Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is currently in cinemas, and if my struggle to find a seat is reflective of the opening week, then it’s doing well.
The 2024 film stars Bill Skarsgård (as the titular Nosferatu), Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe.
The 1922 original, which didn’t have any nudity, was banned.
F.W. Murnau, the director, and Albin Grau, the co-producer who had the idea, originally tried to get the license to make Dracula. Bram Stoker’s estate refused, but the German pair pushed on with changes.
The characters and setting were changed to avoid legal drama. Count Dracula became Count Orlok, England was swapped for Germany and other details were changed. However, it wasn’t enough to dissuade Florence Stoker, Bram’s widow, from taking court action for copyright infringement.
The English court ruled in favour of Florence, but Nosferatu was declared illegal, and the judge even went as far as to order all copies destroyed.
However, Nosferatu are hard to kill.
Copies of the 1922 Nosferatu had made it to the USA. The States had different copyright laws, and the surviving prints were copied. In time, enough people got to see the film, and it survived to be recognised as the classic it is.
It’s ironic that a failed attempt to kill a vampire probably gave it more life. F.W. Murnau‘s Nosferatu likely cast its shadow across not just copyright law but shaped the horror genre as well.
Creative Commons art: Nosferatu by Rachaurux.
It's the internet! No doubt someone has left insightful and witty comments. Check below.
