Nosferatu (1922) Eureka Masters of Cinema and BFI Blu-ray Review

[@Ifrit007]

I have to say, this was an excellent video! I absolutely love Nosferatu and I feel both are much have releases! I feel you did a great job going over both the film and releases/restorations. There are aspects I enjoy about both, I enjoy both scores equally, I like how both have the vintage restoration look, I like the Original & Reconstructed German Titles in the MOC release, however I do have a hard time going over what tinting direction I enjoy more but I sometimes find myself enjoying BFI more at times. Anyway, phenomenal video and keep up the great work! Will check out your Phantom of the Opera (1925) Video soon!

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@Ifrit007 Nosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@melissaking6019]

Fantastic analysis! Max Schreck's performance is extremely frightening. His acting and the brilliantly believable makeup combine to make Orlock an iconic, profoundly creepy, scary, supernatural character. Murnau's atmosphere is genuinely magical, chilling, and haunting. Nosferatu, in my opinion, is the closest adaptation of Stoker's book. I'll never understand why no filmmaker has ever made a canonical movie. It's possible to do it, but we're still waiting.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

Thanks for the kind words. I tried to convey as much as I could here to hopefully get more people to watch NOSFERATU on one of these best versions. To this day I still continually tinker with my Dracula film ideas and would love the chance to do the book onscreen-but it's such a hard book to nail down into a single script and keep the same spirit. For me, Nosferatu, the 1931 film and Hammer's HORROR OF DRACULA come the closest. HoD is ironically the best overall in my eyes because somehow on their tiny budget they got more of the book into a short runtime than most others combined. But it doesn't have all of the same aspects of the 1922 and 1931 films so you miss some of those elements.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

​@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusaderNosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@melissaking6019 Nosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@viningscircle]

I had the Kino and was not aware, apart from screen capture comparisons, that there were issues of frame rates, missing frames, and such. I just bought the Eureka MOC Blu-ray from their recent sale. Indeed I really enjoy James Bernard's score, and have both his and the original one by Hans Erdmann on soundtrack. So it looks like I will need to get the BFI to have the Bernard score. Not long ago I recently invested in a region free player so as to enjoy the multitude of excellent releases from Eureka, Second Sight, some of the Indicator tiles, etc. Definitely worth doing and not hardly expensive to find a nice one like the Sony I bought from 220 Electronics. Nice presentation of the film's history and taking a closer look at these two Blu-rays.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

Silents can be so problematic even on Blu-ray that I'll admit I do quite a bit of digging around to see if there's any technical information about. Since the source is already limited to what has survived and there is some frame movement I think it helps to hide a bit of the framerate problem on the Kino. Once you see the MOC without this issue it becomes much more visible. The BFI is a must too and frequently dips down to pretty low prices on Amazon UK and a few other places.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@viningscircle Nosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@Thievius333]

A film I have been fascinated with for as long as I can remember. Most of that surrounding the images I saw as a child in books about movie monsters back in the early 70s. Those still images of Max Schreck chilled me to the bone but even moreso the occasional quick glimpse of him on television, usually on commercials for the local monster movie matinee that used to air around noon on Saturdays. This was before VHS and before cable TV, so I was never able to see Nosferatu until much later in my life. It still fascinates me to this day, the fact that it's one hundred years old adds to it's mystique and creepiness. Heck, even Knock gives me the shivers. But it's funny you mention those old public domain copies. I've seen some really bad ones, including a ridiculous DVD where they used the score from the band "Type O Negative.". Um, no thank you, Type O. And I actually still own a fairly generic copy which was included on a Mill Creek "50 Horror Classics" set. Completely obsolete now, but hey - I would have killed for ANY copy in the 70s as a kid. The copy I watch these days is the excellent Photoplay/BFI version. And yes, while researching which version to get, I quickly found out about the domestic travesty that is the current KIno blu-ray. Stay far far away from that disc, folks. But excellent video, you went above and beyond this time. REALLY enjoyed this one. 👍 (Edited to correct a mistake. It wasn't Disturbed, it was Type O Negative.)

