Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror
When many people first think
within the world of vampires the
first thing that comes to mind is
Dracula. The original wrote in 1897
by Irish novelist Bram Stoker had
ended up giving imagination into the
film world when F.W. Murnau
wanted to take a story of this nature
and lay it out on the screen. Many
can imagine that making a silent film
is just as hard as one would be with
sound; however the production of
this film took roughly a year to
complete, starting in 1921 and
finally being released in 1922.
When it was found out this was
an unauthorized copy of the original
by Stoker many details about the
story line were changed as the studio
was unable to obtain rights to the
original. An example of this is the
word vampire which was changed to
Nosferatu. Another being that the
setting for which the storyline takes
place was changed from the original
England setting to the newest in
Germany. This was done only as the
original heirs of the Dracula line did
not give their permission for any
copies to be made. It was asked
during the times of two lawsuits
from the widow of Stoker than any
copies of this movie to be destroyed.
Copyright © 2008 FreeMooviesOnline.com – Issue n°2
Vampires on the nightstand; not
paying attention to it Hutter just
falls asleep. At this time, close to
his destination Hutter ends up
being refused service to cross over
a bridge onto Orlok’s property and
is instead met by his coach with a
driver who hides his face moving
at an unnatural speed for any
living thing. Once arrived at the
castle doors that seem to open on
their own, Hutter is greeted by the
T his movie once produced ended Count who seems as just an
up going widespread so quickly eccentric gentleman however the
there would have been no logical
way to collect and remove each
copy from circulation. While
Stoker’s widow did win the court
cases by the time the lawsuits
were won during 1924 & 1929 the
movie was far to spread in any
attempt to collect and destroy each
copy.
same as the driver, the Courts
T homas Hutter is a worker for disfigurements are hidden at this
a real estate firm in the (fictitious early time in the film.
German town of Wisborg, which
is a reference to a real town in T
he first night seems like an
Germany called Wismar), living easy night but there were a couple
with his wife Ellen. By his of odd things that Hutter had
noticed. At first while dinning
with the Count he had refused to
eat, another time when a bell rings
to toll midnight Hutter gashes his
thumb and the Count attempts to
suck the blood from him. As being
repelled from a cross that Hutter
wears around his neck the Count
finally gives up and Hutter we see
falls fast asleep in the parlor room.
employer Hutter is sent to Once awoken and finding two
Transylvania to arrange Count puncture wounds on his neck
Orlok’s purchase of a new home thinking they are from misquotes
and finalize all work needed.
While on his multiple month
journey we see Hutter arrive at an
inn and when mentioned to the
locals the name of Orlok all
become frightened and attempt
have Hutter halt his travels and
turn back around to go home.
Briefly in the film you will notice
Hutter about to rest for the
evening and see a glimpse of a in the castle, Hutter continues
book called The Book of the about as nothing is has happened.
Page1
Once the day passed and the
evening begins Hutter finds himself
near another book (The Book of the
Vampires) this time in his luggage
and begins to think Orlok is
Nosferatu putting two and two
together.
During this entire time weather by
marital or women’s intuition Ellen
begins to worry about her husband
Hutter fearing that he is in danger at
the same time sleep waking then
found in a comatose state by a friend
screaming her husband’s name.
At the same time of her screams
doing stop Orlok from bothering
Hutter who came into the room now
hiding nothing of being a vampire.
Hutter ends up searching through the
castle to find coffins where Orlok
will rest during his dormant state and
ends up confirming his suspicions.
This movie, whether intentional
or unintentional theft of
intellectual property, was indeed
years before its time – even
decades if you must. The thought
went into this film makes it the
most thought of movie early on
with death and the Nosferatu,
being told with visual affects, a
well planned plot all making this
silent film golden. While many
characters are altered for this film
from the original novel by Stoker,
some of the secondary characters
were omitted. One was being that
Van Helsing’s character who is
known for being Dracula’s arch
enemy and recently was made into
a movie of its own in 2004. There
were many influences for this, as
the producers wanted to make sure
key parts were shown; the
Nosferatu was to be a living
corpse & with rodent like features.
During the end of Nosferatu the
very fact shown that daylight and
the suns rays can harm him
continued on in other movies,
novels and games alike. Before
Nosferatu came about, it was
suggested in novels (like Stoker’s)
that vampire likes were only able
to endure some sunlight, this now
after Nosferatu has changed the
way we think for this characters
limitations. Many of his victims
were not turned but were killed
instead, never becoming a vampire
afterwards. Nosferatu was never
charming like Dracula is depicted
in the Stoker novel, nor is he
erotic or charming. There have
been well over a dozen key
references in TV and film since
Nosferatu came about. Adding to
the cultural influences has landed
its way into music, video games
and even the role playing games
like Vampire: The Masquerade.

behind the scenes shot of Max Schreck as Nosferatu sitting by a tree

Copyright © 2008 FreeMooviesOnline.com – Issue n°2 Page2

Rather than construct large sets, Murnau used elements of nature and existing structures. Some of the most
striking imagery in the film was shot at Orava Castle in Slovakia. The history of Orava Castle is available on
Wikipedia.

