Member review

Nosferatu, one of the most celebrated silent films ever made! This is by far my favourite silent film, here's why: Let's start with the cinematography, pacing and directing. Too vague or too broad? Don't worry, I got this. So, one thing that jumps out at me about the combination of these three things in this movie, is that there is a very very very strong tone. A strong, sinister tone that never drops. Every shot is laced with some sort of feature or feeling that just makes things feel off. This is a sign of a good silent flick, as the genre only has the visual aspect to work with. The movie takes it's time, but you will never feel bored, because it doesn't waste time and as I mentioned before there's a strong tone that keeps you watching. Everything in this movie is directed concisely, it knows when to slow down and speed up. Next, my favourite aspect, which is the acting. Everybody in this is great, Gustav Von Wanghenheim especially; but there is one actor that stands out from the crowd. Yes. You know what I'm talking about. One of the most iconic horror antagonists ever put to screen, which is Max Schreck as Count Orlok. Wow. His makeup is fantastic, but I'm talking about the acting so I'll leave his look at that. Max Schreck kills this role and nobody, not even Willem Dafoe in Shadow Of The Vampire (which is also a good film check it out) comes close. Count Orlok is one creepy dude and it must have been terrifying to watch him in the 1920s. Great movie! However there is an aspect that bugged me slightly. It's small, but towards the start I think that there are way too many title cards. It's easy to get past though. I'd say, if you've hardly seen a silent horror film and you want to start somewhere, definitely watch this. Apart from Phantom Of The Opera, Haxan and The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari, this is the easiest to enjoy and fall in love with. All in all, Nosferatu (in the wise words of Bruce Campbell) is groovy.