Which dracula movie adaptation is most faithful to the original bram stoker book i wanted a definitive answer, so i selected 12 contenders and put them up. The film is an unauthorized adaptation of bram stokers 1897 novel dracula. The film is set primarily in 19thcentury wismar, germany and transylvania, and was conceived as a stylistic remake of f. Hutter must even communicate with his wife via letters carried on. Nosferatu the vampyre is a 1979 horror film written and directed by werner herzog. Good evening, stay for the night as both the 1929 silent nosferatu is examined side by side with bela lugosis audible 1931 dracula. Nosferatu the movie is an undeniable classic of macabre. Whats the difference between nosferatu and dracula. Orloks wouldbe victims awake from nightmares at dawn, laughing. And yet a different atmosphere was gifted to both of these films, showing different sides to the same villain, the same creature.
Stokers novel has provided the basis for numerous movies about dracula, including but not limited to nosferatu, eine symphonie des grauens 1922 1922, dracula 1931 1931, dracula 1958 1958, count dracula 1977 1977, and dracula 1979 1979. Oct 07, 2019 nosferatu endured the fight to have it forgotten thanks to early fans preserving the film and passing it along, making it not only the first true dracula flick, but the first cult classic. Mar 03, 2017 consequently, even though nosferatu would later be recognized as tangentially connected to dracula, florence stokers lawsuit would end up creating two bifurcated vampire archetypes with connections to the novel. Murnau in his revolutionary silent film nosferatu 1922, and the. Bram stokers dracula was written in 1897, and the film nosferatu was made in the 1920s. Oct 17, 2018 tis the season for ghouls, goblins and victorian literature. Decades after its release, nosferatu would find itself lauded as the first dracula picture, 1 an ironic outcome given that mrs. Dracula, though written in the 1890s by bram stoker, is apparently set in a contemporary time period due to the appearance of modern amenities in london.
Dracula, novel by bram stoker, derived from vampire legends and published in 1897, that became the basis for an entire genre of literature and film. Dracula is n example of hollywood classical cinema, which is totally different from the expressionistic qualities of the german filmmakers. Tis the season for ghouls, goblins and victorian literature. That the hero cannot guard himself against such obvious evil is a meaningful departure from the book.
I want to suck your blood left nosferatu movie cover. This newest edition of the vampire film, now called the vampire film from nosferatu to true blood, has been updated and the typos from the earlier edition corrected. You know when you start reading the novel which side is going to win the good guys. Though its clear that nosferatu is a close retelling of dracula with different character names, the movie made many changes to the story, some for. However, this idea of vampires being killed by sunlight has been used over and over again in various movies, including many carrying the dracula name. The two fiends of the night duel, dracula is immune to the nosferatu s plague, and orlok is immune to the vampirism, they are in a enormous castle that stretches for over 100,000,000 square. The film is a fictionalized documentary account of the making of the classic vampire film nosferatu, eine symphonie des grauens, directed by f. Lugosi was great but in his native hungary he was a. Count dracula book character universal monsters wiki. Consequently, even though nosferatu would later be recognized as tangentially connected to dracula, florence stokers lawsuit would end up creating two bifurcated vampire archetypes with connections to the novel. They plan on selling him the one across the way from hutters own home.
On one of its publicity posters, the team included the phrase freely adapted from bram stokers dracula. How did francis ford coppolas lavish adaptation change bram stokers 1897 gothic horror classic dracula. The two films were, of course, very different things. Draculanosferatu comparison essay 650 words bartleby. In cinema, a new art form, german directors often focused on topics from the occult that allowed them to explore abnormal mental states. The two fiends of the night duel, dracula is immune to the nosferatus plague, and orlok is immune to the vampirism, they are in a enormous castle that stretches for over 100,000,000 square. He is more or less an alternate universe version of dracula but so much more sinister and interesting. Wisbourg, germany based estate agent knock dispatches his associate, hutter, to count orloks castle in transylvania as the count wants to purchase a isolated house in wisbourg. Nosferatu would beget its own thematic and aesthetic film tradition, generating a. Their are no differences dracula was the name of a vampire in a fictional book.
