Nosferatu – a Great Movies reassessment

Estate summary

In this Great Movies essay, Roger Ebert argues that Nosferatu retains its power because it approaches the vampire with conviction, before the figure became familiar through decades of imitation and parody. He examines Max Schreck’s animal-like presence, Albin Grau’s designs and Murnau’s handling of shadows, unusual camera effects and movement within the frame. The sea voyage, coffins and spreading fear connect the monster with disease and collective anxiety, while Ellen’s sacrifice invites a reading of the film’s sexuality and social order. Ebert distinguishes this haunting imaginative force from the sudden shocks expected of much modern horror. He also considers why silence matters: the characters cannot simply talk away the disturbing images confronting them. The essay is a later critical reassessment, published in 1997, rather than an original review from the film’s 1922 release. Its interpretations should be read as Ebert’s arguments, not as a statement of Murnau’s documented intentions.

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