Nosferatu the Vampyre 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Nosferatu the Vampyre 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Three prior editions of Werner Herzog's Nosferatu (1979) have been covered on our site by my colleagues. Dr. Svet Atanasov wrote about Studio Canal's 2013 BD and the BFI's 2014 SteelBook while Jeff Kauffman reviewed Scream Factory's 2014 "Collector's Edition". To read Svet and Jeff's insights and analyses of the film, as well as the discs' a/v presentations, please refer to the linked reviews above.

A fireside chat with the Count.

Nosferatu the Vampyre 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Earlier this year, Scream Factory completed 4K scans of the original 35 mm camera negative from both the German and English versions of the film. This restoration is completely separate and different fron the one the BFI commissioned Alpha-Omega Digital to do. The Dolby Vision and HDR grade on the UHD is also unique to this release.

I first saw Herzog's Nosferatu more than two decades ago when a cinematographer friend lent me his Anchor Bay (AB) 1999 non-anamorphic DVD. That master was likely sourced from the ROAN Group's letterboxed LaserDisc from the same year, which presented the original German cut. The print used for that LD is actually quite good for the time. It boasts some specks and a couple of change-cue marks (see Screenshot #s 30 and 33) but overall doesn't contain a lot of blemishes. AB re-released Nosferatu in 2002 with 16x9-enhanced presentations of the English and German cuts. Like the LD, the print source has an ultra-thin vertical tramline present towards the left side of the frame that's occasionally noticeable. The best quality of these two anamorphic DVDs is the lovely film grain that they boast. Oftentimes, DVDs would have difficulty reproducing organic grain due to poor compression. But the sometime coarse grain is abundant. I didn't have enough space in the image placeholders to include samples of the AB transfers but I strongly recommend acquiring the double-disc set. While the BFI's 2014 transfer also sports a fine amount of grain, it best stands out on the AB.

The BFI's 2025 UHD transfer is problematic for several reasons. One thing I picked out is that the color shifts during a scene where Lucy Harker (Isabelle Adjani) and her husband Jonathan take a stroll along the beach. During one shot, the sky goes from pale white to light blue. You can't really see this shift in Screenshot #s 16 and 19 too well (they're taken twelve seconds apart), but when viewed in motion, it should become pretty apparent. Also, check out how much more natural the sun reflects on the ocean waves on Scream's transfer (#32) compared to the BFI's (#31). Moreover, the BFI shows a midnight blue for a very dark nighttime shot of a coachman riding a carriage (#28). You can see a truer white light illuminated on the LD (#27) and the Scream (#29).

The LD and AB DVDs have a hair originating from the bottom of the camera gate for two panning shots in different scenes. One is of a man riding horseback and the other a horse's carriage. Notice that in the most recent BFI and Scream transfers, the hair originally in the bottom middle right (#12 on the LD) has been removed (see frame grab #s 13 and 14). For the later scene showing the carriage in damp weather, Scream keeps the tiny hair (#26) while the BFI has eliminated it (#25). It may be difficult to see this hair until zooming in on my captures but if you watch the complete shot in motion, you should be able to spot it.

Screenshot #s 1-5 = Scream Factory 2025 4K Ultra HD (English Version) (downscaled to 1080p)
Screenshot #s 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, & 35 = Scream Factory 2025 4K Ultra HD (German Version) (downscaled to 1080p)
Screenshot #s 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, & 33 = ROAN Group 1999 LaserDisc (German Version) (1.85:1) (resized to 720p)
Screenshot #s 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, & 34 = BFI 2025 4K Ultra HD BD-100 (German Version) (downscaled to 1080p)
Screenshot #s 36-40 = Scream Factory 2025 BD-50 (German Version) (from a 4K restoration)

Nosferatu the Vampyre 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Scream has supplied a DTS-HD Master Audio Dual Mono mix for the German and English cuts along with a 5.1 remix for the German sound track. The latter Surround track first appeared on the ROAN Group's LaserDisc. It does a pretty good job of distributing Popol Vuh's music and the preexisting classical pieces to the satellite speakers. ROAN also included a Chace 2.0 Stereo remix on the LD's digital tracks. I listened to it and delivery of dialogue is superior on the center channel compared to its use on the 5.1. Also, music and sound f/x have superior range on the 2.0. The split surrounds are used well. Oddly, no other optical disc release has since ported over this 2.0 Stereo track. (The LD unfortunately lacks the mono mix on any of its analog or digital tracks.)

