2:00 pm | $6 | (1922) |Fantasy/Mystery | 1h 34m
Silent Film with Live Piano Accompaniment by Marta Waterman
“One of the best and most beautiful horror classics.” Cinema Siren
“A seminal moment for horror cinema.” Andrew Lowry, Total Film
“It’s been almost a century since the movie’s release; but still the movie holds the capability to give a chilling horror experience to the audience.” Sourav Pal
In this highly influential silent horror film, the mysterious Count Orlok – played to the creepiest hilt by Max Schreck – summons real estate agent Thomas Hutter to his remote Transylvanian castle in the mountains. The eerie Orlok seeks to buy a house near Hutter and his wife, Ellen. After Orlok reveals his vampire nature, Hutter struggles to escape the castle, knowing that Ellen is in grave danger – Nosferatu wants her as his victim and his stalking, shadowy climb to her bedroom is one of the most iconic images in film.
For those who have read Bram Stoker’s Dracula, you will see some glaring changes from the book. This was necessary in an attempt to avoid a lawsuit. The Stoker Estate had refused permission, thus, Nosferatu was an unauthorized adaptation. While the names of characters and plot points had been changed, it was not enough. Stoker’s heirs sued over the adaptation, and a court ruling ordered that all copies of the film be destroyed. However, a few prints of Nosferatu survived, and the film came to be regarded as an influential masterpiece of cinema. Schreck’s performance is legendary, so realistic that it has sparked rumors among film buffs that Schreck was an actual vampire (the general consensus is that Schreck was very much human).
Founded in August of 2010, The Rosendale Theatre Collective, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is dedicated to preserving the historic Rosendale Theatre and enhancing the cultural life and economic vitality of Rosendale and Ulster County through film, the performing arts and educational programming.
“Sunday Silents” is made possible by the generous support of:
UlsterCountyAlive.com, Jim DeMaio State Farm Insurance Agent, New Paltz
