Do not hurry my friend. No one can escape his destiny.

Based on Bram Stoker's original Dracula novel, F.W. Murnau's original silent Nosferatu remains the purest and most beautifully photographed vampire film of all time. We're fortunate to still have prints available because Stoker's widow justifiably charged that her husband's estate was suffering copyright infringement, and many prints were destroyed under the agreement reached through the lawsuit. The prints that survived later surfaced in other countries.

In retrospect, Nosferatu benefited the Stoker estate and spread far more fame for the author by inspiring the many Dracula films and spin-offs over the years. In deference to the lawsuit, the names were changed. Nosferatu and Count Orlock instead of Dracula, Thomas Hutter instead of John Harker, and Professor Bulwer instead of Dr. Van Helsing. Orlock also moves to Bremen, Germany instead of London, but that may be more due to German location shooting than the pending lawsuit.

The biggest difference you'll notice in the silent classic is the appearance of Count Orlock (played by Max Schreck, who never appeared out of costume on the set). With his pointed ears (preceding Spock by nearly 50 years) and steadily increasing bony, clawlike fingers, Orlock is far more animalistic than the more recent incarnations of the Count. In Freudian terms, the Count represents the id, which threatens the boylike Thomas (Gustav von Wangenheim) while attracting and repelling his wife Ellen (Greta Schröeder). Murnau doesn't emphasis Orlock's animalistic shape-shifting capacity as do later versions that use bats; however, his first appearance occurs with a supernatural placement of a hyena in Transylvania.

Nosferatu serves as an example of German Expressionism, which uses distortions and prefers feelings over realism, where people represent ideas and symbols. In many ways, Murnau's film is about desire. Each character lacks something and strives for it. Thomas desperately needs money, so he is easily persuaded to travel to Transylvania with contracts to sign. Orlock desperately needs a new home and new victims with nice necks, and Ellen craves love in her marriage (it's obvious that Thomas hasn't fulfilled her desires in the film's opening). Thus, the film serves as allegory, exposing the evils of greed, and showing the supreme value of love--of course, requiring an ultimate Christ-like blood sacrifice.

After all, "Blood is life! Blood is life!" as stated in one of the film's most memorable inter-titles. Another highlight occurs at Orlock's castle in an understated homoerotic scene when Thomas inadvertently cuts himself, sending Orlock into a near frenzy over the precious fluid.

The basic plot should now be familiar with all the versions of Dracula that have permeated pop culture. The original film version stands out for its artistry, so attention must be paid to the cinematic details. With minimal dialogue, the director relies on the actors and camera-work to communicate visually. It's amazing to see how creatively Murnau uses the camera to advantage over the usual cinematography pre-Griffith.

The static camera now passé, the director uses diagonals to create fuller shots, deep focus to good effect, and a variety of close-ups and montage to communicate. Note one sequence late in the film where expertly woven crosscutting shows a menage á trois, even though Ellen is home in Germany while Orlock and Thomas are in Transylvania. Note the tinted film stock as well--a slightly yellowish hue for daytime scenes and bluish for night. Without modern technology, Murnau still creates an especially eerie effect by reversing the negative (but keeping the stagecoach and Orlock as black) in the surreal arrival scene at the castle.

The black and white photography is outstanding--especially impressive are the numerous framing shots that utilize arches and shadows to great benefit. The director deftly creates framing devices that emphasize Orlock's spider-like qualities using ship rigging (one of the film's classic surreal moments) or window frames to represent a web. A collection of Nosferatu stills could easily fill a solid wing at an art gallery--they wouldn't be out of place at the MOMA right next to its Picassos.

Another nice touch is the use of mirrors as doubling devices to indicate the two-sided nature of the human psyche that fits in with the theme. It's a detail that Hitchcock will later use to full advantage in his classic Psycho.

Even if you've read Stoker's novel, seen Lugosi or Christopher Lee or Frank Langella, or seen Werner's magnificent modern Nosferatu, be sure to place the original 1922 silent version on you "must see" list. It holds up wonderfully and continues to dazzle and mesmerize with its visual artistry.