Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)
Nosferatu week part two!
This movie acts as a remake of the 1922 Nosferatu film, as well as an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s book Dracula.
Laura’s Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Plot: Jonathan Harker is sent to Count Dracula’s castle to sell him a house in Harker’s town of Virna. Enchanted by a photo of Harker’s wife, Lucy, Dracula moves to Virna, bringing terror and plague with him.
Opinion: This version restores many of the character names from Dracula, while still featuring elements specific to the original film. The first half hour of the movie is pretty slow and largely follows Harker’s journey, featuring many shots of sky and landscape with a classical soundtrack.
The movie does pretty closely resemble the plot of the 1922 film, with dialogue added of course. This version features Gypsies (Romani people) telling tales of Dracula and disappearances at his castle. The innkeepers warn Harker and even bless him and give him a rosary. In this movie, Harker seems very aware of his nighttime encounters with Dracula after the initial one, which is different from the original film. Dracula also talks about eternal life to Harker, nearly admitting what he is as he laments his loneliness and suffering.
I like the casting for Jonathan and Lucy Harker, although Lucy’s delivery of lines feels a bit stilted. The setting and costumes feel very Dickensian in style and reflect the time period. The ending is a bit different from the original, which was an unexpected twist on a well explored story. Nosferatu the Vampyre was nothing extraordinary, but I do think it’s a well-done update on the original film and has the advantage of being able to use more from Dracula.
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