Murnau. It is hard not to imagine where Murnau would be on this list if he hasn’t died in a car accident at age 42. Top 10? He was a master of cinematography (both the Oscar version (mostly meaning photography) of the word and the true Bordwell definition). He’s the yin to Eisenstein’s yang as far as editing and camera movement go. He has two top 100 films (nobody behind him on my director list has more). Many debate whether Sunrise is the best silent film of all-time (I have it second to Passion of Joan of Arc) and, to give you an idea of the strength of Murnau’s case, there’s strong debate about whether Nosferatu is actually his singular masterpiece as well.
Best film: Sunrise. The most recent viewing of Dreyer’s Joan of Arc slid it past Sunrise but I have it at #18 of all-time. It’s known for those graceful tracking shots and tragic narrative—but the mise-en-scene work (as evidenced here) and some loud (in a good way) measured editing choice make it more than that- the complete package for a masterpiece.
total archiveable films: 7
top 100 films: 2 (Sunrise, Nosferatu)
top 500 films: 3 (Sunrise, Nosferatu, The Last Laugh)
top 100 films of the decade: 5 (Sunrise, Nosferatu, The Last Laugh, Faust, Phantom)
most overrated: Tabu. I can’t get behind this being #244 of all-time as it is on TSPDT (it isn’t in my top 500)— but– I’m due for a second visit.
most underrated: Nosferatu. It’s not wildly underrated (#134 all-time on TSPDT and I’m at #55). The expressionism and silhouette work is a landmark for mise-en-scene and the narrative (and legendary lead performance) are entirely engaging.
gem I want to spotlight: Nosferatu. Early (though not the earliest- that would go to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari)) masterpiece of German expressionism, a triumph of mise-en-scene (which may be redundant saying that because the term is almost hand in hand with German expressionism) and a seminal landmark film in the horror genre.
stylistic innovations/traits: Murnau is the father of camera movement—full stop— a baton he’d past to Renoir, Ophuls and may others up through Cuaron today. But- as you can grasp from the imagery on this page (and the one nice dissolve edit I was able to locate from Last Laugh) editing and mise-en-scene were not an afterthought. To that end—the German Expressionism movement from Caligari to Lang which bleeds into film noir in Hollywood is a major historical and stylistic film movement (not totally unlike Italian Neorealism or the French New Wave) and Murnau is right there with Lang in this movement’s legacy.
top 10
- Sunrise
- Nosferatu
- The Last Laugh
- Faust
- Tabu
- Phantom
- City Girl
By year and grades
| 1922- Nosferatu | MP |
| 1922- Phantom | R |
| 1924- The Last Laugh | MS |
| 1926- Faust | HR |
| 1927- Sunrise | MP |
| 1930- City Girl | R |
| 1931- Tabu | R |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
Hello Drake, love the site. Have you managed to catch Eggers’ Nosferatu yet? And what are your thoughts.
@Haider- Thank you for the kind words about the site. I should be seeing Nosferatu this week finally. Did you catch it? What did you think?
I loved it, especially the castle scene where we’re properly introduced to Nosferatu and he’s only shown in glimpses. Focusing on Hoult’s fear and delirium is a great choice. I don’t think it was a masterpiece, but Eggers is bound to make one sooner or later. What did you think?
Study Summary:
F.W. Murnau first entered my radar when I was looking for some classic horror films to watch during Halloween in 2020. I ended up watching the original 1922 version from F.W. Murnau and Werner Herzog’s excellent 1979 remake, back-to-back. I revisited the 1979 remake during my Herzog Study. I rank both as MP and am excited for the upcoming Robert Eggers Version
Murnau is one of the first names to appear when searching for German Expressionism Cinema along with Fritz Lang and a couple of others. Similar to Lang, Murnau eventually came to the United States to make films. However, Murnau’s life was cut short as the result of a car accident at just 42 years old. But he certainly made his mark with not only MP level films but landmark films
Nosferatu is not merely a great film but a landmark horror film. Sunrise is considered by some to be the greatest silent film and one of the greatest films of all time period
This was my first Director Study which consisted of all silent films. Hitchcock started with silent films, but all of his top-level work were not silent films
I initially graded Murnau with 4 MP. Reevaluating a bit I think Faust (1926) is a borderline so MP/MS which is still incredibly strong. Faust has some of the best shots, I do not think it flows scene to scene quite as well as the other 3 MP
For now, I am willing to call Nosferatu (1922) as his best work. The consensus pick seems to be Sunrise (1927) and I cannot really argue much against it as it is a phenomenal film, I actually watched it two nights in a row. I have seen Nosferatu (1922) a total of 4 times now, I believe. The Last Laugh (1924) is not too far behind although I am still unsure of whether or not I like the ending. Regardless it is an unbelievable film as well
Final Ranking and Grades:
# 1 Nosferatu (1922) – MP
# 2 Sunrise (1927) – MP
# 3 The Last Laugh (1924) – MP
# 4 Faust (1926) – MP/MS
# 5 Phantom (1922) – HR/R
# 6 Journey into the Night (1921) – R
# 7 The Haunted Castle (1921) – R
This is a very interesting study. I’ve only ever seen Sunrise, so I’m excited to watch Nosferatu. I must say I’m shocked you put Sunrise below Nosferatu below Sunrise, which logically means Sunrise < #72 greatest film of all time. I think its visual achievement, between the moving camera, natural imagery, city vs country, visual juxtapositions that you talked about, dissolves, etc., plus the editing and scene transitions (the best scene transitions in cinema?), Janet Gaynor's performance – it's just hard for me to comprehend #80. TSPDT puts it at #7, which seems far to me, give or take. I mean, your list has it lower than Fight Club.
