Vampires tend to stick around, which is why it’s only fitting that Nosferatu, a horror film to end all horror films, has found itself at 100 years old; just in time for Halloween. You read that right, this spine-tingling masterpiece has been around for more than a century, and you can catch the full movie for free online. Just be prepared for a few nightmares afterward.
It was here before you were born, and will be here long after you’re gone. Fate truly has a wicked sense of humor. Based on the Bram Stoker novel Dracula, which was also written a vampire’s age ago in 1897, this tale of bloodlust has influenced decades’ worth of chills and thrills.
What makes Nosferatu so great is that it sets the stage for countless other horror stories, and its influence can still be felt today. This was one of the first films to use dramatic irony, lighting, and performance as a way to truly terrify an audience. A time when vampires were genuine monsters, instead of sparkly teenagers running around in the woods. We’re looking at you Twilight.
Fans are celebrating the iconic film on the appropriate date of Oct. 31, with unique and creative settings to say the very least.
Horror is a genre that demands reinterpretation, and just as Nosferatu ripped off Dracula, director Robert Eggers (The Northman, The Lighthouse) looks to take a swing at with his retelling of the source material. No one knows if the upcoming remake will hold a candle to this beloved story, but it certainly looks to scare us. Whether it’s through brilliance or incompetence, only time will tell.