Nosferatu [DVD] [1922]

Director F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu is widely recognized as both a silent movie classic and one of the most disturbing and eerie adaptations of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula ever filmed. Unauthorized by Stoker's estate, the film almost vanished after its debut as a result of his wife's efforts to destroy all known prints and negatives because of its "unofficial" status. Fortunately, some prints survived, so that viewers can enjoy this landmark film starring Max Schreck in an unsettling performance as a rat-like vampire. Alpha Video's Nosferatu DVD offers only the movie and the most rudimentary chapter selection. The quality of the black-and-white, full- frame picture is as good as can be expected for an 80-year-old film made with a hand-cranked camera. It's a minor miracle to be able to enjoy a film made when radio was in its infancy with digital technology, so even though this disc lacks any extras, it's still a worthwhile "creature feature" to add to a DVD collection.