Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (Nosferatu the Vampyre) (1979)
90%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: 5 wins & 8 nominations
Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu the Vampyre is a haunting and visually stunning reimagination of the classic silent film. With a mix of melancholy and hammy performances, Herzog pays homage to the original while infusing it with his own unique sensibility. The film’s slow pace and breathtaking cinematography create a nightmare-like atmosphere that is both bizarre and fascinating. From the historic accuracy of the sets and costumes to the director’s own journey to the heart of darkness, Nosferatu the Vampyre is a superb spectacle that will leave cinephiles mesmerized. It’s the perfect conflation of everything that makes Werner Herzog Werner Herzog.
Nosferatu the Vampyre is a hauntingly beautiful film that will leave you feeling both creeped out and mesmerized. Werner Herzog’s unique vision brings new life to the classic tale of Dracula, with stunning cinematography and a slow, deliberate pace that draws you in and never lets go. The sets and costumes are historically accurate and add to the overall illusion, while the performances are both hammy and contemplative. Whether you’re a fan of the original or just looking for a spooky movie to watch on a dark and stormy night, Nosferatu the Vampyre is a must-see. Just don’t watch it alone!
Production Company(ies)
Twentieth Century Fox, Brandywine Productions, Pinewood Studios,
Distributor
Anchor Bay Entertainment, 20th Century Fox
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Delft, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1979
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Mono
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 47m
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Language(s):German, English, Romany
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 1, 1979 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 9, 2002
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Adjani, Bruno Ganz, Roland Topor, Walter Ladengast, Dan van Husen, directed by Werner Herzog, written by Werner Herzog, Bram Stoker, horror, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Wendy Ide, Geoffrey Macnab, David Jenkins, Peter Bradshaw, Tim Robey, MPAA rating PG, produced by Michael Gruskoff, Werner Herzog, Anchor Bay Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, German, Count Dracula, vampire, undead, ghoul, Lucy Harker, Jonathan Harker, Renfield, Dr Van Helsing, aspect ratio Flat (1.85:1), stunning visuals, intense portrayal, horror classic, Nosferatu, bloodsucker, Werner Herzog’s venture, German romantic art, Caspar David Friedrich, Bela Lugosi, Werner Herzog’s journey, heart of darkness, South American odyssey, Aguirre, Wrath of God, haunting color re-imagining, silent classic, emotionally resonant vampire, humanity, loveless, unable to die, spiritual connection, nature, architecture, location
Worldwide gross: $2,874
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $12,498
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,138
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,363
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Isabelle Adjani – Lucy Harker
Bruno Ganz – Jonathan Harker
Roland Topor – Renfield
Walter Ladengast – Dr. Van Helsing
Dan van Husen – Warden
Director(s)
Werner Herzog
Writer(s)
Werner Herzog, Bram Stoker
Producer(s)
Michael Gruskoff, Werner Herzog
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
5 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (60) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (57) | Rotten (3)
It’s a curious mix: at times deliriously hammy, at others melancholy, contemplative and oddly beautiful.
September 22, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Wendy Ide
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Werner Herzog’s venture to Transylvania seems as much inspired by German romantic art (Caspar David Friedrich, especially) as by Bram Stoker or Bela Lugosi.
February 21, 2014 | Rating: 5/5
Geoffrey Macnab
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Nosferatu the Vampyre comes across as the perfect conflation of everything that makes Werner Herzog Werner Herzog.
October 31, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
David Jenkins
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
This is Herzog’s journey to the heart of darkness, a film that specifically echoes his earlier offerings The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser and his South American odyssey Aguirre, Wrath of God.
October 31, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Slowed down to a nightmare crawl, it’s one of its director’s most bizarre, resonant and fascinating films.
October 31, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Tim Robey
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Nosferatu the Vampyre Playing to the visual and narrative strengths of the original, Werner Herzog still succeeds in imprinting the material with his own unique sensibility.
October 23, 2013
Budd Wilkins
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Episode 51: Jennifer’s Body / One Cut of the Dead / Nosferatu the Vampyre
December 1, 2021 | Rating: 90/100
Taylor Baker
Drink in the Movies
[A] slowly-paced but haunting color re-imagining of a silent classic…
October 15, 2020
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
It was really fun and creepy. Nice cinematography and atmosphere
October 19, 2019
Rachel Wagner
Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)
The historic accuracy of Henning Von Gierke’s sets, Gisela Storch’s costumes, and Jorg Schmidt-Reitwein’s breathtaking photographyt all combine for the perfect dramatic illusion.
August 15, 2019
Diana Goldfarb
Sojourner
Werner Herzog has created for himself and cinephiles in general a superb spectacle. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 5, 2019
Jesús Fernández Santos
El Pais (Spain)
More an homage than a remake, Nosferatu the Vampyre keeps the spirit of the original while simultaneously feeling decidedly Herzog-esque in the best kind of way.
May 5, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
C.H. Newell
Father Son Holy Gore…
Plot
Jonathan Harker is sent to sell a house to Count Dracula, but soon discovers that Dracula is a vampire who brings death and plague to the town in this contemplative and visually stunning remake of Nosferatu.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Klaus Kinski’s portrayal of Count Dracula is described as “perfectly and terrifyingly” by an audience reviewer.
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