I prefer the German mono track on the Scream discs over the BFI. It is also loud at times but doesn't have the uneven pitch levels. The Scream is also relatively free of audible noise.

Scream's optional English subtitles are the most complete I have seen. I have included some subtitling examples between it, the LD, and 2025 BFI disc. (The subs on Anchor Bay's DVDs seem to be the most informal compared to other tracks.)

Nosferatu the Vampyre 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

DISC ONE: 4K UHD

• Audio Commentary with Director Werner Herzog and Norman Hill (1999) - this archival track was originally recorded for the ROAN Group's LaserDisc Classics widescreen edition. Herzog explains how Nosferatu's locations have a personal connection to him and Murnau's eponymous silent film. The director details the differences between the title character in his picture and the Murnau work. Also, he describes how his framings differ from those typically seen in a Hollywood film. At two points in the commentary, Herzog delves into how Twentieth Century Fox reacted to some of the footage he shot and cuts the studio asked him to make. He tells how he acquired all of the rats. Both Herzog and Hill are not fans of Coppola's adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) and explain why here. Overall, this is a very good commentary. In English, not subtitled.

• Audio Commentary with Director Werner Herzog and Producer Laurens Straub (2007) - this feature-length German track was recorded for Kinowelt Home Entertainment's R2 DVD. As good as the first commentary is with Herzog and Hill, this one is even better. Herzog goes into a lot more depth and detail about the locations he filmed in and covers all major scenes. He also describes the weather conditions during the shoot. Herzog also talks about the actors who contributed supporting roles. He also speaks about the difficulty of working with Klaus Kinski on this film and other projects. Both Straub and Herzog draw parallels between Nosferatu (1979) and The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974). While this track has a few brief gaps, it is a great commentary! Herzog and Straub each speak in German. Scream Factory accompanies their remarks with English subtitles as well as subs from the film when there are very short gaps in the commentary.

• Audio Commentary with Director Werner Herzog and Norman Hill (1999) - this archival track was originally recorded for the ROAN Group's LaserDisc Classics widescreen edition. Herzog explains how Nosferatu's locations have a personal connection to him and Murnau's eponymous silent film. The director details the differences between the title character in his picture and the Murnau work. Also, he describes how his framings differ from those typically seen in a Hollywood film. At two points in the commentary, Herzog delves into how Twentieth Century Fox reacted to some of the footage he shot and cuts the studio asked him to make. He tells how he acquired all of the rats. Both Herzog and Hill are not fans of Coppola's adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) and explain why here. Overall, this is a very good commentary. In English, not subtitled.

• Audio Commentary with Director Werner Herzog and Producer Laurens Straub (2007) - this feature-length German track was recorded for Kinowelt Home Entertainment's R2 DVD. As good as the first commentary is with Herzog and Hill, this one is even better. Herzog goes into a lot more depth and detail about the locations he filmed in and covers all major scenes. He also describes the weather conditions during the shoot. Herzog also talks about the actors who contributed supporting roles. He also speaks about the difficulty of working with Klaus Kinski on this film and other projects. Both Straub and Herzog draw parallels between Nosferatu (1979) and The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974). While this track has a few brief gaps, it is a great commentary! Herzog and Straub each speak in German. Scream Factory accompanies their remarks with English subtitles as well as subs from the film when there are very short gaps in the commentary.

• Making of Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) (13:04, upscaled to 1080p) - Herzog discusses the film and his philosophy of filmmaking alongside behind-the-scenes footage of the cast and crew.

• Original Theatrical Trailer (2:05, 1080p)

• Stills Gallery (3:33, 1080p) - a running slide show of 44 images that documents the making of Nosferatu (1979). While there is significant overlap with the stills that the BFI includes in its releases, this gallery adds several snapshots from Twentieth Century Fox's press kit that are not on the UK discs.

Nosferatu the Vampyre 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There is not a close competition between this year's discs of Nosferatu (1979) offered by the BFI and Scream Factory. The "restoration" (if one can even call it that) that Alpha-Omega Digital delivered to the BFI shares none of the characteristics of the one commissioned by Scream. The latter is night and day better. This is the best way to experience Herzog's masterpiece. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.