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

You see Schreck as Orlok as a kid even in a still and he stays with you.... Oh geez the public domain transfers were awful for the most part. There were a few that were at least passable but as you say ANY copy as a kid was worthwhile even if it was the absolute jankiest VHS edition from who knows where. I think the BFI transfer edges out for me even though it isn't as pristine visually as the MOC. Bernard's score is THE way to go. I don't mind bands trying a silent score but there has to be a reason for it and care put into making it work. Knock is wonderfully creepy still and the overall atmosphere of death is palpable all these years later. I'm just glad there's proper ways to see the film today! Just as I'm glad people posted about the framerate issues on the Kino disc. I did digging around too when choosing a BD release....well if I'm honest I do a bit of digging on most every release I'm interested in. ;) I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I started by just wanting to do something for the centenary and then something on both releases...then the workload grew and grew...then I had to take screencaps and find where to place them...this is why I never get to all the videos I want to do because each one takes time to put together. And I drive myself nuts trying to cram in as much as possible.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@Thievius333 Nosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@paulablitt9277]

Great discussion, I also have both discs and have to agree that the score on the Bfi disc elevates it above the Eureka release. I also prefer the more aged look of the Bfi release as it really adds to the overall feel of this masterpiece 👌

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@paulablitt9277 Nosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@cubanbach]

DFIC: THAT was TERRIFIC information! And it was very educational! I can't thank you enough! ♥

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

Glad I could help! This is the kind of video I wish had existed years ago when I was trying to figure out the various versions.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@cubanbach Nosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@Mandibil]

A superb review. I can concur that the MoC release is absolutely superb in any way. A cornerstone in my German Expressionism collection. In general I find MoC to always have a high standard on their releases, they rarely if ever disappoint

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

Absolutely. They really try and put in extra effort. Any issues they might have are things inherent in masters they have to use.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@Mandibil Nosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@bixgomez2839]

In the mid 1970s, I was a little kid fascinated by horror and monster movies. Fortunately, I lived within the broadcast radius of WNET, New York City's PBS station. Every Saturday night they'd show a silent picture as part of their "Cinema Thirteen" series. To my delight, in the summer of 1978 (or maybe 1977) they finally showed Nosferatu -- not just on Saturday night, but again at noon the following Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I ate it up four times! Sadly, it was untinted (which is ok, as I watched it on a B&W tv). Also sadly, it was shown at 24fps, speeding it up so dramatically that a 90 minute film was over within just over an hour. HOWEVER -- I have always been enamored of Peter Schirmann's score for that version, which I believe dates to around 1965. Are you familiar with that score? It's partly "early electronic", partly quirky jazz. I think this might have been the MOMA version? Also the titles -- that had been translated, I believe, from German to French and then from French to English -- hardly authentic, but the ones I grew up with -- AND MEMORIZED at age 11!

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

I'm not sure but that score description sounds familiar. The versions I grew up seeing were all kinds of crummy and random public domain label VHS copies.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@bixgomez2839 Nosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@HRilho]

Just got the Masters of Cinema bluray edition of this movie, already having three previous dvd editions. Too bad the Art Zoyd soundtrack is aparently not on any bluray but I own the UK Eureka 2 disk DVD (2000) which contains that soundtrack. It was my first foray into silent films in general, and is still for me the best way to experience the foreboding and entrancing feel of this masterpiece.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@HRilho Nosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@davidosborn6714]

Agreed on the Kalat commentary on the MOC version. Coincidentally, I just finished hearing his equally fascinating and edifying (4 hour!) track on the MOC DR. MABUSE, DER SPIELER release. In addition Kalat's book, The Strange Case of Dr. Mabuse, is available on Kindle and is an essential read. I liked your comments on how the Plague elements of the film mirrored the recent influenza epidemic of 1919. I last screened my MOC NOSFERATU during the COVID-19 outbreak and of course was struck by the eerie parallels. Wasn't even aware of the BFI version, but I freely admit to being intrigued by a James Bernard score...

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

Thanks, I definitely need to check out his track on Mabuse!! The epidemic parallels really stick out now though I’ll admit my first thought during Covid and now weirder watching experience was Isle of the Dead. You’ll love the BFI. The Bernard score is the best for me now. I think it’s absolutely perfect and better than the one on the MOC. Plus there’s something to the slightly rougher look of the Photoplay version in addition to its color tinting choices that appeal to me a bit more.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@davidosbom6714 Nosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@Martinmd12-zt7vu]

This convinced me to get a region free 4k player. I am excited to hear that David Kalat commentary you praised when I get the blu ray.

