F.W. Murnau's German silent classic is the original--and some say most frightening-- "Dracula" adaptation, taking Bram Stoker's novel and turning it into a haunting, shadowy dream full of dread. We've got a pretty good copy and now is your chance to see it on a large screen in a dark, dark theater!
During pre-production, names had to be changed from the novel when Stoker's wife charged his novel was being filmed without proper permission. Ultimately, she still sued for copyright infringement - and won - and thus this was the only film that was made by the production company, Prana Film, as they were forced to declare bankruptcy. Count Orlok, the rodentlike vampire frighteningly portrayed by Max Schreck, is perhaps the most animalistic screen portrayal of a vampire ever filmed. Rumors also circulated about Schreck, the most famous being that there was no one named Schreck (which means "fright" in German) and that Murnau had hired an actual vampire for the lead role. More reasonably, there was speculation that Schreck was simply a pseudonym for a different actor. Of course, none of the rumors were true
