A thrilling mystery masterpiece - a chilling psycho-drama of blood-lust.

Starring: Max Schreck, Gustav von Wangenheim, Greta Schröder, Alexander Granach, Ruth Landshoff, Wolfgang Heinz

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I am plagued by mosquitoes. Two have just bitten me on the neck, quite close together, one on each side." - Hutter

Why watch this? It is one of the first vampire films ever made. It's genuinely scary.

Plot Summary: A sinister vampire, Count Orlok, expresses interest in purchasing a new residence and becomes fixated on real estate agent Thomas Hutter's wife, Ellen. While Hutter is away attending to Orlok's property desires, Ellen begins to experience terrifying visions and a growing sense of dread related to a dark presence. Upon Hutter's return, the malevolent forces at play unleash a plague upon their town of Wisborg, leading Ellen to confront the monstrous Orlok.

Dad's Preview: This eerie German silent film is an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. That explains why the character names are all different than the source material. Schreck's portrayal of the pallid vampire is the image of nightmares, especially for the superstitious Europeans of the 1920's. Today, this is considered one of the most influential horror films ever made. It has been remade several times, including the most recent Nosferatu (2024).

Prana Film; Film Arts Guild