But I love your analysis, and you drew my attention to a lot of details in my favorite movies I might never have noticed. Even though I might not follow my conclusions, you've given us all more information to speak more educatedly, even when we disagree. Well done on the study.
Correction – Sunrise is #8.
@K – Thank you, I appreciate that very much. I really love doing this studies. Taking the notes is timely but worth it. Please let me know if you watch any of his films. I always point out great films get better with more viewings and I have seen Nosferatu 4 times and Sunrise only 2. I may be wrong, my lists are always evolving and I hope getting better over time.
I hear you regarding Fight Club (1999) but it is difficult for me to immediately place films I have just watched of the first time, even some of the best films.
I’ve seen far fewer old films than you, and all except The Shining once, so I have to rank films I’ve only seen recently and once. I did like Fight Club, especially the black comedy, buy I felt the movie started to fell apart the longer it went on – no way would I let it touch the hem of the robe of Sunrise. But then, I’ve only seen either of these movies once.
Have you seen Battleship Potemkin
I wish I could edit posts I’ve made – that missing “?” does look hideous.
@K – Battleship Potemkin is actually next on my list of the best films that I am yet to see per the rankings on this site. Sunrise (1927) was for a long time the highest ranking film on this site that I had not yet seen followed by Intolerance (1916) and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Sunrise (1927)
Notes:
The lead male character is simply referred to as “the man” and the lead female characters “the wife” and “the woman from the city”
Starts with a sketch of a train station before transitioning to a shot of a train leaving a station
3:09 shot of a woman on a beach on the right side of the frame and a large ship superimposed over the left side of the frame
4:21 a woman of the city is introduced
5:01 obstruction in the foreground highlights depth of background
6:35 tracking shot of woman from the city
12:12 the man finally makes it out to the field where the woman from the city serves as a seductress
13:14 open field with a full moon in the background as the man begins his affair with the woman from the city
14:08 intertitles “couldn’t she get drowned?” are bent inward
15:08 dissolve from countryside to the city
15:54 superimposed images of city life over the field
16:16 music changes from upbeat to haunting with a pan over the field
16:52 simple of beautiful shot of full moon in background with a shot of the characters in field at night, there is a similar shot in Faust (1926)
19:45 a layer of fog hovers over the man
22:40 super imposed images of the woman from the city over the man
31:31 the man cannot bring himself to drown his wife and instead he furiously rows back to the shore
43:24 the man breaks down crying at a random wedding he attends with his wife serving as a sort of proxy wedding for the man and his wife indicating the opportunity for a new start
45:24 the city turns into the country and back to the city
46:11 the man and his wife are yelled at as they are kissing in the street
59:34 spinning top dissolves to an event resembling a circus or fair
1:00:04 camera moving into a carnival like atmosphere
1:01:10 beautiful shot of carnival
1:08:27 impressive choreography during dance sequence
1:10:05 super imposed images circle over the man and his wife
1:11:53 fireworks in background and rollercoaster type ride in midground
1:12:55 line of light over the water across the frame vertically
1:16:19 intense winds causing boat to move uncontrollably
1:16:53 lightning flashes during high winds storm
1:18:42 intense storm depicted with flashes of lightning, huge waves crashing over the boat
1:26:58 another shot similar to Faust
1:28:31 full moon appears again after clouds move
Thoughts:
Murnau with his first American film has a backstory with some commonalities with Orson Welles and Citizen Kane (1941) in that FW Murnau was successfully recruited by Hollywood via Fox Studios and given free reign to make a film in which he had full creative control. The difference of course is that Welles had never made a film before Citizen Kane where Murnau already had multiple MP films to his name
The narrative has a universal nature with characters who are symbols more than distinct characters with unique personalities. With this film you have characters named “the man” and the lead female characters “the wife” and “the woman from the city”. It is a bit like Days of Heaven (1978) where the Sam Shepard character is simply “the farmer”. Not to mention both films have love triangles and chaotic weather sequences
The film juxtaposes frequently such as the woman from the city who dresses in black, smokes cigarettes, and exudes sexuality vs the wife who wears white, is nurturing, and less adventurous. Duality is a theme of the film that is captured visually with splitting the frame. There are also match cuts used in a sequence when the man and the woman from the city is cut to the wife and her child
There is a great extended tracking shot leading to the shot of the fields with the full moon in the background is a simple but stunning image as the woman from the city dressed in black blocks out part of the frame. There are a few variations of this shot which strongly resembles a shot from Faust (1926)
Dissolves and superimposing imagery are used effectively. There is a great scene early with the countryside dissolving into the city and back to the country. The transitions are really impressive as the film as the film moves between locations frequently
The location as character certainly applies to this film, the country vs the city. The city sets were massive and are filled to the brim. Even some of the interior shots manage to capture this by using large glass windows to include people in the background of the frame. The shot of the carnival with the rollercoaster is one of my favorites. The lighting during the night scenes is really spectacular
