Why the Original ‘Nosferatu’ Was So Controversial

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As a film enthusiast with a soft spot for horror and a deep appreciation for the history of cinema, I can’t help but marvel at the resilience and enduring legacy of F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu. Having watched countless films, spanning across cultures and eras, it’s quite rare to encounter a work that continues to resonate and influence filmmakers even a century after its creation.

In the words of Werner Herzog, “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” might just be the most significant film ever produced in Germany. It’s challenging to envision a universe where this chilling masterpiece did not exist, created in 1922 under the direction of the German expressionist filmmaker F.W. Murnau. The haunting scenes of Count Orlok (Max Schreck), emerging from his coffin, climbing stairs, and fixing his empty, lifeless eyes on the camera are some of the most enduring images in horror cinema history. Alongside Benjamin Christensen’s “Haxan,” “Nosferatu” played a crucial role in bringing horror and nightmares to the silver screen. The influence of this film is still palpable more than a century after its debut.

As a cinephile captivated by the silver screen, I find myself drawn to the unsettling portrayal of Count Orlok, or Nosferatu, that deviates starkly from the enchanting versions brought to life by Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, and Gary Oldman. This chilling interpretation seemed to tap into the apprehension that surges when night falls.

Adaptation and Intellectual Property

Today, matters such as fair use, safeguarding intellectual property, and plagiarism remain just as crucial as they were back when the debate arose over the 1922 release of the film “Nosferatu.” Given the multitude of Dracula adaptations that have graced the silver screen throughout cinema’s rich history, it’s intriguing to consider why any action would be taken against “Nosferatu,” especially considering Murnau’s adaptation made significant departures from the original source material. However, with Bram Stoker having passed away relatively recently, his widow Florence Stoker took steps to claim restitution because Murnau did not acquire the rights to the novel, and at that time, the film was still under copyright protection in Germany.

The lawsuit brought by Stoker would not only cause the bankruptcy of the production company behind Nosferatu, but would lead to a court-mandated decision that all copies of the film be systematically destroyed. Some film historians have attested that there’s very little, if any, evidence that Stoker’s widow actually watched Murnau’s film, as the director made multiple changes to character names and even changed the undoing of the titular character in a way that was far different from Stoker’s novel. More importantly, it established a part of Vampiric lore that’s still present in many books and films that have emerged since.

In Stoker’s novel, Dracula’s death is nothing short of spectacular. Following his decapitation and a knife piercing his heart, the central character disintegrates into dust, marking the dramatic end to his reign of terror and wickedness. In Murnau’s adaptation, Orlok, the vampire, hunts for a potential female victim; just as he was about to claim what he had earlier in the film referred to as a “beautiful neck,” the sun rises, causing Orlok to vanish, his fixation proving to be his demise.

‘Nosferatu’ Couldn’t Be Destroyed

It seems that Florence Stoker may have yearned deeply for every tangible trace of the vampire story Nosferatu to be burned and its very existence wiped clean from people’s minds. If achieving this erasure was her ultimate goal, she unfortunately fell short. Later on, Universal Studios acquired the rights to create a 1931 adaptation directed by Todd Browning, starring Bela Lugosi in the leading role as Dracula. Now that the story of Dracula is part of the public domain, there are no limitations when it comes to who can transform this gothic tale for stage and screen performances.

The original character of Nosferatu, initially introduced by director F.W. Murnau through Max Schreck in 1922, has left an enduring impact, not only due to the preservation of the film that is now regarded as one of the most significant cinematic milestones of the German Expressionist period, but also through subsequent adaptations. For instance, in 1979, Werner Herzog attempted a remake titled Nosferatu: The Vampyre. This version, featuring Klaus Kinski as the lead and starring alongside Bruno Ganz and Isabelle Adjani, combined Herzog’s knack for capturing distinctive visuals with compelling performances from his cast. Herzog aimed to maintain a connection to the German Expressionist style and the New German Cinema Movement, of which he was a prominent member.

In the year 2000, a fresh interpretation titled “Shadow of the Vampire” hit screens, which was actually a dramatized and fictional account of the making of F.W. Murnau’s original movie. This production portrays Max Schreck (played by Willem Dafoe) as a genuine vampire who starts preying on different members of Murnau’s (John Malkovich) film crew. By merging the roles of actor and character, “Shadow of the Vampire” strengthens the lore surrounding both the renowned movie and its alleged vampire figure.

In a variety of films, the impact of Nosferatu was evident. For instance, in Peter Bogdanovich’s film Targets, Boris Karloff portrayed Byron Orlok, a character inspired by his real-life persona as an aging horror icon. The name Orlok was taken from the character Max Shreck brought to life in Nosferatu. In one poignant scene, Karloff lamented over his career, saying, “The Marx Brothers make you laugh, Garbo makes you weep… Orlok makes you scream.

Nosferatu Emerges from the Shadows Once More…

Looking forward to director Robert Eggers’ upcoming reimagining of “Nosferatu” in 2024, it’s clear that the enduring impact of this pioneering cinematic vampire has never been stronger. Controversy often fosters interest and appeal, and while the initial legal challenges and censorship surrounding the 1922 original may have temporarily clouded F.W. Murnau’s groundbreaking work, they now serve as mere historical notes in the chronicles of this expressionist masterpiece and its sustained influence spanning over a century. Stream the original “Nosferatu” on Amazon Prime Video.

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2024-12-01 18:01