Movies

F.W. Murnaus Nosferatu is widely regarded by horror movie fans and critics alike as one of the best vampire movies of all time. Believed by many to be the first horror movie featuring vampires, it is said that Nosferatu paved the way for horror legends like Bela Lugosi to put their unique stamp on vampire characters like Lugosis interpretation of Dracula. Nosferatu remains popular nearly a century after its original release due in large part to its ability to be scary and shocking in spite of its being a silent, black and white film. Murnau manipulates the characters, settings and the narration screens in such a way that the story remains vital and fear-inspiring to modern viewers. Nosferatu remains a relevant film in the horror genre because of its use of awe-inspiring nature scenes and its particularly grotesque title character, which were revolutionary at the time of the films release and have become legendary since. The wide nature and countryside scenes that Murnau uses, along with close-up shots of the vampire and his frightened victims all represent elements of Romanticism. The film incorporates many elements of Romantic art and the Romanticism movement to convey senses of awe, shock and fear in the viewer which are still effective and evocative today.

The Romanticism movement came about as a negative reaction to the Industrial Revolution and centered on an appreciation and love of nature and awe of natural beauty and the power of natural elements and God. The emotions of awe, fear and comprehension of beauty are all important aspects of Romanticism. Nosferatu incorporates many of these Romantic Movement ideals. Murnau uses several scenes of wide open ocean and shorelines when the vampire is traveling on the ship. This is similar to the technique used in Romantic art of posing human figures or representations of humanity like houses or boats in small scale to enormous mountains, oceans, or hill sides to represent the grandeur and enormity of nature. One scene where this technique is particularly evident and effective is the scene of the shoreline with dozens of handmade crosses planted in the sand. This scene gives the viewer a sense of the enormity of the ocean and the helplessness of the ships crew both against the oceans power and against the evil of the vampire lurking among them. The human figure seated in the center of the frame appears small and vulnerable because the scope of the shot makes the beach and the ocean much larger than him. He is also surrounded by crosses, which symbolize mans mortality in sharp contrast the enduring, immortal power and strength of nature.

Another scene that effectively incorporates elements of Romanticism in the film is the close-up of Nosferatu when he is emerging from his coffin. As the narrative screens that interspersed the silent film tell the viewer about dirt-filled coffins, the viewer is given a close-up view of the monsters face. As Nosferatu breaks through the coffin, he emerges in all his fearful and awe-inspiring glory. He is pale and bald, with giant fangs protruding from his mouth, beady evil-looking eyes, and crooked fingers with huge curling claws at the ends. He is the embodiment of the thing that the viewer fears outside the bedroom window or hiding in the closet, and he is represented in stark detail in this shot. Filling the screen with his gruesomeness is a very effective way to convey the awe and fear of evil and monsters. It also represents the concept of the alien and unknown, another Romantic theme. This is a monster that no viewer has ever encountered before. Murnau follows this shot closely with Jonathan Harkers reaction to the discovery of the monsters existence, and his terrified face further inspires fear in the viewer. This close-up view of the embodiment of evil, along with the reactions of his helpless victims, utilizes Romanticism to convey fear and awe at the evil vampire.