Looking a lot like Nosferatu… Excellent…
Looking at the description for Nosferatu, I looked forward to an epic horror thriller. However, I was greatly disappointed.
The music did not do the film justice. Yes, it gave the silent film a voice and fitted most scenes well, but I felt that there were many discrepancies. For instance, when Counter Orlok entered Hutter’s room, the music jumped back and forth from eerie screech sounds to resonating saxophone toots. I found that this shift in music rendered the ominous setting null. Rather, the situation appeared slightly laughable and tedious. Also, the background music throughout the film gave the impression of sluggishness.
Speaking of tedium, I was extremely bothered by the texts’ screen times. They were so lengthy that I considered them major interruptions which ruined the pacing of the film. Horribly distracting!
The music and pacing remind me of a bumbling duckling.
But the film wasn’t entirely bad.
The actors and actresses’ effort in showing exaggerated emotions was supreme. It certainly compensated for the lack of dialogue. I especially enjoyed the performances of Count Orlok and Knock. The other characters were great as well, but those two really shone by fully engaging themselves into the characters. Count Orlok’s rigidity and slimness formed the perfect inhuman vampire. Knock’s volatility and trickery formed the perfect insane underling.
Oh, and look at Count Orlok’s nose! I bet even Kovaloff would have been impressed!
I disagree with your views on the music, I thought that it added to the feel of the film and was appropriate considering the time period it was made. I do, however agree with your comments on the dialogue. It was extremely mundane to read the dialogue over and over and over again, waiting to get back to the action of the film. It was distracting and frustrating at times.
Yes, the music was appropriate for the time period and it added to the feel of the film in most instances. I am biased as I subconsciously compare this film with modern horror films, but this sequence just really stuck out like a sore thumb: http://youtu.be/F73hCPoEn44?t=30m16s
To be honest, I laughed out loud when the music changed. The horns definitely caught me off guard and ruined this pivotal scene for me.
I feel kind of weird seeing how you noticed all the little nuances in the music whereas I didn’t even give the music a second thought. I actually was a bit grateful that the text was given such a long screen time. I guess I’m used to how fast the text disappears from modern movies, so I was rushing myself to finish the text before it changed, and then it stayed on the screen for another good five seconds. I was able to reread the text and process it and didn’t have to rush myself. I get where you’re coming from, though. I agree with you on the acting. I nearly believed for a second that Count Orlok was an actual vampire (it was for like a split second) because of how great the actor was at portraying a vampire.
The actor who portrayed Orlok seemed more animal-like than human- great job on his part. And I also disagree with your music theory (no pun intended). Yes it did seem mismatched at times, but isn’t that how Nosferatu is too? It’s all just weird, and I think that’s where the director wanted the film to go, including the music. I personally enjoyed the weird and eerie soundtrack that was played.