As a big fan of horror films, I looked forward to watching this film, especially since it’s a classic. I personally have a bias against older movies though, for example, black and white films. I feel that if I cannot see the color or properly understand the mood set by the scenery then it makes it more difficult for me to become engrossed in the story. As I did watch it, the image of Norman Bates from the horror film “Psycho” popped into my head.
He is quite the deceiving character, especially since it’s unexpected that he kept his dead mother in the basement. Another reason I connected Norman Bates to Count Orlok is because both give off an uncomfortable aura, such as when Normal Bates would creep up on the woman at the motel. Count Orlok made everyone around him uneasy as they senses a dark atmosphere surround him, especially by the fact he lives in an old castle.
His alter ego or double sided personality made me picture this sort of image:
On the outside, he was more open and “normal”, but on the inside, he was a cold, evil being. His alter ego is almost the complete opposite and very misleading. The contrast between the black and white in the image is a clear example of how I picture Orlok’s personality in my mind because while he may be one side at a certain time, in reality, he is both. The viewers of the film get a sense of that in the beginning, but towards the end is when it’s more clearly emphasized to show his true nature.
Towards the end of the film, as we see Orlok interact with more character and he slowly unleashes his true form as a vampire, I heard this sound play in my mind many times:
After seeing Friday the 13th numerous times, the characteristic sound that plays when Jason is either nearby or almost ready to catch up to another victim makes me feel like something is coming after me. Orlok and his creepy manners and conduct, especially as he carried the coffins, reminded me of Jason and I imagined this sound playing in the scene. It gives off a chilling feeling and makes viewers more aware of their surroundings. Orlok suddenly appearing at the door is another perfect example of the scary intention of this sound because it gets people prepared that something scary will come, but they don’t know when. Overall, I found Nosferatu a unique horror film that is irreplaceable and certainly surprised me with it’s silent aspect that made the film more satisfying.
Before I started watching “Nosferatu”, I also thought I wouldn’t be able to fully get into the movie or enjoy it as much because it’s in black and white. The picture of Norman Bates fits perfectly with the opening scene with Count Orlok because they both share a similar sneaky look in their eyes. I also felt Orlok’s presence made people uncomfortable because it was mysterious with hidden intentions. His bulging eyes and grin made him look evil.
I agree that when Orlok goes after people, I felt more like I was watching a modern day scary movie. It reminded me of the movie, “Halloween” when Michael Myers followed people around with a knife.