Copyright © 2008 FreeMooviesOnline.com – Issue n°2 Page3

Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror
is available on FMO

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due to copyright restrictions
Copyright © 2008 FreeMooviesOnline.com – Issue n°2 Page4
 F. W. Murnau: Master of Expressionism
were changed, such as the use of Nosferatu instead
of Dracula, some of the secondary characters were
cut as well. Its is however, unmistakable what the
film is inspired by.

After Nosferatu he went on to direct Last Laugh,

which had even more dreamlike images than
Nosferatu. It introduced the concept of the camera
"seeing" from the perspective of the characters which
was really refreshing. It also utilized a technique of a
mixture of pans, tilts, zooms, etc of the camera called
Unchained Camera Technique. It is often considered
his second most note-worthy piece. As he learned
how to tell a story more with imagery he broke away
from using as many intertitles which is seen in the
drastic reduction in the number used between
Nosferatu and Last Laugh.

His last film in his native land was Faust. Unlike

many films using the topic Murnau's pulled from
older ideas instead of branching out into new ideas
about how it should be interpreted. The cast of Gösta
F. W. Murnau, born Freidrich Wilhelm Plumpe on Ekman as Faust, Emil Jannings as Mephisto and
December 28, 1888 in Westphalia is best known for his Camilla Horn as Gretchen turns out a memorable
work in Expressionism films, most notably Nosferatu performance. The mix of known and unknown actors
and Last Laugh. He died in 1931 while riding in a car proved to be a good combination.
with his valet. He was a combat pilot during World
War I, including a company commander and some time
in the German Air Force. This resulted in many crashes
as well as an internment where he kept himself busy By then Murnau came to the attention of Hollywood,
with small productions in Switzerland. and notably William Fox. He signed a contract and
made movies which yielded him several Academy
Awards at the very first ceremony, including
Cinematography, Best Actress, and Unique and
His early films dabbled at the edge of Expressionism, Artistic Picture. He progressed from silent films to
but his breakthrough in the genre wasn't until he talkies but even then he remained strong to his roots
directed Nosferatu. His work included great use of and often used minimal dialog to portray the plot. He
negative and super-imposed images and odd angles of did not get to see the premier of his last film, as he
the castle really shown through. However there were died before its scheduled release.
copyright issues as well as some financial difficulties at
the film company he made it with that prevented it
from really coming into its own. He actually lost the
lawsuit and all copies of the film were ordered Fortunately for us many of his films were kept safe
destroyed. Fortunately copies were kept safe and have through the years so that we may enjoy them today.
allowed us to preserve and enjoy this film. Nosferatu is There is rumored to only be one copy of the original
of course an interpretation of Brahm Stoker's novel Nosferatu films still in existence although many
Dracula, where the Romanian townspeople refer to the copies have been made over the years and circulated
undead as Nosferatu. While some of the characters for everyone to enjoy.

