NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE
Director: Werner Herzog Run Time: 107 min. Release Year: 1979 Language: German
Starring: Bruno Ganz, Isabelle Adjani, Klaus Kinski, Roland Topor, Walter Ladengast
“It is about the mood and style of vampirism, about the terrible seductive pity of it all.” – Roger Ebert
Werner Herzog’s only horror film is as rich with artistry and tragedy as his most grounded, human work. It is 1850 in the beautiful, perfectly-kept town of Wismar. Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz, DOWNFALL; WINGS OF DESIRE) is leaving on a long journey over the Carpathian Mountains to finalize real estate arrangements with a wealthy nobleman. His wife Lucy (POSSESSION’s Isabelle Adjani) begs him not to go and is troubled by a strong premonition of danger. Despite her warnings, Jonathan arrives four weeks later at a large, gloomy castle. Out of the mist appears a pale, wraith-like figure with deep-sunken eyes who identifies himself as Count Dracula (Klaus Kinski). The events that transpire slowly convince Harker that he is in the presence of a vampire. Even still, he doesn’t realize the magnitude of danger he, his wife and his town are about to experience. Restoration courtesy of Shout! Factory and the American Genre Film Archive.