The legendary story of Dracula by Bram Stoker has been told in countless times through film. In 1922, F.W. Murnau made the film Nosferatu with Max Schrek in the title role as the story of that film was made in Shadow of the Vampire with Willem Dafoe playing Schrek. Dracula was more famous thanks to Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi. In 1992, Francis Ford Coppola made a version of Dracula with Gary Oldman as the vampire featuring an all-star cast that included Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Waits, Sadie Frost, and Keanu Reeves. Then there was a strange 1979 version from German director Werner Herzog that starred Klaus Kinski, in the second of their five collaborations, in the title role of Nosferatu, Phantom der Nacht (Nosferatu, the Vampyre).

Written, produced, and directed by Herzog and starring Kinski, Nosferatu tells the story of Dracula as a man comes to the Carpathian Mountains to close a real-estate deal when he encounters the mysterious Dracula who endangers the man as he goes after his beautiful wife. An unconventional approach to the Bram Stoker's novel, Herzog's film is a remake of the classic F.W. Murnau version but with a newfound psychology and character study of the famed Dracula character. Also starring Isabelle Adjani, Bruno Ganz, and Walter Ladengast. Nosferatu is a fascinating, haunting remake from Werner Herzog and its star Klaus Kinski.

In the quaint, little town of Wismar, Germany in 1850, a real estate agent named Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz) receives word on closing a deal about a home in Wismar to a mysterious man named Dracula. Giving him the instructions to go beyond the Carpathian Mountains is his eccentric boss Renfield (Roland Topor) as Harker goes on the mission. Harker's wife Lucy (Isabelle Adjani) feels that something bad is going to happen on this trip as Jonathan assures her that everything will be alright as she stays with some friends including Mina (Martje Grohmann). Taking the four-week trip from Wismar to Romania, Harker stops at a local town filled with gypsies as he tells them he's going to the Mountains where the locals warn him about the cursed castle. Harker dismisses the rumors as he continues where he comes across a mysterious carriage where he's taken to the castle.

After meeting the mysterious, reclusive Dracula, Jonathan discusses the business deals as he finds himself uncomfortable in Dracula's strange, dark presence as he is never seen in the daylight. One morning, Jonathan finds himself ill as he is aware that he might be a prisoner in Dracula's home. After finishing the real estate deal, Dracula sees the locket that Jonathan wears that includes a picture of Lucy. Suddenly, Jonathan's illness intensifies where one night, Dracula comes to him at his presence where Lucy's fear of what's happening is coming true. The next day, Jonathan sees a group of caskets being shipped as he learns the truth that Dracula is indeed, a vampire. Realizing that he might go after Lucy, Jonathan makes an escape despite his illness.

Back in Wismar, Lucy's paranoia gets the attention of a local doctor named Van Helsing (Walter Ladengast) who believes that she's suffering a fever. When the caskets board on a ship, strange events happen as crew members die mysteriously as the ship's captain writes a diary only to be found dead when the ship arrives in Wismar surrounded by rats. Van Helsing makes an investigation where he believes a plague is coming where that night, Dracula emerges to begin his plans. After learning that Renfield sent Harker to Transylvania only to get Dracula, he is committed and later escapes where Dracula sends him to continue the increasing plague. Jonathan finally arrives in Wismar yet couldn't remember anything as Lucy is distraught and wondering what's going on. Dracula finally makes his presence to Lucy as he tells her that all he wants is her love but refuses as he leaves.

With the plague intensifying and people in the town dying, Lucy learns from Jonathan's diary about what is going on. Van Helsing thinks it's all in Jonathan's imagination but Lucy believes so otherwise as she tries to tell those who are still alive. There, Lucy knows what she must do as she waits for Dracula to come to her.