Copyright © 2008 FreeMooviesOnline.com – Issue n°2 Page5

 Max Schreck: His Name Means “Terror”
Maximillian "Max" Schreck is most known for his title
role in the film Nosferatu. He was German actor who
did much acting.
His actual date of birth is sometime in 1879, with the
date being said to be September or June of that year.
He received much of his training at the Staatstheater in
Berlin. He made his stage debut in Meseritz and
Speyer, before touring Germany for a couple years. He
then joined Max Reinhardt's company of performers,
many of whom made great contributions to the cinema.
He served in World War I from 1915-1918 and then
went on to appear in Munich Kammerspiele from 1919
to 1922, including roles in expressionist pieces like
Drums in the Night. He was hired in 1922 to fill the
lead role in Nosferatu for Prana films. It was the
company's only film as they declared bankruptcy
shortly after due to a lawsuit from Brahm Stoker's
widow for copyright infringement. His character of
Count Orlok with his long fingernails and rodent like
features is a long-lasting image. Nosferatu was his only
notable foray into the horror genre but it is indeed his
most defining role he is remembered by.
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He went on to do other work, including another film
with the director of Nosferatu, but nothing of much
weight. He married Fanny Normann, who was often
credited as Fanny Schreck. He had at least one
brother who was the father of his niece Gisela. There
is not much information about his family, due in part
no doubt to the time, geological area, and the fact
that it wasn't anticipated as being important. There is
nothing about his wife, despite her acting roles.
His real character was a compliment to his on screen
one of Nosferatu. He was often called very grave and
liked to take long walks in dark forests. He was also
described as having an off-beat sense of humor and
talent for playing the grotesque, which suggest an
understanding or empathy the average person may
not have. The word schreck means "fright" in
German coming from the middle high German word
schrecken: to frighten, or terrify. Due to this odd
coincidence it was often thought he wasn't really a
person and many details of his life have been lost as
a result. It was thought the name Max Schreck was a
pseudonym made for his role in Nosferatu. The top
person thought to be the real actor was Alfred Abel,
however anyone with a bit of intelligence can see he
obvious facial differences between the two men.
He continued to act until his death in 1936 of a heart
attack, often working with Murnau although nothing
comparable to Nosferatu. Many of these films are
likewise not around any more although it is always
hopeful one may be found in some vault, basement
or attic in a condition good enough to be refreshed.
Nosferatu lived only due to the fact that it was
released before the lawsuit requiring all copies be
destroyed was lost. Since the film had already been
released worldwide many copies survived to allow us
to see max in his glory as Count Orlok.
Page6
Vampires Movies on FMO
The Satanic Rites Of Dracula
Date Release: 1973
Audio/Visual: sound, color
Director: Alan Gibson
Cast: Christopher Lee (Count Dracula) - Peter
Cushing (Prof. Lorrimer Van Helsing) - Michael
Coles (Insp. Murray)

Summary: In London in the 1970s, Scotland

Yard police investigators think they have
uncovered a case of vampirism. They call in an
expert vampire researcher named Van Helsing
(a descendant of the great vampire-hunter
himself, no less) to help them put a stop to
these hideous crimes. It becomes apparent that
the culprit is Count Dracula himself, disguised
as a reclusive property developer, but secretly
plotting to unleash a fatal virus upon the
world...
>> Watch “Satanic Rites Of Dracula” On FMO

Atom Age Vampire

Date Release: 1960
Audio/Visual: sound, black & white
Director: Richard McNamara
Cast: Alberto Lupo (Prof. Alberto Levin) -
Susanne Loret (Jeanette Moreneau) - Sergio
Fantoni (Pierre Mornet)

Summary: A stripper is horribly disfigured in a

car accident. A brilliant scientist develops a
treatment that restores her beauty and falls in
love with her. To preserve her appearance the
doctor must give her additional treatments
using glands taken from murdered women. His
unexplained ability to turn into a hideous
monster helps with this problem but does
nothing to win her love. The doctor's woes
multiply as the police and the girl's boyfriend
begin to close in on him...

>> Watch “Atom Age Vampire” On FMO

Copyright © 2008 FreeMooviesOnline.com – Issue n°2 Page7

 The Vampire Bat
Date Release: 1933
Audio/Visual: sound, black & white
Director: Frank R. Strayer
Cast: Lionel Atwill (Dr. Otto von Niemann) - Fay
Wray (Ruth Bertin)
Summary: In the small village of Kleinshloss,
the locals are scared with a serial killer that is
draining the blood of his victims, and the
Burgomaster Gustave Schoen is convinced that a
vampire is responsible for the deaths. The
skeptical police inspector Karl Brettschneider is
reluctant to accept the existence of vampires,
but the local doctor Otto Von Newman shows
literature about cases of vampirism inclusive in
Amazon. When the apple street vendor Martha
Mueller is murdered, the prime suspect becomes
the slow Herman Gleib, a man with a mind of
child that loves bats. The group of vigilantes
chases Herman, while Dr. Von Newman's
housemaid Georgiana is attacked by the killer...

>> Watch “The Vampire Bat” On FMO

The Last Man On Earth

Date Release: 1964
Audio/Visual: sound, black & white
Director: Ubaldo Ragona
Cast: Vincent Price (Dr. Robert Morgan) -
Franca Bettoia (Ruth Collins) - Emma Danieli
(Virginia Morgan)

Summary: Robert Morgan is a scientist who live

in a post apocalyptic nightmare world. The
world has been devasted by a bacterium that
has transformed humans into a race of
vampires. Only Morgan proves immune (he
acquired the immunity to the bacterium while
working in Central America), and now becomes
the solitary vampire slayer.

>> Watch “The Last Man On Earth” On FMO

Check regularly our Horror Movies section to see all novelties!