There is visual inventiveness such as the intertitles “couldn’t she get drowned?” which are bent inward as if it is sinking, which also is effective in creating suspense when the man takes his wife on the boat about 10-15 minute later. The scene in the boat where the man walks toward his wife with his back hunched resembles the way Count Orlok stiffly walks toward Hutter in a threatening manner in Nosferatu
The escaped pig sequence seemed a little out of place. It is a very minor complain though. This is an incredible film
Verdict: MP
Faust (1926)
Notes:
Starts with Mephisto aka The Devil riding through the skies and then making a bet with an Archangel about whether or not a man named Faust will be willing to sell his soul. High contrast black and white with Mephisto a black image and Archangel a white image. An alchemist named Faust is agreed to be used as the man the bet revolves around
5:33 shot of village attending a carnival
6:14 dark image of Mephisto above the town, shortly after this he spreads plague causing townspeople to run away from the show
7:30 townspeople dropping dead from plague
8:53 Faust shown praying to God with white light over him
13 min people run through village still stopping to respect the cross even during the Plague
14:04 an expanding image of Mephisto’s head is shown over towns people
17:50 incredible image of Faust huddled up under silhouette tree with a full moon on the right background of the frame
17:58 Faust facing camera surrounded by a hazy substance
21:08 another brilliant image with carefully crafted mise en scene
21:34 Faust facing away from camera on left side of frame and Mephisto in the background
22:33 close up on a large paper is presented to Faust that states he would be renouncing God
23:35 sand time hourglass presented to Faust
24:24 dissolve showing desperate, sick, and dying people pleading for help in order to tempt Faust
28:42 Faust cannot touch the cross resulting in towns people to assume he is the league with the devil
30:25 camera pushes in on sand time
31:08 Faust sees skull in reflection
34:41 image of beautiful woman approaching
37:53 Faust is taken to a Wedding feast in Pharma Italy to see the beautiful woman who is the Duchess of Italy, at this point Faust has been given his youth back
41:02 Mephisto fights and kills the groom of the Dutchess, after killing him the screen goes black and all that is visible is Mephisto
42:55 the sand runs out in the middle of Faust
43:08 holographic image of Faust as an old man implying Faust is going to lose his youth and the Duchess unless he agrees to give his soul away for eternity
49:15 incredible mise en scene inside Church with candles and religious imagery on the walls
54:00 village with sharp pointed houses
56:56 Faust becomes fixated on a young woman named Gretchen
1:04:23 surveillance angle shot of the Gretchen and a group of children, as Faust and Mephisto stalk her
1:06:13 Mephisto tempting the mother with jewelry
1:07:56 Faust sneaks up on Gretchen
1:13:50 splitting of frame with Mephisto standing on right side of frame in foreground
1:19:40 burst of flame following Mephisto toasting to Gretchen
1:20:52 claustrophobic atmosphere as Faust stands outside the mother’s room at night before awakening her to seeing Faust and Gretchen causing her to drop dead in a state of shock
1:22:23 Gretchen’s brother Valentin stabbed in the back by Mephisto while Valentin and Faust were sparring with swords
1:23:16 Faust screaming murder around town to wake the neighbors
1:24:26 Gretchen’s brother Valentin lying down dying in streets as towns people approach and he accuses Gretchen of her lover killing him
1:25:13 Mephisto and Faust riding away in the sky
1:25:38 great shot as there is a very subtle canted angle shot with large candles in the foreground and group of 10 men in the midground with a couple of silhouette images during funeral scene
1:26:40 Gretchen in foreground as she is constantly rebuffed during funeral of Valentin
1:34:10 silhouette image revealed to be Gretchen moving through snow
1:36:36 holographic image of Gretchen
1:43:41 Faust who is now back to his original age in the opening saves Gretchen
1:46:01 Ends with Mephisto and the Archangel, with Mephisto in foreground with back to the camera while Archangel is in background with face to camera
Thoughts:
The film revolves around German Folklore, specifically the story of Faust hence the title. It is about an ordinary man named Faust who makes a deal with the devil, at first to help the dying people around him but then for earthly pleasures such as youth, money, and sex
The story is told in operatic fashion with a commanding orchestra score and overly dramatic performances at times. The costume work is amazing, this is immediately obvious during the opening sequence as there is a brilliant bookend that uses a clash between good and evil in the form of Mephisto aka the Devil and an archangel
There are stunning images throughout the film but none better than when Faust goes to meet Mephisto and Faust is huddled up under silhouette tree with a full moon on the right background of the frame. This shot is just before 18-minute mark and there are a couple variations of it for a couple of minutes. This is a Cinematic painting. Mephisto eyes glow several times during this section. The film is full of distinct imagery and disturbing images at that. Another memorable image is the “deal with the devil” which is presented to Faust on a large burning scroll
The film uses high contrast lighting beginning with the initial clash of Archangel and Mephisto and carried throughout the film which is about the clash between righteous and evil. Mephisto is almost always in black, while the other characters are almost always wearing white. There is brilliant use of chiaroscuro such as Mephisto and Faust moving through the skies
Similar to Nosferatu the film uses real life horrors such as the plague. Mephisto in black is shown hovering above the village in a shot where he is taking up almost all of the frame which depicts his power as his wings block out the sunlight