In short, dracula is a classic story of good versus evil. In nosferatu, murnau establishes a frightening disconnect between what his characters believe and what is plainly in front of their faces. Jun 16, 2012 what are the differences between dracula and nosferatu. For years there was much speculation about the production background, the filmmakers, and their star, the german actor max schreck. It follows the vampire count dracula from his castle in transylvania to england, where he is hunted while turning others into vampires. He decided to make the film anyway, but changed the title characters name to count orlok. Murnaus nosferatu, one of the most wellknown films of the silent era, is a subject ripe for discussion of remakes not only because of nosferatu 1922 vs. Draculanosferatu comparison i have recently watched clips from the beginnings of two vampire movies. Sep 01, 2011 this newest edition of the vampire film, now called the vampire film from nosferatu to true blood, has been updated and the typos from the earlier edition corrected. Jan 06, 2009 having recently read dracula by bram stoker i decided to watch the film bram stokers dracula to see how close it was to the book. Comparing dracula the novel to nosferatu the silent. How many of the good guys are going to have to sacrifice themselves in order to.
Nosferatu, on the other hand, is set in a small german village in the 1830s. Jan 02, 2012 nosferatu the vampyr 1979 written by werner herzog based on the novel dracula by bram stoker directed by werner herzog starring klaus kinski, isabelle adjani, and bruno ganz dracula 1992 written by james v. Apr 22, 2010 bram stokers dracula was written in 1897, and the film nosferatu was made in the 1920s. Williams second gothic vampire novel, dracula, the devils nosferatu is now available online. The novel was adapted for this movie by american screenwriter james v. The concept cd is available from the amazon and many other online stores. Bram stokers dracula and nosferatu the vamprye each portray. Murnau and tod browning, were two great directors who both set out to make a movie based on bram stokers classic horror novel dracula. Stokers heirs sued over the adaptation, and a court ruling ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed. Murnau, during which the film crew began to have disturbing suspicions about their lead actor. Nosferatus the first film to have him destroyed by sunlight. The most visibly cursed of all kindred, the embrace warps each nosferatu into a hideously deformed creature. Nosferatu the vampyr 1979 written by werner herzog based on the novel dracula by bram stoker directed by werner herzog starring klaus kinski, isabelle adjani, and bruno ganz dracula 1992 written by james v.
Murnau in his revolutionary silent film nosferatu 1922, and the first movie version of bram stokers classic novel, dracula 1897. A symphony of horror 1922 with nosferatu the vampyre 1979. Mar 31, 1998 nosferatu the movie is an undeniable classic of macabre. Dracula in comparison to nosferatu essay 888 words. Bram stokers dracula compared to the film nosferatu. It is not clear whether florence stoker refused to give approval or. Their are no differences dracula was the name of a vampire in a fictional book by bram. Fw mornau wanted to make a dracula movie, but was unable to secure the rights to it. Various names and other details were changed from the novel, including the word vampire being replaced with nosferatu, and count dracula being renamed count orlok. Who is the better vampire and whos a rip off of whom. Differences between the film bram stokers dracula nd the original book having recently read dracula by bram stoker i decided to watch the film bram stokers dracula to see how close it was to the book. Illustrated with scenes from the motion picture that i read a paragraph of in high school. Here, the inns landlady tries to warn jonathan harker against visiting count dracula on this particular day. The film techniques witnessed in these two pieces reflect similarities.
The film starts with legend of vlad the impaler which is not in the book. Jan 15, 2019 i think, for me ive always preferred nosferatu. Minumum of spoilers please i just got the book dracula by bram stoker, but have also heard about nosferatu and i am a bit confused. Both of these two films, nosferatu by murnau and dracula by browning share similarities and differences. However, in bram stokers version, sunlight was harmless to vampires, it just weakened them slightly. Living dead in dallas by charlaine harris, dead until dark by charlaine harris, dracula by bram stoker, lover at last by j. The nosferatu are the spymasters of the dead, collecting information and selling it for a dear price. Its apparent that they come from different times of film technology nosferatu is from early black and white cinema and silent apart from the overlaid soundtrack. The creators of nosferatu wanted the rights to dracula for the movie, but stoker refused, so the made. In stokers novel the vampire is vanquished by a group of men, but in murnaus film only a woman can defeat him. Shadow of the vampire is a 2000 metafiction horror film directed by e.
By the 1960s, the novel dracula fell into public domain worldwide, and nosferatu was finally able to journey home to germany as well as to many other regions. What are the differences between dracula and nosferatu answers. Bram stokers dracula is in color and full of sound. Dracula in comparison to nosferatu freebooksummary. Nosferatu endured the fight to have it forgotten thanks to early fans preserving the film and passing it along, making it not only the first true dracula flick, but the first cult classic. Dracula book differences how similar to novel is the new.