Copyright © 2008 FreeMooviesOnline.com – Issue n°2 Page8

 A Brief History of Vampire Movies
There have been many movies
over the last century made and even
remade since the first on the entire
topic of Vampires. And who doesn’t
love the mystery to start off with,
those that walk during the nights
preying on their victims either to
turn over into a vampire or just drain
the life of them? The basis for a
vampire is one that is a corpse (the
undead) who will rise during dusk
and live off the blood of the living.
In 1819 the world was turned over to
the term vampire after the book The
Vampyre was publicized by writer
John Polidori, though most will
remember Bram Stokers Dracula in
1897 which later gave us the modern
basis of what a vampire truly is.
There have been many films
made on this topic along though out
the years, some not nearly as popular
as others but each do tell an eerie
tale of the one that that walks the
night. The movie Nosferatu from
1922 was one of the first to catch on
with a varied audience that kept each
viewer on the edge of their seats
with the tale told of Hutter & Orlok.
This was an unauthorized adaptation
of Stokers novel so all names were
changed, along with some
character’s being omitted, a plot
twist & the films locations due to not
wanting to pay for royalty fees. An
intentional copy or not the movie
was a success and became one of the
earliest films of its time. Max
Schreck the German actor forever
listed as one of the first vampires to
hit the big screen in this leading role,
even with this movie being a silent
one he brought terror to the audience
with his character being a fully
repugnant creature who was
anything but similar to the one
portrayed in Stoker’s novel. It has
been stated over the years the main
reason Schreck did such an
amazingly terrifying job being Orlok
is that he truly was a vampire offset.
Copyright © 2008 FreeMooviesOnline.com – Issue n°2
Many would state that the
second movie coming to mind on
this topic would be Bela Lugosi’s
Dracula which is based on the
novel by Stoker, also starring
Helen Chandler as Mina Harker.
This plot is a great deal different
that what some would expect.
Dracula in this sense is charming
and not nearly the hideous
creature that is portrayed in the
silent film Nosferatu, also taken
place in this film is that Dracula
does attempt to turn his victims’,
as Nosferatu only wanted his for
feeding. As well in this movie
Dracula has an enemy one that
knows who he is and what he is
capable of, this being Dr.
Abraham Van Helsing who is
during the story line able to see
the reason for those victims after
being bitten slowly deteriorating
in health. The film producer did
go about this movie correct,
getting the permissions’ of
Stokers heirs. They originally had
wanted this movie to compete
against those around at the time
like Hunchback of Notre Dame &
The Phantom of the Opera. The
film had ended up premiering on
Valentines Day 1931 with
newspapers around the world
reporting of viewers fainting
during the movie which ended up
being free media for the film
studio in hopes to have others
come to watch just for curiosity’s
sake. This movie ended up giving
Universal a great stake in the film
industry after box office hits and
continued with their next film
(Frankenstein). As of the current
times now many movies have
been influenced on just this one
alone, and the National Film
Registry has taken noticed
selecting it in 2000 as a classic of
its own era.
Even more vampire movies
came out after Nosferatu &
Dracula, some along the same
lines and even more with a
different take on the vampire story
lines. The movie which came out
in 1913 titled The Vampire
showed a different side of
vampires for the world to see
being females as the lead roles,
originally inspired by a painted of
a female vampire made by Philip
Burne-Jones. Five years after the
making of Dracula Universal
came out with Dracula’s
Daughter and then with Son of
Dracula. As the years went on
many thought to reincarnate the
feared night creature and a good
example is that of Hammer Horror
(now known as Hammer Film
Productions) made a number of
movies with Christopher Lee as
Page9
the Count known as Dracula or the
Horror of Dracula. The first airing
in 1958 ended up being followed by
seven sequels like The Brides of
Dracula, Scars of Dracula and The
Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires.
Christopher Lee was worried with
the conflicts between
correspondences in the films (esp.
seen during flashback scenes) that he
ended up quitting the series once
after The Satanic Rites Of Dracula
was made in 1973.
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Copyright © 2008 FreeMooviesOnline.com – Issue n°2
The 1960’s movies like Mad
Monster Party and Planet of the
Vampires were the rave. During
the 1970’s it was Dead of Night
and Nosferatu: The Vampyre
which was a 1978 remake directed
by Werner Herzog with Klaus
Kinski as Nosferatu. As the 1980’s
came about The Lost Boys,
Beverly Hills Vamp and From
Dusk ‘til Dawn were all out. When
the 1990’s came around John
Carpenter’s Vampires and also
Bram Stoker’s Dracula finally
made its way to the screen
following most original to the
novel. As we moved into the new
millennial came the sequels to
Blade, Underworld and Van All of these listed were influenced
Helsing. There are more than 200 from the originals and it shows
versions current of from the Bram how very much an impact the
Stoker novel made, is there any early pioneers of vampire story
reason why we don’t love these telling and the movie industry has
story lines as much as we do? If come with such a great choice of
you were to take any other character.
fictional character and link it up
with the number of films made
you would have only one,
Dracula. The plots are endless!
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