Emil Jannings plays Mephisto with a villainous charm. With the black clothing I could not help but think of Bengt Ekerot playing “Death” in Bergman’s The Seventh Seal (1957) although the characters have significant differences as well. The Death character maintained a fairly consistent facial expression and general attitude while Mephisto is shown with a range of moods shown via Jannings expressive face. He appears to enjoy manipulating people and causing devastation just because he can. Not only with the plague but also the way he informs the villagers about the murder of Gretchen’s brother, causing the town to turn on her. Using mythology works well as a film like this has characters who are more symbols than those with distinct personality traits
There are subtle canted angle shots of the village. A little after the 85 min mark there is a great shot as there is a very subtle canted angle shot with large candles in the foreground and group of 10 men in the midground with a couple of silhouette images during funeral scene
This is an early horror masterpiece that delves into elements of fantasy and romance. The visuals are indelible start to finish and the narrative intriguing with its universal themes
Verdict: MP
The Last Laugh (1924)
Notes:
Starts with on rainy night outside of prestigious hotel
Emil Jannings plays an unnamed hotel doorman
5:23 Jannings manager eyes him suspiciously noting his declining physical abilities
6:12 after rain lets up Jannings removes raincoats revealing an immaculate uniform, he stands in foreground with revolving door in midground and guest in background
8:58 Jannings neighborhood is poor compared to where he works
11:57 low angle shot of woman standing on the balcony of apartment building cleaning his work uniform
15:50 Jannings sticks up for child being picked on, he clearly is highly respected in his neighborhood
18:46 frame in frame with glass door, the characters position in the frame speaks volumes, as Jannings boss is positioned in the background with his back to the camera as he casually goes about his work while Jannings stands in foreground facing camera
19:54 great camera movement with camera moving from position outside the room looking into the camera moving over the document that Jannings receives from his boss which reveals he has been demoted due to his old age and is now going to be the bathroom attendant
23:55 close up on face of Jannings who is stunned and looks in shock
26:40 camera lingers on a shot of the uniform followed by the camera slowly moving in on it, highlighting its importance to Jannings
30:55 Jannings stealthily moves through hall at night with watchman in the building
32:21 camera static while night watchman’s flashlight in visible near the background of frame
33:14 pan from Jannings to the security guards who are asleep, followed by Jannings sprinting out of the building with his beloved uniform
34:44 shadow of Jannings shown before Jannings as he walks upstairs, similar to shot from Nosferatu
36:07 Jannings has a drink at the wedding party while wearing his uniform
39:53 shaky camera POV shot
40:41 dream sequence, incredible dissolve of Jannings head to the doorway of the hotel followed by the camera moving in on Jannings
42:09 shaky camera POV from Jannings perspective with out of focus images during dream sequence
46:10 another distorted image of person from Jannings POV
52:13 Jannings working in the bathroom
52:50 tracking shot in the upper scale Hotel restaurant
55:05 woman from Jannings neighborhood is looking to bring him food as a surprise at his job only to learn he does not work as the doorman
56:08 shot of Jannings and his reflection in mirror
56:31 rapid camera movement on the face of the woman looking to bring food, she is stunned to learn that he is not the doorman
1:01:55 gossip in neighborhood over Janning not being a doorman at the hotel
1:02:37 great use of rapid camera movement with camera pushing in on the ear of a neighbor
1:06:06 dissolve of all the laughing and mocking faces of Jannings neighbors upon his return
1:09:12 great composition with the lamp in foreground and disgusted faces of the neighbors
1:11:40 Jannings stays at hotel at night
1:12:55 spotlight shining on Jannings in bathroom as he has hit rock bottom
1:14:30 epilogue reveals that Jannings inherited a fortune from an eccentric millionaire named A. G. Monney, a patron who died in his arms in the hotel washroom
1:16:14 sweeping camera movements as camera gliding through restaurant and eventually moving in on huge cake and then reveals Janning sitting at the table eating and being served upon like a King
1:24:15 Jannings in bathroom showing kindness to the man who now has his old job
Thoughts:
The story is simple enough as you have a proud man and subtract the key element of makes him proud. In this case his job as a hotel clerk greeting guests, not a terribly lucrative job but it provided him with a sense of purpose and prestige via proximity to the wealthy guest of the very high-end hotel
The hotel uniform that Jannings wears is a great motif for social respectability. It is even a bit comical that he attaches such importance to the uniform and by extension all the characters from his neighborhood. He is treated almost like a war hero by his neighbors, both adults and children
This is what Hitchcock would call pure cinema, the images give you just about everything to watch; there are no title cards aside from the epilogue
I love distorted POV shots. One of my favorite shots from Hitchcock Study are the shots from Notorious (1946) when Ingrid Bergman’s character is drugged by tea. In this film there are so many of these types of shots. The dream sequence and much of the film following have soft focus or holographic images in a scene where Jannings sees two versions of his neighbor. During the scene where Jannings steals the uniform from the hotel and is almost caught, the camera lingers on the uniform from Jannings POV emphasizing the importance it has to him