[@gehrig27]

Another excellent, thorough, and timely review Spencer! I need to hear that Bernard score so badly. I keep putting it off, but I need to finally get a region free player so I don’t continue to miss out on all these great releases. I’ve had one from 220 electronics saved in my Amazon shopping cart for months. What model did you end up getting?

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

That was me for the longest time. I got one of the small Sonys with added pal conversion when they clearanced out some older models a few years ago. I’ll have to look up the model number. Of course now there’s UHD players as well.

[@benglez]

Thanks a lot...great timing finding your video...I canceled the Kino and ordered the MoC😬👍

[@bixgomez2839]

Thank you so much for this wonderful review & analysis! I came to your channel specifically seeking a comparison between the BFI and MoC versions, which, to be honest, I previously thought were one and the same! Now I know that they differ. So, to clarify: the Kino version, that is essentially the same restoration and score as the Eureka/MoC version, but with a wonky pulldown that ends up actually dropping frames?

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

Exactly. The MOC has the better encoding and extras to boot so there is zero reason to ever bother with the Kino disc. It should have been recalled years ago.

[@jamessheridan4306]

Damn! so many references to the "original score" but not even a mention of its composer: Hans Erdman. THERE! I said it.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

I didn’t realize I didn’t mention him by name at some point! That’s a goof on my part.🤦🏻‍♂️

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@jamessheridan4306 Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.

[@Pete-eb3vo]

It's actually pretty great that you have done a review on Nosferatu and it's Blu Ray releases. Nosferatu coming in at 100 years old and yet out of all the Dracula adaptations, it still remains as the most atmospheric, eerie and expressionistic of them all and one of the most beautifully artistic works of art in general. As you said before in this review, its not a straight up scary film but a haunting film (though the shot that has Hutter opening and you see Orlok just standing from a distance is pretty creepy) that sought of stays with you forever and never really leaves you. A silent or a talkie can have equal potential in terms of expression depending on how its executed in my opinion, but as great as adaptations like Horror of Dracula are, none have that visceral quality that Nosferatu has in terms of images that stay in your mind for a very long time to say the least. I own the Masters of Cinema Blu Ray which is a excellent release with a beautiful transfer, stunning original artwork, solid bonus features and a nice booklet. And the original score by Hans Erdmann is quite a beautiful piece as well. Quick note but at 11:13, i don't think that i agree when some say that Nosferatu is not a vampire film and instead a metaphor for the supposed 'flu epidemic'. I personally think that its a argument swallowed up in pretension when certain cinephiles make that statement. Yes, there is a plague in the film, and yes it did come out a few years after this so called 'flu epidemic' but at the end of the day, saying that Nosferatu is not a vampire film is like saying that Jaws is not a shark film. Its a film about a vampire who terrorises, what else needs to be said? As far as the films home video history is concerned, i would have thought that it would have been no debate that the MOC disc would have had the most accurate tinting by far, but it turns out that it is a bit more complicated than what i thought it would be. When i watched the film i saw there being three colours: Amber, Green and Pink. Silent films are meant to have Blue and other colours applied but i never noticed any blue or any other colours on my disc regardless of what settings i used. It seems to me that the BFI disc offers more variety in terms of colours and sounds like its more in line with what the tinting notes described. If you wouldn't mind me asking, what would be your thoughts on this very interesting series of articles right here? www.brentonfilm.com/nosferatu-history-and-home-video-guide-part-6 Sorry that i haven't commented in a long time Spencer, you're sure knocking it out of the park with your extremely informative videos and this one is no exception. Congrats for earning over 2000 subscribers.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

The brentonfilm article is the gold standard for Nosferatu. I’m so glad it exists and gets updated. Until a 4k workflow happens with new work I think the MOC presentation and BFI release of the Photoplay restoration are the definitive releases. I still really like aspects of each. It’s impossible to know exactly what was in Grau and Murnau’s heads in putting the film together but I think Kalat’s commentary puts it best by highlighting Grau’s participation in the occult sciences while explaining the historical context of the pandemic that had torn through Europe in the recent past. While some may read the film directly in those ways it is some good food for thought and at the least must have been in the back of everyone’s minds given the consistent plague references.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@Pete-eb3vo Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.