Stoker had fought so long against its association with the novel. It comes from the movies, it comes from all different sources. He decided to make the film anyway, but changed the title characters name to count orlok, made. When the book folds in the movie that is adapted from the book. An anonymous source sent the poster to florence stoker who promptly sued stating that nosferatu had knowingly stolen from dracula and that the deviations from the original plot were minor at best.
It used both stationary and moving camera techniques with a wide array of shots, unlike the prominent stationary medium shot used in nosferatu. It omits many of the secondary players, however, such as arthur and quincey, and changes the names of those who remain. Shadow of the vampire aka the making of nosferatu is also exceptionally good, albeit possibly not a proper classic, it may certainly be classified as a cult classic. Count dracula bram stokers vampire vs count orlok nosferatu s vampire im aware of the history and creation details of nosferatu, but i still thought this would be interesting given that there are in fact slight differences between them. Hart based on the novel dracula by bram stoker directed by francis ford coppola starring gary oldman, winona ryder, keanu reeves. Women and their sexuality is not a focus in the movie as it is in the book. There is an obvious time gap between these two works of adaptation but that doesnt make them entirely different. Dracula is based on bram stokers 1897 novel of the same name. If someone tries to tell you there was ever any honor in the motion picture industry, remind them of.
A symphony of horror, made in 1921, right after the devastating spanish flu pandemic, has become the ultimate cult classic among horror film buffs around the world. How nosferatu ripped off dracula and became a plagiarism success story. Nosferatu is the terrible creature from the dark mountains. Mar 25, 20 good evening, stay for the night as both the 1929 silent nosferatu is examined side by side with bela lugosis audible 1931 dracula. He began writing seriously in the mid1880s, and published his first novel, the snakes pass, in 1890. It is pretty faithful to the narrative in the book and even makes reference to the diaries, but there are a number of changes. Dracula nosferatu comparison i have recently watched clips from the beginnings of two vampire movies. Count dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of bram stokers 1897 gothic horror novel dracula and archetypal vampire. While harker doesnt quite believe her at first, her words mark the first indication of how strong evil forces can be in the novel. They are also the masters of the underground, living in the sewers for protection.
Dracula was his first collaborative musical theatre project this century. I am lucky to have seen it considering how it was banned by a judge of the time and all copies. That film was an unauthorized adaptation of stokers novel. Around the time that cinema and film made way into history, bram stoker published his gothic horror novel dracula a story of romance, lust. While the british found nosferatu much creepier than the book, german and french critics praised the films darkly elegant cinematography, and even its sensuality.
My prof has asked us to find the significant differences between dracula the novel and nosferatu the silent film from the 20s, to pick one major difference, and to explain how this particular difference changes the meaning of the story in the film. With halloween just around the corner, this movie fan thought it would be a good idea to go back and take a look at some classic horror movies. If the story is indeed a play of dark and shadow, we begin to see the reasons for nosferatus appeal, as film itself, in its earliest, silent. How many of the good guys are going to have to sacrifice themselves in order to conquer the evil dracula. Though its clear that nosferatu is a close retelling of dracula with different character names, the movie made many changes to the story, some for budget reasons but most for reasons. Who can forget the classic horror movies forever emulated by modernday hopefuls. The film steals its ideas, theme, and plot directly from the novel dracula and simply changes the names of the characters to try and avoid paying bram stokers widow for the rights to the book. The story of nosferatu is similar to that of dracula and retains the core characters. Some aspects of his character have been inspired by the 15th century wallachian prince vlad iii the impaler. The obsession with the supernatural is not new by any means.
In nosferatu, count orlok is burned up by the sunlight. Nov 25, 2017 the film steals its ideas, theme, and plot directly from the novel dracula and simply changes the names of the characters to try and avoid paying bram stokers widow for the rights to the book. What are the differences between dracula and nosferatu. Women like the book, are shown to be smart and intuitive, yet unlike the book they are not shown as weak and helpless. If someone tries to tell you there was ever any honor in the motion picture industry, remind them of nosferatu. Prana films had to get approval before using anything from the book. Elias merhige, written by steven katz, and starring john malkovich and willem dafoe. Dracula was released in 1931 in sound format, as opposed to the silent format of nosferatu.