Nosferatu

Horror films of today employ several film techniques to invoke responses from the

viewer. However, early silent films relied more on these techniques because without a

script, the viewer needs another way to interpret the film. The 1922 silent film Nosferatu

directed by F.W. Murnau is one of the first of it's kind to apply what most would

consider to be more modern film techniques. Montage plays a key role in this film, as

does unusual camera angles, over acting, early special effects, and framing.

Loosely based on the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, the film is the story of a

realtor named Jonathon who travels to Dracula's castle in order to close a house deal. He

goes there despite many warnings and soon discovers that Dracula is actually a vampire.

Meanwhile, his girlfriend Nina is plagued with nightmares about Dracula and often goes

into strange trances. Jonathon escapes from the castle but is not free of Draculas power,

for Dracula purchases a house across the street from Jonathon.

I seemed to notice a pattern with the shot construction. When a character first

comes onto the screen, they are shown in a long shot, followed by a medium or close

shot. It's as if the viewer is being introduced to the character gradually. For example,

when Jonathon first arrives at Dracula's castle, our first shot of Dracula is a long shot,

followed by close. The film is mostly shot with a closed frame, but there are several

different camera angles, such as a shot from above looking down onto workers loading

earth into crates.

Montage plays what i believe to be the most important role in the film. When

Jonathon is in his room on the night he arrives he is studying a book about vampires.

What follows are several shots of menacing passages from the book crossed with the

clock turning midnight and finally, a shot of Dracula in the hall. This causes the viewer

to connect all three and realize that Jonathon is in danger. After this, Dracula enters his

room and there are several flashed shots. There is a close shot of Jonathon , then a shot

of the door with Dracula coming toward him, back to Jonathon hiding under the sheet,

back to Dracula, then there is a random shot of Nina, Jonathons girlfriend, in her bed.

She wakes up and goes outside, apparently in a trance. Then suddenly, the scene is back

to Johnathon but this time a shadow of Draculas hands, arms lifted, fingers outstretched,

as if he is possessing Jonathon. What follows are several more flashed shots of Nina,

John, and Dracula. Another example of this type of editing is when Dr. Reinfeld is

teaching his students and there is a close shot of a venus fly trap catching it's prey. Then

it is followed by the doctors face and the words "vampire of the plant world". There is

another shot of this kind in the mental hospital. It shows a spider on it's web feasting on

it's prey. This makes the viewer more tuned in to the power that Dracula seems to have

on everyone.

The ship that Dracula arrives on is introduced to the audience by a series of shots

looped with waves crashing on the shore and a waterfall. There are several close to

medium shots of the ship from many different angles. On board a "plague" has broken

out, but the viewer