The dream sequence contains an incredible dissolve edit as well as the sequence where Jannings neighbors learn he is not the doorman at the Hotel. The neighbors laughing and mocking faces fill the frame and overwhelm Jannings
The camera rapidly moves in on characters in a couple of scenes such as when Jannings is caught in his lie by the neighbor who unexpectedly shows up with food, and Jannings opens up the bathroom door with a sort of “deer in a headlight” look on his face while the camera rapidly pushes in on the face of the stunned neighbor. During the gossip scene where the neighbors all learn about Jannings job status the camera moves in on a close up of the ear of an elderly neighbor
There is a great tracking shot inside the restaurant of the hotel when Jannings neighbor is looking for him. There is great use of camera movements inside the restaurant during the epilogue when it is revealed that Jannings the one being served like a King
I am not sure what to make of the ending, I guess it is more an epilogue. It is such a contrived plot twist that it is actually stated on the screen giving it a meta quality. It does feel like a fantasy and not consistent with everything before it. I will have to think it over more but either way this is an incredible film
Verdict: MP
@James Trapp- this is a big one to check off the list– and that ending can keep you up nights thinking about it
@Drake – I was intrigued when I saw it in your update top 1000 list in the top 100
Phantom (1922)
Notes:
Thoughts:
The story of an older man who becomes obsessed with a much younger and attractive woman, this basic set up is similar to Scarlet Street (1945) and Blue Angel (1930) to name a couple examples
Here Lorenz Lubota (Alfred Abel) plays low level bureaucrat who aspires to be Poet. Around the 17-minute mark he has a chance encounter in the street with a beautiful upper-class woman named Veronika (played by Lya De Putti); Lorenz becomes obsessed and starts to stalk her despite the age gap and class differences. Lorenz borrows money from his wealthy Aunt Schwabe (Grete Berger) and meets woman who looks like Veronika (also played by Lya De Putti) and assumes he is a wealthy man
Murnau uses vivid colors in this tale which despite its title is not actually based on supernatural elements but rather more of a psychological drama focusing on the obsessions and delusions of the protagonist. Pinks, reds, and blues are used in more emotionally charged sequences which are contrasting with beige hues in the more mundane scenes
The “Phantom” of the story is not so much a supernatural phantom but more so a beautiful and unattainable woman that is so far out of the protagonist’s league that she may as well be a phantom to him. The film uses several mystery tropes including obsession, Doppelgängers, dreams, and a singular event that the protagonist cannot stop thinking about
There is a great sequence that starts with an overhead shot of Lorenz and Mellitta running down a spiral staircase accompanied by a grand orchestra score. Lorenz goes on a crazy spending spree for Mellitta despite his knowledge that he does not have money to pay anyone back. Basically, his life spiraled out of control
There are a couple of great dissolves and use of holographic images, in particular used to illustrate the doubles trope
Verdict: HR/R
Nosferatu (1922)
Notes:
Starts with haunting music from orchestra, before a single image is viewed you know you are in for something special
4:04 title card emphasizes the sinister sounding name “Nosferatu” and the generally uneasy feelings the name conjures
4:57 starts with a shot overlooking a fictional German village named Wisborg accompanied by tranquil music
6:20 a man named Hutter brings flowers to his young wife Ellen
7:24 odd looking real estate agent name Herr Knock who employed Hutter
9:58 window as frame in shot of house across street set to a more sinister score
10:39 the score returns to the breezy one in the opening as Hutter tells Ellen he needs to go away for a few days for business
14:14 change to blue tint with a pan over a mountain region in the evening
15:24 bar patrons petrified upon hearing Hutter mention that he is on his way to visit Count Orlok
16:26 cutaway shot to animals roaming the night including a jackal
19:39 pink tint used early in the day as Hutter lets the sunlight into his room
21:17 flash of yellow tinted light
22:56 blue tint now with estate in high up mountain region
23:30 first glimpse of Count Orlok as he rides horse carriage
24:29 shot of Orlok with hat of sorts followed by shot of top of castle which has similar shape
25:06 semi circle frame in frame
26:18 Hutter follows Orlok into literal darkness as they enter tunnel
27:15 Hutter accidentally cuts himself with knife leading to Orlok leaning toward him
29:40 Hutter uses mirror to check out mosquito bites on his neck
32:40 beautifully haunting shot of diagonal landscape as outline of hill takes up almost half the frame with darkening skies in background
33:40 Orlok “your wife has a lovely neck” as he agrees to purchase vacant property across from his
34:45 shadows in background
35:15 Orlok in background of frame with shadow in back
36:10 Orlok standing in doorframe which happens to be perfect match for his strangely shaped head, he stands in front of the only exit creating a claustrophobic environment, especially so after Hutter looks out window and sees how high up he is
37:27 Orlok shadow grows increasingly large over the sleeping Hutter while the scene goes back and forth between here and Ellen
38:32 Ellen seems to have ESP with Hutter
41:31 POV from Hutter as Orlok places a stack of wooden coffins on horse about to leave the castle
45:25 blue tint coffins of dirt are loaded onto the ships
49:09 Herr Knock in insane asylum
50:58 shot of Ellen at beach in an area with multiple gravestones in the immediate vicinity, Ellen watches the waters hoping for Hutter to return, this shot brilliantly sums up Ellen’s mindset, she is literally surrounded by death while anxiously awaiting the return of Hutter
