As a lifelong horror enthusiast who has spent countless nights huddled under the covers while watching classics like “Nosferatu”, I can confidently say that this upcoming reimagining by Robert Eggers is an event I’ve been eagerly anticipating. The original 1922 version, directed by F.W. Murnau, has always held a special place in my heart due to its haunting visuals and atmospheric terror. It’s fascinating to learn about the legal battles that almost erased this masterpiece from existence.
This month, Robert Eggers’ highly anticipated fourth movie titled “Nosferatu” will be released by Focus Features. Known for his work on “The Witch” and “The Northman,” Eggers is a director whose new horror film is enough to generate excitement. However, what truly piques the interest of cinema enthusiasts is that this film is not just any new horror movie; it’s a reinterpretation of one of the most famous horror films ever made – F.W. Murnau’s 1922 vampire classic “Nosferatu.
For more than a century, Murnau’s Nosferatu has been wowing audiences with its haunting visuals, atmospheric terror, and chilling vampire in the form of Max Schreck’s Count Orlok. It’s inspired remakes (including Werner Herzog’s 1979 classic Nosferatu the Vampyre, now streaming on Peacock), legends (like the 2000 film Shadow of the Vampire), and countless film fans the world over. It’s one of the most important and unforgettable horror films of all time.
But at one point almost 100 years ago, Nosferatu was almost entirely eradicated from the face of the Earth.
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F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu and Dracula
Despite claims by producer and designer Albin Grau that the origins of the film “Nosferatu” stemmed from his encounters with superstitious Serbian individuals during World War I, what was ultimately shown on screen in 1922 bore strong resemblances to “Dracula.” Grau’s company, Prana Film, may not have sought or obtained permission or licensing from the estate of “Dracula” author Bram Stoker, but this did not deter screenwriter Henrik Galeen from crafting a new tale about a vampire nobleman who purchases a residence in a new city to prey on and kill a beautiful woman. The men surrounding her attempted to thwart his efforts. Character names were altered (such as Count Dracula becoming Count Orlok, Jonathan Harker becoming Thomas Hutter), and the setting was shifted from England to Germany, but it was difficult not to recognize the parallels.
To clarify further, promotional materials for the Berlin debut of the film “Nosferatu” seem to have used the term “freely adapted” to explain its connection to “Dracula.” Sadly, one of these posters found its way to England and ended up with Florence Stoker, who was both Bram Stoker’s widow and in charge of his literary estate. By this time, Stoker himself had been deceased for a decade, and Florence was struggling to meet expenses with the diminishing royalties from “Dracula.” Enraged by someone else profiting from what she considered her property, she took swift action.
How Bram Stoker’s widow, Florence, tried to make Nosferatu disappear
In the face of partial approval from British society regarding authors’ rights, Florence Stoker endeavored to recover financial losses from the movie “Nosferatu,” which had received positive reviews in Germany but failed to meet modern-day blockbuster expectations as early as 1922. However, when Stoker finally managed to bring the issue before a German court, Prana Film had already gone bankrupt, and the film’s ownership was transferred to new entities. As reported by David Crow at Den of Geek, Stoker successfully won her case, and a German judge granted her the rights to the film along with a substantial compensation. Unfortunately, subsequent appeals resulted in the money she was owed disappearing.
By 1925, the odds of Stoker recovering any money from the film “Nosferatu” were virtually non-existent, but she was determined to penalize those who had stolen her husband’s work. She got her vengeance when a German court ordered the confiscation and destruction of every copy of the movie. Copies of “Nosferatu” were literally set ablaze as reels of film were burned across Germany, and eventually in other European countries through shared copyright agreements. For a time, it appeared that Stoker had eradicated this potential horror masterpiece. However, much like the vampire at the heart of its story, “Nosferatu” would rise again from its grave.
Nosferatu Survives, Dracula Thrives
It took Florence Stoker three years to obtain a court order for the destruction of ‘Nosferatu’, but even as German authorities meticulously enforced it, the film started spreading. Although her lawyers could track it down across Europe, they encountered difficulties in the United States where copies of the film were already being shared. By 1929, ‘Nosferatu’ was being shown in American theaters, and since ‘Dracula’ was already in the public domain at this point, Stoker found herself with limited options for legal action.
Instead of battling against the widespread fraud she despised, Stoker chose to channel her efforts into authorized interpretations of her husband’s works. With her approval, Dracula ultimately graced the stage and later Universal Pictures, where the iconic Bela Lugosi-led film was launched in 1931. Stoker was a part of this adaptation and eventually received compensation for the cinematic rendition of Bram Stoker’s novel.
As a passionate gamer, I can’t help but reflect on the haunting legacy of Florence Stoker, who passed away in 1937, still troubled by the enigmatic presence of ‘Nosferatu’. While Dracula, under her watchful eye, ascended to become a cinematic juggernaut, eclipsing Murnau and Grau’s film in cultural influence, ‘Nosferatu’ persisted in captivating cinephiles and horror enthusiasts alike. Today, it stands not just as a cornerstone of horror history, but as an indispensable piece of cinema history as a whole. Now, under the visionary direction of Eggers, this classic is finding even more vitality, breathing new life into its timeless tale.
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2024-12-18 00:46