NOSFERATU: EINE SYMPHONIE DES GRAUENS (Murnau, 1922)

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(Directed by F.W. Murnau from an adaptation of Bram Stoker's DRACULA by Henrik Galeen; starring Max Schrek, Gustav Van Wangenheim, Greta Schröder, and Alexander Granach. Released 04 March 1922); (re)watched 2023w06 via Blu-Ray)

a still from Murnau's Nosferatu: Orlok ascends the stairs in shadow

First time (re)watching Murnau’s masterpiece (among several) in years – first time, certainly with German intertitles – and it feels like I watched a different, even better, film than I remember: I’m sure I’ve seen countless iterations of it over the years – this site has a staggering and rich history of the film and its various theatrical and home video re-releases (though according to Reid’s work, the “different, even better film than I remember,” that I (re)watched was the awful version (the only available version in the US) but at least the jittery thing – which I knew wasn't in any of the other versions I've seen – makes sense):

Well, fuck.

Still, great to revisit it, even if it was something of a jittery mess (now I’m pissed but at least researching it brought me to DRAKULA HALÁLA so my lost film love has been sated). I'm going to go buy a region-free Blu-Ray player and binge on Euro-Blu and probably rewrite this thing once I see the BFI version.

DRAKULA HALÁLA (1921)

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While working on a PostScript for my umpteenth rewatch (though first on Blu) of Murnau's NOSFERATU (coming later today), I came across this little bit of lost film gold: NOSFERATU wasn't the first on-screen appearance of Dracula (or litigious analogue) but the second. The first was a Hungarian film, now lost, DRAKULA HALÁLA, (DRACULA'S DEATH), directed by Károly Lajthay.

poster for DRAKULA HALÁLA (1921), a lost Hungarian film featuring the first onscreen appearance of Dracula

The plot - which doesn't follow the plot of the novel but sounds fascinating nonetheless:

Apparently only a few images, featuring stars Paul Askonas (Dracula) and Margaret Lix (Mary) from the film survive:

An announcement of its release:

As fascinating as all of this is – and it is, utterly, profoundly, for this Dracula nut who grew up making lists of vampire films with his grandfather – it’s who was, along with Lajthay, credited as a writer that floored me:

Now I really, REALLY want to see this – nevermind CASABLANCA: MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM is one of my favorites. And thus, my passion for lost films – tragic and without resolution though it may be – continues...