[@eddylex4921]

I own the German Blu Ray by universum film do you know anything about this edition does it skip frames like the Kino? From your screen caps it seems to be identical to the Eureka Masters release the picture quality is excellent. I wonder if the Eureka one is based on this release. I also own Die Nibelungen German Blu Ray also by Universum and it too looks great.

[@Ifrit007]

It’s a pretty good edition of the film, not as good as BFI or Eureka, but it’s actually quite the nice small edition. And no, it doesn’t have the issue like Kino’s disc, it runs just as nicely as the BFI and Eureka disc. I’d say it’s worth keeping due to its significant exclusive extra, that being the 8mm cut-down, “show at home” print of Nosferatu that’s around 28 minutes long. As said by BrentonFilm, “This cut-down gives an idea of the only way a relative few collectors got to experience the film at all before the home video revolution.” Anyway, I hope this helps!

[@eddylex4921]

@@Ifrit007 Good to know thanks 👍

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

​@@Ifrit007Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

​@@eddylex4921Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.

[@Ninjastar202]

I have the MoC DVD version. May get the 4K when it comes out :)

[@bubbafett7326]

Thank you for your informative video. It was very interesting. I wish I had seen this before getting the kino. I got it on sale but it was the first time watching the film just this year. I ended up ordering the Eureka and BFI discs. Now one of them will probably release it on 4K lol😂. Thanks again.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

Thanks! I hope you enjoy both disc releases! That's the thought: a 4K version or new restoration is likely in the cards since Caligari is debuting soon.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@bubbafett7326 Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.

[@tullebob1683]

Thank you for this video and for sharing your knowledge!

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

No problem, glad you enjoyed it!

[@tapuchris-cb9jy]

My interest in Noseferatu started when I saw him in an episode of SpongeBob.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@tapuchris-cb9jy Nosferatu (2024), Bill Skarsgard.

[@tapuchris-cb9jy]

@@cheloniadaycare8872 ???

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@@tapuchris-cb9jy Robert Eggers.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@@tapuchris-cb9jy Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.

[@tapuchris-cb9jy]

@@cheloniadaycare8872 is that coming?

[@katieg8531]

Are there any streaming versions that you recommend? I want to watch but have no means to watch a blue ray

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

That’s a good point. I don’t do streaming myself and honestly I think it’s probably going to be a crapshoot since the film is in the public domain and there’s so many versions floating around out there. You’d have to just try to find the best one you can that has a decent image and soundtrack. There’s probably some that are sneakily just copying official releases and uploading them. Before the Blu-rays were released, the only good DVDs were the original Kino version with the purple cover and the earlier restoration from the late 90s that Image did a DVD of that had the black and red cover.

[@cinemaarts8795]

What's a good region-free player?

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

Basically I'd say any of the modded Sony units from 220 electronics. I've had no issues with the Sony player I got from them. Just make sure to check the specs and pick up one that has onboard PAL to NTSC conversion so you'll be able to play back any standard def PAL extras. Frequently they have sales and you can get a player for around $100 or under.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@cinemaarts8795 Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.

[@ianstouffer1440]

I plan on getting the BFI Blu-Ray soon, but not right away.

[@oakie007]

Did you get it?

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@ianstouffer1440 Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

​@@oakie007Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.

[@AvengerII]

Does anybody have the 100th Anniversary Edition of Nosferatu from Reel Vault? Seems to be sold out most places! There don't seem to be any reviews of it. I was thinking of getting the Eureka edition since I now have a multi-region Blu ray player software. The BFI was the other version that got recommended. Heard about the Kino release's issues only recently. So, so glad I DIDN'T buy this when I saw it at Barnes & Noble years ago...

[@AvengerII]

I ended up ordering the Masters of Cinema version on Blu ray. I may get the BFI version later but I got the MoC because it has beautiful artwork and is based on the latest reconstruction of the film. I have software that allows Region B playback and recently tested it with a Region B release of the Flash Gordon "Life After Flash" documentary that was on the deluxe 4K/BD set release by Studio Canal from last year. I think I'll be safe with a 9-year-old MoC Blu ray!d It's sad to hear Kino completely screwed up the US release but oh well -- at least there are alternatives! Not all Region B Blu rays are hardlocked. Eureka also released a Region B version of the anime feature Metropolis (which was LIGHTLY inspired by the Fritz Lang science fiction classic) that played on American Blu ray players without any issues. I got the steelbook release of that one. I wasn't even aware of the steelbook of Nosferatu (which is horrendously marked up now; only addition from the mass-release is a PAL DVD but I don't collect those anyway) but am pleasantly surprised by the pricing of the MoC releases online... They're very reasonable!