While Herzog's adaptation of Dracula isn't the most faithful version of the story he switches the main heroine of Mina to a supporting character with Lucy being the Mina role. Still, the film is clearly more of a remake of the original Murnau film as Herzog again goes for the conflict of man vs. environment. This time around, the dark environment are in Transylvania as Jonathan enters the dark world where he nearly dies. The second is in Wismar where at night, Dracula seems to take an advantage only right till the end. Herzog's script and wandering direction really brings a strong yet entrancing approach to the story of Dracula where he's given a different portrayal than the ones several years ago. Plus, given to Herzog's views of nature. He definitely goes for nature vs. man but this time around, it's Dracula who controls nature to send a plague on humanity. While the film is merely a stylized account of the story of Dracula, it's done with a lot of intelligence mixed with entertainment that it's still a strong film from Herzog.

Helping Herzog in his presentation is cinematographer Jorg Schmidt-Reitwein whose work in the shades, shadows, and lighting set-ups are exquisitely amazing to convey the dark atmosphere of the night in Transylvania and Wismar. Editor Beate Mainka-Jellinghaus does excellent work in bringing a stylized, rhythmic approach to the editing to convey the suspense and momentum of the film. Art director Henning von Gierke does an amazing job in creating the decaying, ominous look of Transylvania as well as that eerie clock of Dracula's. Costume designer Gisela Storch does great work in creating the 19th-Century costumes while making a great, black cloak for Kinski that is wonderful. Makeup artists Dominique Colladant and Reiko Kruk do great work in creating the look of Kinski's Dracula with its ears and teeth. Sound recordist Harold Maury also does excellent with the film's atmosphere. The German group Popol Vuh and its leader Florian Fricke brings a haunting score filled with an ominous choir to convey the sense of horror as well as a dreamy, folky track for the film's early, romantic sequences. The rest of the soundtrack includes an operatic track from Charles Gounod and the sweeping Das Rheingold from Richard Wagner.

The film's cast includes some notable small performances from Jan Groth as a harbormaster, Cartsen Bodinus as Schrader, and Martje Grohmann as Mina. Roland Topor is hilarious and creepy as Renfield with his irritating cackle and wide-eyed face. Walter Ladengast is excellent as Van Helsing with his restrained, weary presence as a man who tries to understand what's going on only to realize that he might be the one to stop everything. Bruno Ganz is great as Jonathan Harker with his cautious performance as a man who is unaware of the atmosphere he's in and tries desperately to save his wife only to find himself ill. Though she doesn't have much to do, Isabelle Adjani is amazing as the paranoid, scared Lucy Harker as it's her face that does a lot of the acting and Adjani's minimalist performance is great as she has some great scenes with Kinski. Finally, Klaus Kinski is brilliant in the film's title role as Dracula. Kinski's performance is very restrained yet he brings a lot of depth to the character where he lets his face bring a lot of horror while adding a range of restrained emotions to the role. Again, Kinski owns the film like he did in his previous collaboration with Herzog in Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes.

While fans of the Dracula story might be put off by some of the changes in the story, Nosferatu, Phantom der Nacht is still a faithful, atmospheric film from Werner Herzog and its star Klaus Kinski. With a great supporting cast and wandering images, it's still a film that brings elements of horror while staying faithful to the original Murnau film. Fans of Herzog and Kinski will indeed consider this film as one of their great collaborations in the five films they made. In the end, Nosferatu, Phantom der Nacht is an excellent adaptation of the story of Dracula.

Werner Herzog Reviews:

Invincible (2001):

(Coming Soon)

Grizzly Man (2005):

(Coming in January)

Rescue Dawn (2006):

http://www.epinions.com/content_408676961924

Herzog-Kinski Reviews:

Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972):

http://www.epinions.com/content_300303748740

Woyzeck (1979):

http://www.epinions.com/content_303925792388

Fitzcarraldo (1982):

http://www.epinions.com/content_306266148484

Cobra Verde (1987):

http://www.epinions.com/content_310345174660

My Best Fiend (1999):

http://www.epinions.com/content_311488581252

Herzog-Kinski Collection (2002):

http://www.epinions.com/content_313239047812

Related Reviews:

Burden of Dreams (1982):

http://www.epinions.com/content_307413159556

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992):

http://www.epinions.com/content_175983267460




Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older