Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror story
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (German: Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens), or simply Nosferatu, is a 1922 German Expressionist horror film, directed by F. W. Murnau, starring Max Schreck as the vampire Count Orlok. The silent film, shot in 1921 and released the following year, was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897); the Stoker Estate had refused permission. Various names and other details were changed from the novel: for instance, vampire became Nosferatu, and Count Dracula was renamed Count Orlok.
19 total · 1 choice · 7 major · 11 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| vampire | choice | The plot turns on Count Orlok (i.e., Dracula but for copyright issues) leaving his crumbling castle in the Carpathian Mountains for the bright gas lights of the fictional German town of Wisborg. |
| contagious disease in society | major | The people of Wisborg thought the vampire victims had died of the plague, and the viewer saw how society handled the situation with crosses drawn on doors and angry mobs. |
| coping with a loved one being in peril | major | Ellen was distraught when Thomas embarked on a perilous journey to Transylvania in the 19th century, and even more so when he failed to return on time. |
| fear for one's life | major | It slowly dawned on Thomas what he was up against in Count Orlok to the point where one night he was simply shivering in a corner hugging his cross for protection. |
| human vs. magic wielder | major | Count Orlok summoned fog and controlled various animals. He was also somewhat monstrous in appearance, while his adversaries were ordinary people. |
| human vs. monster | major | Count Orlok summoned fog and controlled various animals. He was also somewhat monstrous in appearance, while his adversaries were ordinary people. |
| husband and wife | major | Thomas and Ellen were in a blissful marriage. |
| romantic love | major | Thomas and Ellen were in the throws of love. |
| academic occupation | minor | In one scene, Professor Bulwer the was demonstrating the "savage manner of carnivorous plants" and other wonders of Nature, including a tentacled polyp. |
| coping with the death of a spouse | minor | Ellen died in her husband Thomas' arms. |