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

There's now some reviews on the bluray.com forums. It seems a print of some type was scanned with English intertitles dating back quite a ways. It also runs shorter than the restorations and may be a 16mm source.

[@AvengerII]

@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader I'd read somewhere the "100th anniversary edition" was a BD-R. I HATE -R discs! Very unstable, they tend to rot quickly. I'm glad I got the Masters of Cinema edition but it's going to take AT LEAST 2 weeks for me to get it! The overseas shipments of movies are taking something like 2-3 weeks on average to arrive. It was that one (MoC) or the BFI disc. I'll probably get the BFI next year for the score. I DO like the Hammer Dracula movies! Lugosi is still my favorite Count Dracula but I have an appreciation for what Hammer did for the first few Dracula movies it made.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

@@AvengerII yes I believe it’s a BD-R. Eureka shipments do usually take a little while but they’re a smaller company doing free international shipping which I find remarkable. I don’t mind it taking a little longer coming all that way. Especially since my October order from them will still come sooner than Shout Factory…🤣 For me the three great vampire films are Horror of Dracula, Nosferatu and Universal’s 1931 Dracula. They are the towering achievements that have stood the test of time. It’s a shame both Universal and Hammer’s cycles sputtered out over time. I really love Brides of Dracula and have fondness for all the later sequels but they don’t maintain the quality consistency of the Frankenstein series. Dracula’s Daughter is great fun but was almost another James Whale masterpiece. After that the new studio regime treated Dracula like a has been in the monster rallies.

[@AvengerII]

@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader Oh, you ordered from the last Shout Factory sale, too? LOL! Yeah, I ordered 2 discs from Shout pre-Halloween. The Crush (old Alicia Silverstone thriller) and Curse of the Cat People, the Val Lewton production. I already have the Criterion release of Cat People (Blu ray). The 2 discs I ordered had excellent sales and really were the last ones I intended on buying from Shout Factory. I pretty much have every Hammer film I intend to get from Shout Factory. I have a few like Brides of Dracula that are from earlier BD releases from other companies that had licenses to Hammer films. I'm only interested in picking up the stuff I want to own; unless the extras justify, I don't see the point in double-dipping on the non-Christopher Lee films. As you say, these are small companies. Funny how some one-man operations STILL manage to beat others in shipping your orders to you quickly! Shipping has been shot to hell since 2020. I remember things getting to you through mail a LOT quicker than they do now generally. I still push on with Shout Factory because they get some weird licenses that nobody else touches as well as occasionally outdoing general studio releases in terms of extras on Blu ray. Honestly, there really aren't many silent films I care to own besides a few horror (Nosferatu, The Golem, Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) and Metropolis. I have no issues with B&W -- never have. Some of my favorite TV shows, movies, and animated shorts (Popeye) are B&W. The only thing I'm a snob about is sound. I just miss having dialogue and the pacing of some older films is just atrocious. There are very few 3+ hr movies I've seen that have excellent pacing.

[@robinanwaldt]

Even though I live in Germany, I’m planning on buying the Masters of Cinema release. In fact, many Murnau Foundation films I own I consider selling and just buying the MOC versions, because the German Blu-ray covers from the Murnau Foundation’s own releases here just look absolutely cheap and boring, with the only exception being their cover for Der blaue Engel and the new 4K UHD of Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari.

[@eddylex4921]

I live in the USA but I also own the Murnau Foundation Deutsch releases of Nosferatu and Die Nibelungen on Blu Ray and your right the covers are very boring with just a still from the movies as the front cover. My German is about 50% so I'm able to mostly understand them.

[@Ifrit007]

I feel that regarding the covers, they were attempting to do something similar to Edition Filmmuseum, but they failed doing so.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

@robihanwaldt Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

​@@eddylex4921Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.

[@cheloniadaycare8872]

​@@Ifrit007Nosferatu (2024), bill Skarsgard.