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Nosferatu the Vampyre [DVD] [1979] [US Import]
 
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Nosferatu the Vampyre [DVD] [1979] [US Import]

DVD ~ Klaus Kinski
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Actors: Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Adjani, Bruno Ganz, Roland Topor, Walter Ladengast
  • Directors: Werner Herzog
  • Writers: Werner Herzog, Bram Stoker
  • Producers: Werner Herzog, Daniel Toscan du Plantier, Michael Gruskoff, Walter Saxer
  • Format: Colour, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, PAL
  • Language German, English
  • Subtitles: English
  • Region: All Regions
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
  • Studio: Anchor Bay
  • DVD Release Date: 16 Feb 1999
  • Run Time: 107 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: 6305307261
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 183,577 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

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Customer Reviews

23 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (23 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A REMAKE TO DO THE ORIGINAL JUSTICE, 13 Mar 2007
By stuart "s.vernon" (MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   
The vampire genre has seen its share of lackluster films. Indeed, the centerpiece of the grand tradition, the Dracula legend, has seen so many remakes and revisionist attempts that one would be hard pressed to find a version of the tale that is original in its telling. Dracula, like it or not, is a cornerstone of Western society. And it is wholly unfortunate that Bela Lugosi is considered THE Dracula (although Hammer fans may contend that Christopher Lee holds the title since he played the good Count over twenty times).

With Werner Herzog's "Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht" (also known as "Nosferatu: The Vampyre"), the old Hollywood rules seem to have been thrown out the window in favor of F.W. Murnau's striking silent film, the 1922 masterpiece "Nosferatu: Eine Symphonie der Grauens" ("Nosferatu: A Symphony of Terror"). While many purists of the genre balk at the idea of favoring the Nosferatu tale over the time-tested Tod Browning and Terence Fisher entries, one must realize that the cape-clad widow's peak Count has been sullied by a thousand parodies over time, and is simply not a frightening entity any longer. This was a matter much pondered by Francis Ford Coppola when considering his adaptation. While Gary Oldman's portrayal was serviceable and definitely different, something key was lacking from the tale.

This is what Herzog and his long-time "trouble and strife" lead man Klaus Kinski found when they ventured upon the "Nosferatu" remake. Herzog shifted the attention of the viewer away from the plot, which acts mostly as a backdrop for the imagery, and made it so the primary intake becomes a visual one. Kinski's Dracula is not the scowling insect of the Murnau film. He portrays the Count in a way that no other actor has quite grasped. In this film, Dracula is a suffering being, loathing every moment of his curse's continuation. Of course, as the good Count himself states, "Young men. You are like the villagers. and cannot place yourself in the soul of the hunter." The vampyre is trapped by his instincts, and Kinski's eyes betray harrowing madness (as they did in "Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes"), spiteful malice, and a sorrow so bottomless it defies description. It is as if the beast wishes to weep, but has forgotten how.

Filming on location in Germany, Herzog uses the same dreamlike camera angles, mixing them with a rich color palette and masterful lighting. There is a certain uneasiness that filters outward from the screen as you watch. As Jonathan Harker explores his surroundings during his lodging at Castle Dracula, there is inexplicably a young gypsy boy incessantly playing a scratchy violin under the archway. The surreality of the picture is only matched by its attention to the dark magic of the vampire. Like its predecessor, it actually seems to believe in the creatures, and respects them. It holds the legend, the plight of the people of Wismar, and the plight of the Count himself in deep reverence.

What can be extracted from the dialogue and plot is that this is not your average bloodsuckers extravaganza. In fact, the good Count only sets his fangs to the throat of the living once on screen, and when that occurs, it lends more of a feeling of sacrifice and sorrow than of terror. Indeed, the tone of the film is driven toward tragedy, and does not shift its course. One of the film's more telling moments is when Dracula, alone with Harker's beloved Lucy, ventures to plead with the beautiful lady, "Will you come to me. become my ally? Bring salvation to your husband. and to me. The absence of love. is the most abject pain." When she refuses, he does not lash out or decide to make a meal of her then and there. He instead moans with the intonation of a wounded animal and slinks off into the night.

"Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht" is the most complete of vampire films, and towers over the genre. It could be considered a pity that the only film that sits upon its coattails is its predecessor of the same name. Under Herzog's direction (wisely choosing to avoid remaking classic shots), we get an entirely different film that exudes an entirely different feeling. It not only maintains the eerie horror that the genre deserves, but also achieves a beauty and mystique that has been lost over the years. A must-see.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect remake of a Murnau's classic, 14 Nov 2003
By 2739 "sergej_karov" (Matulji Croatia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
When i saw this movie for the first time I was stunned...although Werner Herzog is one of my favourite directors I was sceptical at first about Nosferatu because i was afraid that it will be much weaker than his predecessor....I couldn't be more wrong with this assumption...the movie is excellent.....there never was any vampire movie that even tried to give us such a strong portrait (both physically and psychicaly) of a creature that continued to live through ages..." Can You Imagine enduring centuries....experiencing the same futility every day" with this sentence Nosferatu explains the whole horror of his existence...and you feel some sort of sorrow for him even though you know that he is a monster ho pray on human blood to live.....unforgettable!. Film is beautifully shot by old Herzog's associate Jorg Schmidt-Reitwein and the music is excellently chosen to strenghten the whole atmosphere....pieces from Wagner's Das Rheingold are included here....and the cast is perfectly chosen, especially Kinski in the title role....possibly one of the best vampire movie among such gems as Carl Theodor Dreier's Vampyr, or Murnau's original Nosferatu
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A decidely non-Hollywood film, 23 May 2004
Instead of an action-packed, blood&gore laden, shallow, visually unassuming Hollywood-flick, you get an almost sinisterly dark and incredibly beautiful piece of art. Don't watch the English version, it lacks the atmosphere of the German version, probably due to the German actors' inability to cope well with the English language. Everything is more fluent with the German and this translates into better acting overall. If your German isn't fluent, then watch it with the English subtitles on.
This movie attempts to capture the deeper currents of the Vampire myth, to get to the heart of the curse that is embodied in Dracula. Klaus Kinski is brilliant as Count Dracula and makes the movie all by himself. Which isn't easy, as the director is obviously set on translating the vampire myth into something as close to believable or "real" as possible.
The scenes are long and cumbersome in places, that is true. But this only serves to work the sinister and dark atmosphere into the viewer. If you immerse yourself, then the movie is a thrilling experience.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Very unsettling
I first saw this film when about fourteen or fifteen. It really, really teriffied me. It is beautiful and haunting, melancholy and genuinely unsettling. Read more
Published 2 months ago by R. Wray

4.0 out of 5 stars Nosferatu
A competent Herzog remake of the Murnau classic. Kinski is superbly sinister. For a lighter hearted take on the Nosferatu story, try Shadow of the Vampire with Willem Defoe in... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Splendido

5.0 out of 5 stars Response to MXD
I have the wonderful boxset but the version of Nosferatu is the worst of both worlds - it is the English version with a German soundtrack, so you get the slightly more stilted... Read more
Published 11 months ago by TheHistoryBoy

4.0 out of 5 stars Nosferatu the vampyre
Go for it.Its worth every minute The late Klaus Kinski put a lot of effort into this production.You wont regret it.
Published 11 months ago by James W. Turner

5.0 out of 5 stars moody & atmosheric !
"nosferatu the vampyre" is the amazing journey of jonathan harker to castle dracula,forget hollywood or hammer this is in a class of its own. Read more
Published on 31 Oct 2007 by jack firestick

4.0 out of 5 stars A Classic
This is pure genius and I wasn't sure I'd be convinced when I bought this (but it was cheaper than the original). Read more
Published on 23 Oct 2007 by N. Parsons

5.0 out of 5 stars As good as the original
Yes I know the original is a classic. But no one said you couldn't try to improve. And Klaus Kinski (you should see him with makeup on) is a natural. Read more
Published on 28 April 2007 by bernie

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, but you might as well just get the boxset!
This loses a star, only because it's available in the Herzog-Kinski boxset, which is an absolutely essential purchase. Read more
Published on 20 Dec 2006 by mxd10

5.0 out of 5 stars Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht
Yes I know the original is a classic. But no one said you couldn't try to improve. And Klaus Kinski (you should see him with makeup on) is a natural. Read more
Published on 1 May 2005 by bernie

2.0 out of 5 stars What A Wooden Bore
This film is a joke from start to finish. When compared to the original, which is what I wanted, it is just pathetic. The acting is as wooden as the coffins. Read more
Published on 25 April 2005 by Clyde Forbes Paterson

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