Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Nosferatu Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 8, 2013

F.W. Murnau's "Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens" a.k.a. "Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror" (1922) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Eureka Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include a brand new audio commentary by film historian David Kalat; second audio commentary by film historian R. Dixon Smith and critic and author Brad Stevens; documentary film directed by Luciano Berriatua; video interview with author Kevin Jackson; and video introduction by American director Abel Ferrara. The release also arrives with a 56-page illustrated booklet featuring writings and rare imagery. With optional English intertitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Your wife has a lovely neck

It is a legendary film that tells a legendary story. Young lawyer Thomas Hutter (Gustav von Wangenheim, Fritz Lang's Woman In the Moon) is sent to Transylvania to meet the mysterious Count Orlok (Max Schreck) who wishes to buy a house in his home town, Wisborg. Before he leaves, Hutter arranges for his beautiful wife Ellen (Greta Schroder, Victoria the Great) to stay with a good friend.

High up in the Carpathian Mountains, Hutter stops at a small inn. The folks there become terrified when Hutter casually reveals to them where he is heading. Then much to his surprise, his coach driver also refuses to take him to Orlok's castle. But a new coach, sent by Orlok, appears from the woods and picks him up. (Some of the most atmospheric visuals in the entire film are here, right before Hutter enters the castle).

Orlok personally welcomes Hutton - supposedly because it is almost midnight and all of his servants are asleep. Inside the castle, he offers the young man some food. When he accidentally cuts one of his fingers, Orlok attempts to suck the 'precious blood' dripping from it.

Eventually, Orlok and his guest begin discussing the house in Wisborg. While Hutton hands him the purchase contract, Orlok notices the medallion with the photograph of his wife he carries with him. Her long and beautiful neck impresses Orlok. The contract is then quickly signed.

On the following day, Hutton begins exploring the castle. He accidentally discovers the coffin where Orlok sleeps and finally realizes who, or what, his host is. Orlok then promptly locks Hutton in his room and begins preparing for his journey to Wisborg, but the lawyer manages to escape and rushes back to warn everyone in his town about the great evil that is heading their way.

The atmosphere in F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu is quite simply extraordinary. The film is both very unsettling and at the same time indescribably beautiful. It is like a strange dream somehow captured on celluloid - you know that it isn't real, but while it lasts it genuinely feels like it is.

The structure of the film is also very unusual. It is subtitled 'A Symphony of Horrors', and rightfully so. Like a classical music piece, it is broken into different acts, each with a contrasting mood and themes (fear, lust, love, and pain) that appear in different variations before the powerful climax. There are even sequences that are used like true contrasting rhythmic motifs that emerge throughout the film. (See the sequences with Orlok's coach and the loading of the coffins which are done in fast-motion mode).

It is Schreck's iconic performance, however, that has made Nosferatu a legendary film. There is something indescribably eerie about the way he moves and looks into Murnau's camera. Considering the fact that his presence in front of the camera is extremely limited, this is indeed an extraordinary achievement.

Murnau's Noseferatu has inspired various directors to shoot remakes and other similarly-themed films. Arguably the best of them all is German director Werner Herzog's Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht a.k.a. Nosferatu the Vampyre, with Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Adjani, and Bruno Ganz.

Nosferatu Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.34:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Eureka Entertainment.

The following text is included before the film's opening credits:

"Nosferatu was restored by Luciano Berritua on behalf of Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung, Wiesbaden in 2005/06. A tinted nitrate print with French intertitles from 1922 from the Cinematheque Francaise, Paris, was used as a basis for the restoration.

Missing shots were completed by a safety print from 1939 from Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv, Berlin/Koblenz, drawn from a Czech export print from the 1920s. Other shots were taken from a nitrate print from a nitrate print of the 1930 version, distributed under the title Die Zwolfte Stunde (The Twelfth Hour), preserved at the Cinematheque Francaise, Paris.

Most of the original intertitles and inserts are preserved in a safety print from 1962 from Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv, Berlin/Koblenz, originating from a print from 1922. Missing intertitles and inserts were redesigned on the basis of the original typography by trickWilk, Berlin.

They are marked with F.W.M.S. The lab work was carried out by L'Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna."

The restoration and reconstruction of Nosferatu have produced marvelous results. If you previously have experienced this film only on DVD, or VHS, you are indeed in for a very special treat as the improvements in image depth and clarity are quite dramatic. Even the traditionally problematic 'nighttime' footage now boasts impressive clarity (see screencapture #2). Image stability is is also improved - edge flicker and various density issues have been addressed as best as possible. This being said, light wear marks, vertical lines, some splices, and minor scratches remain. Obviously, these are inherited source limitations and many of them cannot be addressed with current digital tools. The important thing to remember is that the film has a very solid organic look. As a result, viewers with large screens and projectors, in particular, will be enormously pleased with the way it looks on Blu-ray. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

Nosferatu Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: LPCM 2.0 and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. For the record, Eureka Entertainment have provided optional English subtitles for the German intertitles used in the film.

The audio is gorgeous. I prefer the LPCM 2.0 track, but the 5.1 track has marginally better depth. On both tracks, however, the strings sound equally lush and well rounded. There is also a fantastic range of nuanced dynamics that further enhance the already special atmosphere. For the record, there are absolutely no dropouts or distortions to report in this review.

Nosferatu Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Abel Ferrara - in this video piece, American filmmaker Abel Ferrara (King of New York, Bad Lieutenant) discusses Nosferatu and its significance. Mr. Ferrara also points out some of the stylistic similarities between Nosferatu and his film The Addiction. The piece was recorded for The Masters of Cinema Series in 2007. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• Kevin Jackson - in this video interview, BFI Film Classics author Kevin Jackson discusses Murnau's relationship with his producer, Albin Grau, the German director's personal life and some of the popular myths about his directing methods, the production history of Nosferatu, etc. The interview was recorded in 2013. In English, not subtitled. (20 min).

• The Language of Shadows - an excellent documentary film by Luciano Berriatua focusing on Murnau's early years and the production history of Nosferatu. Included in the film are clips from interviews with Eva Diekmann, niece of Murnau, Ellen Luckow, daughter of Robert Herith, and Wolfgang Kistermann, expert on occultism, amongst others. The film was produced in 2007. In German, with optional English subtitles. (53 min).

• Audio Commentary - in this brand new audio commentary, film historian David Kalat discusses Nosferatu's fascinating history, different aesthetics observed in the film and its unique themes, some popular vampire myths, etc. The commentary was recorded in 2013.

• Audio Commentary - this audio commentary with film historian R. Dixon Smith and critic and author Brad Stevens initially appeared on The Masters of Cinema R2 DVD release of Nosferatu. It was recorded in 2007.

• Booklet - 56-page llulstrated booklet featuring: The Deadly Space Between by Gilberto Perez, Vampires by Albin Grau, On The Way to Nosferatu by Enno Patalas, The Bridge by Craig Keller, and notes on the restoration.

Nosferatu Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Folks who have been patiently waiting for F.W. Murnau's legendary horror film Nosferatu to transition to Blu-ray are in for a very special treat. Restored and reconstructed, the film looks simply beautiful in high-definition. Indeed, I will be very surprised if Nosferatu did not appear on various Top 10 lists at the end of the year. Buy with confidence, folks. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.