Nosferatu (EOTWS)

End Of The Week Shorts #14 extract: Nosferatu (1922)

Nosferatu is an aesthetic masterpiece of silent cinema, and there's no question of that, thanks to Murnau's application of German Expressionism which imbues this narrative with such a rich and sable atmosphere, one that drips with sinister darkness and malevolent shadows. 

The story is light and quite uninteresting, but Stoker's book never kept me too riveted--and neither has any other adaptation of Dracula. However, beyond the plot, there is an implicit depth that seems to be lingering in the subtext of most Dracula adaptations. With Nosferatu, this is linked to disease as well as relationships, providing an alternate subtext to the 30s Dracula (which is undoubtedly inferior to this). But, it'll take another watch before I'm confident of exactly what Nosferatu has to say. 

All in all, Nosferatu is certainly worth the watch for the aesthetics - especially those in its second half. Another masterpiece from Murnau.