Many Silent Films Are Gone, a Few Quietly Chilling Classics Remain

The story is as strange as the fictional novel it surrounds. When F.W. Murnau directed his classic rendition of Dracula under the title of Nosferatu, the change of the name and characters resembled too closely Bram Stoker's novel for his widow's tastes. After winning her case in court, all copies of this film, widely thought to be one of the best versions of Dracula ever produced, were ordered destroyed. 

Luckily for us today, the previous distribution of the film allowed copies to survive. Now, Nosferatu survives death much as the fictional count survives the grave. Another version of Stoker's book made it to the screen earlier than Nosferatu. Unfortunately, the Hungarian-made Drakula halála (or The Death of Dracula), has disappeared into the movie graveyard and faded amongst the mists.

Luckily, a select handful of silent-era monsters survived that great executioner commonly known as time. They bring to us ghosts of actors and actresses long dead, and their mute voices speak to us through the ages. It is indeed, eerie to watch these celluloid spectres as they traipse across the screen as alive as you and I. 

Perhaps some are a bit tame by today's standards, we can easily recognize these sulking creatures were every bit as frightening as the monsters of today's jaded film tastes are to some of us. They maintain their eerieness, their deep hatreds for a world that despises them, and their sadness of loss of what they could never have.

Max Shrek stars as Count Orlok in Nosferatu, and is arguably the most naturally sinister actor ever to portray Dracula. His bald head, thin frame, spidery fingers, and odd teeth offer the appearance of a rat or some other unsavory creature of the night. The film is fraught with visual imagery and occult symbols, adding constantly to the story's mystery. Most people agree that Nosferatu is one silent horror film not to be missed.