Large Fierce Mammal

Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror) was an unauthorized film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula. Released in 1922, the movie was directed by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau and starred actor Max Schreck in the role of Count Orlok, the vampire. Silent and shot in the grainy black and white of its day, Nosferatu first came to my attention late one autumn night in the early 1970’s, while I was seeking to unwind after writing a paper for a high school English class. I was immediately hooked.

Max Schreck as Count Orlok. Click the picture for a better view.

In spite of the primitive state of 1920’s cinematography, Schreck’s makeup and portrayal of the vampire, set against the grim backdrop of the scenes, still gives portions of the film the feeling one is watching something that is horribly real. Like viewing the contents of some ancient cans of film, discovered in the dusty attic of a long abandoned house, deep in a brooding forest.

As it turned out, I wasn’t alone in my interpretation. Shadow of the Vampire, released in 2000 starring John Malkovich as F. W. Murnau and Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck, tells the fictionalized story of the making of Nosferatu from the perspective of Schreck having been an actual vampire, hired by Murnau to ensure the greatest in authenticity ever put to film. Shadow of the Vampire is also a must see, even if history shows the real Max Schreck was quite mortal and highly respected as a stage and film actor. His full name was Friedrich Gustav Max Schreck, born 6 September 1879 in Berlin, Germany. He died, for real, on 20 February 1936 in Munich, survived by his wife, German actress Fanny Normann who appeared uncredited in Nosferatu in the role of the nurse.

Today’s Dark Sentiment is the 1922 release of Nosferatu. Don’t worry about the grainy intro. It does come into focus before the action starts. Watch it after dark.