55:21 blue tinted frame with Herr Knock sitting in his cell
55:57 note about plague breaking out
58:23 holographic image of Orlok in back of frame in ship
1:00:32 rats flooding the lower levels of the ship as crew members continue to get sick
1:00:47 Orlok rises up from out of the coffin
1:01:28 one of the best shots in film with a low angle shot of Orlok on deck in a towering position
1:03:23 waves increasing as wind picks up
1:05:25 static camera as ship moves into the port visible from the POV of Herr Knock
1:07:58 another archway frame in frame
1:13:34 high angle shot of physicians trying to make sense of the deaths of everyone on the ship
1:16:04 announcement forbidding town residents to travel anywhere if any symptoms of the plague
1:17:21 man draws cross on exterior doors throughout the town
1:18:14 Ellen reads about Nosferatu
1:21:28 draft incoming through open window as frame goes from yellow to green and shortly after we get one of best shots of film at 1:22:02 as we get POV shot from window into street where lines of caskets are carried through the town on a narrow street
1:24:24 overhead shot of towns residents running down a narrow street as they chase after Herr Knock
1:26:15 iris framed long shot of chase through fields containing a scarecrow
1:26:31 gorgeous shot with a line of narrow light over water
1:27:11 shot of Orlok with frame in frame using window outside Ellen’s room
1:29:16 one of most famous images in the film with Orlok’s shadow shown walking up the stairs
1:31:07 Herr Knock backed up into the corner of his cell still futilely hoping Orlok will save him
1:32:08 Orlok cannot survive sunlight as pink tint signifies daylight, cut to Herr Knock tied up to a chair in his cell after failed breakout attempt
Thoughts:
The original Nosferatu is a Cinematic Landmark and all timer
The score is vital to this film’s changing moods and atmospheres and the changes are frequent throughout the film although overall the film becomes progressively darker
Nosferatu is such a great name, there is something very unsettling about it even more than Dracula, although that is a great name as well. Bram Stoker had passed away by the time Murnau was interested in a film adaptation so he dealt with the estate who would not accept the terms Murnau wanted leading to a name change from Dracula to Orlok and the title change from Dracula to Nosferatu
The pacing here is perfect as the film moves fluency despite what turns into 3 storylines after the first 30 minutes; Orlok manages to deceive Hutter giving himself a head start to reach Ellen, while Hutter races back himself, and Ellen’s failing health being the 3rd segment. Yet the film never feels disjointed, all the related story lines create a cohesive unit
The film uses color to indicate time of day, lighting, and mood with blues and greens representing nighttime, while pinks and yellows represent daytime or twilight. There is both narrative and stylistic purposes for the use of color here
Ebert makes a great point in his review how Orlok is portrayed as a sick and desperate man while many Vampire movies and shows today have turned Vampires into sex symbols. There is no eroticism present in this film. Orlok is a disturbing presence who can be viewed as a personification of disease and death. The way Orlok moves seems consistent with this as well, he walks slowly and in a very rigid manner.
It is a great performance from Max Schreck
There are several standout shots in regard to using shadow. There is one just after the 89 min mark that is particularly great and is one of most famous images in the film with Orlok’s shadow shown walking up the stairs
Orlok is often shown as a distorted vision compared to the visual symmetry of the architecture. The inside of the castle contains many arch shaped doors and hallways.
There is an impending doom present the moment Orlok is introduced and especially once he leaves the castle. The first night Hutter sleeps at the Castle there is a scene where Hutter’s fear in the Castle is palpable as Orlok is shot slowly moving into Hutter’s room blocking the doorway
References to rats and disease, in particular the black plague, are effective in creating fear given that Pandemics are a real-world horror; they rank near the top of the list in terms of possible causes of human extinction. Around the 82-minute mark we get POV shot from window into blue tinted street where lines of caskets are carried through the town on a narrow street. I could not help but think of the personification of Death in Bergman’s The Seventh Seal (1957) and the death dance. The slow inevitability of death makes this sequence great
This is considered to be a landmark film for a good reason as it is one of the earliest German Expressionism Films as well as the first real Vampire Film at a time when Horror Films grew as a Movie Genre
Verdict: MP (Top 100 film)
The Haunted Castle (1921)
Notes:
Starts with exterior shot of large country estate during storm
Inside the estate there is shot of a group of men, some reading and some playing cards
5:47 the men become anxious after learning the mysterious Count Oetsch will be attending the weekend hunt the men are gathered for. The Counts suspected of killing his own brother
8:20 Baroness is expected to arrive, she is widow and sister-in-law of the Count
9:05 green tinted frame with camera position low and in a muddy ditch with only tree in background before carriage enters the frame
13:40 multiple frames in frames using doorways
14:35 another mystery guest, Father Faramund, a friend of the deceased husband
17:30 act II begins with an exterior shot of the estate the following morning which has great weather
20:40 static camera as the guests make way into the yard on horseback
22:08 dark cloud in the sky ends hunt early
30:07 a distraught and conflicted Baroness speaks with Father
31:45 camera moves in on the serious looking face of the Father before iris transition
32:44 flashback sequence in sepia tint as Countess speaks to Father
35:54 body positioning and body language show marriage had some issues
