precious” blood up, but Hutter is, understandably, disgusted and pulls his hand away. He gets up from the table and slowly backs away from Orlok, who follows him into the next room. Visibly shaken, Hutter is still frightened of his host as Orlok asks him to stay up with him for a while longer.

Hutter wakes up the next morning and discovers puncture marks on his neck, which he laughs off as being from mosquitoes. Later, Orlok decides to purchase the proposed house—one across from Hutter’s own home— and a photo of Hutter’s wife falls out of his bag as he takes out the papers. Orlok remarks that she has a “lovely neck” as he signs the document, creeping out his guest even more.

Later, Thomas reads from a book about vampires and phantoms that he took from the local inn. He begins to suspect that Orlok is a vampire and is terrified. The door to his bedroom opens by itself and Orlok enters. Hutter cowers under the covers and passes out from fear.

At that same moment, Ellen awakens in a trance and climbs onto the bedroom balcony’s railing. Luckily, her friend Harding notices and gets her down. He tells his sister to call for a doctor. When the doctor arrives, Ellen shouts Hutter’s name and has visions of Count Orlok attacking her unconscious husband.

The next day, Hutter explores the castle and finds the crypt. Inside is a large coffin that he opens to discover Orlok sleeping inside. Thomas gets the heck outta there and back to his bedroom. From there, he hears noises outside and peaks out his window. Orlok is piling up wooden coffins on a coach, climbing into the last one before leaving. Terrified, Hutter thinks of his wife and escapes the castle, only to climb to the bottom and promptly pass out.

The coffins are taken aboard a schooner. The crew decide to open one of the coffins and rats scurry out. The men all die from a mysterious illness, leaving only the captain and first mate. The first mate goes down below and encounters Orlok. He is so terrified, he runs up to the top deck and promptly jumps overboard. Orlok takes control of the vessel. The ship arrives in Wisborg, and Orlok stealthily leaves with one of his coffins to the house that he purchased. Meanwhile, Hutter and Ellen are finally reunited at their home.

Orlok’s arrival brings death to the town. Both from a mysterious plague caused by the ship rats and from Orlok feasting on victims. The townsfolk are frightened and take out their frustrations on Knock, who has become possessed by Orlok, his “Master.”

Ellen finds the book from the inn that Hutter permanently borrowed and reads that a vampire can be defeated by an innocent woman offering a vampire her blood in sacrifice. This is what she decides she must do. She opens her window to invite Orlok in and tells her husband she is ill and to get a physician. After he leaves, Orlok enters and drinks her blood. Then, a rooster crows and the sun rises. Count Orlok goes to the sunny window and vanishes in a puff of smoke. Ellen regains consciousness, her husband’s name her final word as Hutter runs in and embraces his dying wife. After Ellen’s sacrifice, the mysterious plague is gone and the town and its people are saved. The vampire is destroyed, as is his castle.

Betty’s Quick Review

MAX SCHRECK IS FREAKING SCARY!!!