“Nosferatu the Vampyre” (1979)

Nosferatu the Vampyre

Grade: B+

Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu the Vampyre is a loving homage and artful expansion of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent horror masterpiece, with atmospheric visuals taking precedent over emotional thrills. A few more notes on Nosferatu the Vampyre (DISCLAIMER – I’m reviewing the original German audio version of the film):

Directing:

Like all of Herzog’s films, Nosferatu the Vampyre is beautiful to behold. The colors are striking, the emphasis on natural scenery is impressive and the expressionist allusions to Murnau’s original film are loving homages rather than blatant rip-offs. The best scene of the film is Jonathan Harker’s journey to Count Dracula’s castle, which is complete with scenic detours under waterfalls and through mountain passes. There’s never been a horror movie so calming and soothing (other than the original Nosferatu, of course).

Acting:

Klaus Kinski playing Count Dracula is a match made in heaven (or, more likely, hell). His makeup and costume design are remarkably similar to Max Schreck’s original portrayal, but Kinski decides to imbue the vampire with tragedy rather than bloodthirsty supernatural terror. He plays Count Dracula with pathos, and this is perhaps — believe it or not — Kinski’s most sane character ever. However, the rest of the cast fades into the background: Bruno Ganz is an appropriately ordinary Jonathan Harker, Isabelle Adjani is an arresting Ms. Harker and Roland Topor is an annoying Renfield.

Writing:

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is possibly the greatest of all horror stories, and so Herzog treats the familiar tale with the faithfulness it deserves. However, the abstract art-house qualities overshadow the drama and narrative tension. I understand that Herzog wants to induce us into a trance, but the relaxed hypnotic atmosphere might also put you to sleep. Nosferatu the Vampyre carries the same heart rate as Heart of Glass, for better or worse.

Music:

Charles Gounod’s haunting “Sanctus” and Richard Wagner’s epic prelude to Das Rheingold are used to excellent effect: sublime, wordless instrumentals that emphasize the awesome power of the title character. Meanwhile, the Popol Vuh new age tunes serve as a nice contrast between the modern and the ancient. As always, Herzog’s musical choices are quite inseparable from his imagery.

Ending (SPOILERS):

As in all adaptations of Dracula, Ms. Harker sacrifices herself in order to kill the Count in the morning sunlight. Herzog notably changes the epilogue, however: Jonathan Harker becomes a vampire himself, orders the arrest of Dr. Van Helsing and then rides away on horseback. Herzog’s endings are always thought-provoking, and this sudden plot twist shows that the evil of man is never finished. The final shot of a barren, windy beach evokes the “sands of time” — a poignant note to close on.

“Death is not the worst. There are things more horrible than death.” – Count Dracula

Why Nosferatu the Vampyre gets a B+:

Herzog’s naturalistic visuals are beautiful as always, yet Nosferatu the Vampyre can often seem like a collection of memorable images rather than a cohesive thriller. Although Herzog has never been much for traditional storytelling, this is the one film of his that could benefit from tighter plotting. It’s worth watching, surely, but it is no Aguirre, the Wrath of God or Enigma of Kaspar Hauser.

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