Nosferatu [2024] (4½ Stars)

"Nosferatu" is a curious candidate for a remake. It was made in 1922 by the German director Friedrich Murnau. He wanted to make a film based on Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula", but he needed permission from the owner of the book's rights, Florence Balcombe, Stoker's widow. Since she was a racist who hated Germans, she refused to allow Murnau to make the film. Refusing to be put off, he made a film based on the story, changing the names of the characters and the locations of the events. For instance, Count Dracula was renamed Count Orlok. He thought he could get away with it, because his film was only planned to be shown in Germany. Balcombe found out and sued him. The court ordered that all copies should be destroyed, but several copies were rescued. In retrospect, "Nosferatu" (the 1922 version) is considered one of the greatest horror films ever made, while Florence Balcombe's name lives on in infamy.

In 1931 she allowed the book to be adapted by an American director. The film was called "Dracula", and the characters had the correct names. Since then more than 50 adaptations of the novel have been made, not counting the many films in which Dracula appears as a character. It's the most frequently adapted book ever. I own several of the films on disc. It's interesting to see which ones are more accurate and which ones leave out details.

But "Nosferatu" stands alone as an adaptation that deliberately changed the details. Why should something incorrect be copied? Nostalgia?

In 1979 Werner Herzog made a film called "Nosferatu the Vampyre", but I don't count it as a remake of the 1922 film. Not quite. He copied the visuals of the 1922 film, but he called the characters by their correct names.

The new film is a dedicated remake of the 1922 Nosferatu film. The wrong names are used throughout. The only reason I can think of for calling it "Nosferatu" is to set it aside from all the other films called "Dracula". The suspense is outstanding. Instead of slavishly following the 1922 film it adds several details from the book.

I'm happy to say that despite being in its second week the cinema was packed, about 90% full. I don't know how it's doing in other countries, but in Germany it's a big hit.