While it is a creepy film and at times quite brilliant in capturing with shadows and stop motion photography sense of true dread, the main culprit in the undermining of Nosferatu is with it's clunky story telling and comical acting.
I will normally cut a lot of slack for the temperament of silent film theatrics, but considering the place this film holds amongst most, if not all critics, I'm going to have to judge it a little bit harder than the other classic films of its time. Again, kudos for finding and then maintaining such a great look and feel throughout the entire film, but really, I can't go any higher than a seven. There's too many questions concerning the two main characters in their haste to race back from Transylvania. Why won't Hutter take his love away from Nosferatu? He did sell him the house across the street, he had to know this scenario was going to take place.
Also, why leave it as a mystery to the character of Knock? At least with Renfield we understand why he is slave to Dracula. In Nosferatu there's not much to go on plot wise to signify any connection, other than that crazy looking home buyers document. I realized Knock was crazy, but I didn't know he was Transylvanian crazy.
This is a must see film, don't get me wrong. But other than making a note of it and moving on to other films, I can't see why this film get the love it gets from critics.
But, it is really, really creepy.
I will normally cut a lot of slack for the temperament of silent film theatrics, but considering the place this film holds amongst most, if not all critics, I'm going to have to judge it a little bit harder than the other classic films of its time. Again, kudos for finding and then maintaining such a great look and feel throughout the entire film, but really, I can't go any higher than a seven. There's too many questions concerning the two main characters in their haste to race back from Transylvania. Why won't Hutter take his love away from Nosferatu? He did sell him the house across the street, he had to know this scenario was going to take place.
Also, why leave it as a mystery to the character of Knock? At least with Renfield we understand why he is slave to Dracula. In Nosferatu there's not much to go on plot wise to signify any connection, other than that crazy looking home buyers document. I realized Knock was crazy, but I didn't know he was Transylvanian crazy.
This is a must see film, don't get me wrong. But other than making a note of it and moving on to other films, I can't see why this film get the love it gets from critics.
But, it is really, really creepy.