Nosferatu the Vampyre (DVD)
A film by Werner Herzog

Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz, Downfall) lives with his young wife Lucy (Isabelle Adjani, Possession) in the idyllic town of Wismar, where he works as an estate agent.

In spite of grim omens, Harker ventures deep into the Carpathian Mountains to close a property deal with Count Dracula (Klaus Kinski – Aguirre, Wrath of God), a sickly, wraith-like creature with sunken eyes and pallid skin. While dining that night at the Count’s ghostly castle, Harker cuts his finger, provoking a disturbing reaction in his otherworldly host.

Werner Herzog’s masterful contribution to the vampire canon is both a tribute to the 1922 silent cinema version, and an atmospheric and thoughtful horror film in its own right. Kinski’s exquisite central performance, Herzog’s painterly images and Popul Vuh’s ethereal music combine to create one of horror cinema’s most hypnotic and seductive experiences.

Fully remastered by the BFI, this dark masterpiece is available here in its original English language version. Accompanied by a fascinating and revealing on-set documentary.

Special features

• Fully remastered presentation
• Original English language version
• On-set documentary (1979, 13 mins): promotional film featuring candid interviews with director Werner Herzog and star Klaus Kinski

Germany, France | 1979 | Colour | English language | 103 minutes | Original aspect ratio 1.85:1 | Dolby Digital mono audio (192kbps) | Cert 15 (contains moderate horror and gore) | Region 2 DVD

Review

Conceived and executed with passionate connoisseurship ***** –Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

One of Herzog’s most bizarre, resonant and fascinating films ***** –Tim Robey, Telegraph

Contemplative and oddly beautiful… the incomparable Klaus Kinski dominates the film as the lonely vampire***** –Wendy Ide, The Times