37:08 Countess implying brother had motive to kill her husband upon discovering he was intending on giving away his possessions to the poor
39:20 exterior shot of estate in green tint
40:29 a shot of the kitchen staff shows characters in multiple depths of field
43:43 three characters speaking clandestinely just outside the estate
45:37 cutaway shot of exterior of estate
48:30 green tinted frame man lying in bed having nightmare where silhouette image from outrside bedroom, a huge non-human hand moves into the right side of the frame and grabs the man with a shadow present in the background
50:56 exterior shot of estate in sepia
56:43 tensions continue to mount
1:00:39 confrontation involving numerous characters
1:03:16 Countess shown walking down multiple sets of stairs
1:05:36 exterior shot of estate
1:07:34 glow over face of Countess as she continues to speak with father
1:10:53 two-shot with characters on far and opposite ends of the frame
The final 10 minutes has a major plot twist/reveal
Thoughts:
The film’s narrative uses an Agatha Christy set up as the story revolves around a weekend hunt amongst a group of wealthy people. A mysterious character who is rumored to have murdered his own brother is expected to show up for the hunt which naturally concerns everyone there
This film uses title cards much more frequently than Journey into the Night
There are cutaway shots of the exterior of the estate throughout the film. There is actually little in the way of Expressionism. There is one particularly great shot starting at 48:30 as a man has a nightmare where a silhouette image from outside bedroom, a huge non-human hand moves into the right side of the frame and grabs the man with a shadow present in the background
There are some plot twists but overall, the film has issues in the way the narrative unfolds. There is a sort of disconnect between the present, flashbacks, and storylines such as the hunt element which becomes abandoned. Even the way the key revelation is revealed ends up being somewhat anti-climactic
Verdict: R (Fringe)
Journey into the Night (1921)
Notes:
Murnau starts with a cheerful piano music and a light red tinted frame inside the house of a physician, Dr. Eigil Börne (Olaf Fønss), has long been engaged to fiancée Hélène (Erna Morena).
5:15 light green screen quickly turns to light blue/purple
5:35 iris frame of Eigil and Hélène attending a cabaret
8:25 dancer sprains her ankle creating need for a doctor
9:45 Eigil is brought into the Lily’s dressing room to attend to her ankle sprain, purple tint
12:34 beautifully lit shot and silhouette
13:43 body language of Eigil speaks volumes as he can barely look Hélène in the eye
18:00 deep sounds in score as Hélène backs up
20:46 letter from Eigel breaks up their relationship
23:26 shot of countryside that Eigel and Lily move to
26:26 transition from Hélène sitting next to fire by herself to shot of Eigil and Lily happily eating dinner
27:04 Semi-circle frame as the blind painter and companion rows in boat
29:09 camera pan across frame from Lily to painting
30:10 Eigil tells Lily about the painter who was gone blind
35:55 iris transition to shot of water with blue tint with about 3 quarters of the horizontal frame as sky
37:02 another shot of the sky, here with clouds moving across the screen
37:47 Eigel receives note about Hélène’s failing health
39:44 a series of shots with dark purple frames accompanied by a melancholy score and back and forth shots of Hélène by herself and the painter lying in bed with bandages over his face
47:28 the painter slowly moves his arms back and forth in a hypnotic manner
49:03 Following the painter’s reignited vision, there is a cutaway shot to the water only now a green and blue/tint and calm water
54:32 Lily and painter start affair
55:08 Eigil is turned away when he tries to visit Hélène
56:47 camera moves in on a shocked Eigil who upon returning home seeing Lily and the painter together when
58:13 winds picking up as waves increase in the waters in background
1:01:36 a crazed look visible on Eigil’s face
1:02:31 bed curtains used to create a frame in frame
1:03:17 narrative via newspaper
1:05:01 Lily visits painter who was gone blind again
1:06:30 medium close up captures the painter’s anguish at not being able to see again
1:10:25 Eigil literally laughs in Lily’s face upon her begging for Eigil to help the painter regain his vision as he did previously in the film. At this point Eigil is far too bitter to help her or the painter
1:11:17 Eigil having mental breakdown upon Lily leaving
1:15:25 Eigil standing over Lily’s dead body in anguish
1:17:25 blue tinted frame as Eigil walks up stairs with his head down clearly is a broken man
Thoughts:
First film of the study is a melodrama that revolves around 4 characters. It starts with a man leaving his fiancée for another woman. The man is a successful physician and the new woman in his life is a cabaret dancer. From here there will be further affairs and heartbreaks. I was expecting a murder but that never occurred
Even with my recent Hitchcock Study I am still getting used to silent films though there is definitely progress being made
The frames are tinted with several colors throughout the film which changes frequently from scene to scene. This expressive use of lighting is definitely a highlight
Iris shots are used for many of the transitions as was common around that time
There is a scene where upon Eigil returns and catches Lily and the painter together, I like the way Murnau moves the camera in on his face reacting to this sight for a couple of seconds before cutting to Lily and the painter. This is followed by a notable gust of wind and waves forming in the water
Murnau is effective in showing the emotional states of the characters, there is a scene near the end when Eigil literally laughs in the face of Lily upon her asking for his help in curing the painter’s eyesight as he did early in the film. All the pent-up bitterness and anger is present in this sequence
Verdict: R
@Lesc – Murnau was the king….
