True horror fans will want to watch the original 1922 German horror filmNosferatubefore seeingRobert Eggers' new interpretation that releases on Christmas day.And luckily for those die-hard horror buffs, the original version of Count Orlock’s story is streaming for free onYouTube,Tubi, Vudu, Hoopla, Freevee, and more. The unofficial adaptation of Irish author Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic horror novel is definitely worth the watch and is well-renowned for being one of the first, most terrifying horror films to come out in the first couple of decades of cinema history.While Count Orlock is not exactly like Dracula, the two are synonymous in their iconic representation of the blood-sucking vampire.
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horrordirected by F.W. Murnau is a silent horror film that came at a time when feature-length films were still very new to people living in the 1920s. While most audiences were still trying to wrap their heads around the idea of a movie, Murnau, with other horror directors of the time, was helping create an entirely new genre in the medium that took advantage of the multisensory experience to instill true terror in his audience.
The story of Count Orlock would live on to be a major inspiration to horror creators everywhere, and even become a pop culture icon through constant referenceslike his appearances inSpongeBob SquarePants. Now, Eggers is bringing the vampire back into the spotlight, but before the modern director takes the story to new places, you can experience where it all started.We’ve even put the movie below for your convenience(viaTCM).
Reviews From Horror Fans Put the 1922 Version Into Perspective
Movie viewers are taking to Letterboxd to reviewthe free-to-stream horror filmin preparation for the new version’s release next week. Many users praise the black-and-white silent film for its ability to stand the test of time and even include hilarious moments. UserJeroen Witjessays:
Finally taking the time to watch some classic (and not-so-classic) Dracula films in preparation for Eggers' newNosferatuadaptation. So, the originalNosferatu.Very impressive for its time, as a horror film, as an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and as an (unsuccessful) attempt to circumvent that pesky little thing called copyright law. Anyhow, I have very little to say about this except that it’s still very, very good. Also, nobody ever told me this is actually also the origin of the horror comedy. The scene where Count Orlok is carrying his own coffin through the streets of the city is hilarious. Poor Orlok. Get some servants, mate.
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Others like to imaginehow horrifying the filmwould’ve been to audiences in 1922. “It still blows my mind watching movies as old as this. My brain would have leaked out of my nose watching this in 1922,” wondersNickBossRoss, whilecallistotook the opportunity to appreciate how far movies have come, adding, “Hard to really judge this on a technical level seeing as it’s over a century old but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Kinda drags in the middle, but that’s pretty faithful to the novel. It turned the same shade of blue outside that the nighttime scenes take place in while I was watching it, which was a bit surreal. Oh how far we’ve come.”