February 16, 2022
My appreciation and gratitude to Azman, Drake, Georg, Matt and Rujk, who shared their admiration and respect for the legendary German director F.W. Murnau.
Your kindness makes up for a University of Pittsburgh professor named Mark Lynn Anderson, who blasted me and my book “F.W. Murnau: For The Record” in a Marxist manifesto, titled “Anger Management” — a reference
to the salacious account of his death in “Hollywood Babylon.”
Les Hammer
My ranking of Murnau`s films that I`ve seen:
1. Sunrise MP
2. Nosferatu MP
3. The Last Laugh MS/MP
4. Faust MS
5. Tartuffe R/HR
6. Tabu R/HR
7. Phantom R
8. City Girl R
@RujK- Love all the work here on the individual director pages- thank you for sharing! I’ll have to look through these
@Drake- thank you. I am just writing down films from directors that I have already gone through in my retrospective marathon. I will write them down when I get to their last film that I have an intention to see.
@RujK- Well you have certainly put an impressive dent on some of the best films and filmmakers in cinema history- great work.
Why is Tartuffe (1926) not archivable?
@RujK – I have not been able to catch this one
So I’m ridiculously late here, but I’m finally on my way for a Murnau study and I watched Sunrise yesterday, my first film of his. And I’m just flabbergasted. So where do I start.
The expressionism. I was watching the film and about in the first ten minutes or so, with the shots of the man walking by the lake with the moon showing, the music, the mise en scene and the entire composition, it screamed of expressionism. And I thought, well maybe it had to do with the need to express more things through image due to the absence of words. But I’m glad I’m not alone here noticing the expressionistic elements. And then there is the technical part. Honestly, Sunrise must be one of the most beautiful films out there, particularly in the context of its time period. How Murnau captured everything, from the fog, to the lights, to the water (and how it overturns the boat – a little mind-blown) to the fireworks, there is NOTHING missing here. Shout out to the music, which really elevated the experience and gives the film the allegorical tone that it tries to achieve, as well as Gaynor who is wonderfully spellbinding. And those dissolve edits… In 1927. Oh well. I’m just here, losing my mind.
@Georg- haha I love it- thank you for sharing and you pretty much covered it all right here!
I think all three are masterpieces and among the best and most historically significant silent films. In my recent list of top films from 1910-1929 I agreed on the order with you and Drake… but had all three in the top 10. I think Murnau is the singular greatest genius of silent film.
I agree, as much as I enjoy Chaplin, Keaton etc, I think Murnau is the greatest.
It bothers me a little when The Last Laugh gets lost in that conversation. It was regarded at the time (1924) as the greatest film yet made, and still brilliantly stands the test of time to this day. Hitchcock credited it as the film that taught him the possibilities of what could be done with a camera.
I really, really like The last laugh a lot, but (for me) his two best movies are definitely Nosferatu and Sunrise. What do you think? How would you rank his movies?
Sorry if my comment bothered you. I agree with Drake here(that Murnau’s 2 masterpieces are Sunrise and Nosferatu, and as great as The Last Laugh is, I don’t think it can compare to those other 2 Murnau movies. I’d probably have it around MS/MP.)
I must praise Murnau. I’m always debating between Sunrise and Nosferatu myself. Hard to decide.
Fun fact. Did you know that Murnau considered playing (acting) Nosferatu because of his size and stature. He was quoted as being “a giant man near 7 feet tall.”(though he was only 6’4”)
I heard that nearly half of all silent movies are lost to time.
If suddenly 4-5 bad Murnau films were discovered, would that impact his ranking overall? Or would you only look at his ‘great’ movies and ignore the bad ones? (Of course this question applies to all directors especially silent ones).
@Azman– I think hardly if at all. I’m not a big per-movie average guy. I admire those that never really had a misstep (or very few) but I also get frustrated with those that take forever. I saw some stat yesterday that Soderbergh has made 25 movies since 1997 and James Cameron has made 1. haha. I’d trade 10 really good but not great Woody Allen movies for another Annie Hall or Manhattan easy– but if he’s not capable of that I’d rather have those 10 movies.
Hello Azman, it is a very sad fact, we will never see those movies. I would say no, Coppola is a good example, he has a lot of non-great movies, that doesn’t change the fact that he made Apocalypse Now, you can’t always make the best movie of all time
Well Coppola made TONS of great movies. Look at his run in the 70s and even in the 80s. That’s at least 5 or so MPs. (he also has a lot of bad movies but that evens out with his 4 massive MPs and 3 or so really good movies.
One hit wonders would be Richard Kelly, Guiseppe Tornatore, Zinneman etc who only really made one MP (really strong movie), the rest all HR or Rs. eventhough they have a great movie, I wouldn’t call them phenomenal because it was only 1 movie and the rest good or average movies.