Nosferatu 1922 - which one? (1 Viewer)

[Eric Huffstutler]

To Jack and others, which version of Nosferatu should I consider purchasing on DVD as the definitive one?

I purchased the Kino and was quite disappointed. First, I hated the modern title (dialogue) cards and second, despised the score which grated on my nerves and seemed disjointed.

I have a poor copy that was part of the Treeline 50 Horror Movies set and like it much better. Yet, I wish a cleaned up version so... which should I consider?

BTW... in that Treeline set is a copy of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and loved the title (dialogue) cards in it with the decorative framework around them. Hope the newly restored issue from Image keeps those.

Eric

 

[Rich Malloy]

If you can play PAL format discs, I'd consider waiting for the Masters of Cinema 2-disc edition planned for 2007 (no set date beyond that, but it was officially announced in their latest catalog). IMO, these guys are the best in the biz when it comes to silent films, and will never "modernize" (or "anglicize"!) the title cards like Kino.

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Rich, I wish I could and really should consider a "play all" player since so many titles are coming out of the UK superior to US releases. And with the few older European titles I have, seems like they took better care of storing their prints and often used better stock film looking less grainy that the US counterparts of the era. Just my imagination?

 

[Jack Theakston]

I would say the Kino edition followed by the Image/Blackhawk are the most complete. Kino has the best image sharpness, despite being somewhat cropped. The Image DVD contains the best special features, IMO. I recommend looking at DVDBeaver's comparisons between the two to base your own opinion between them. In any case, both are quality releases.

Both DVD contain two scores, one avant garde and one traditional. I prefer the traditional music, but if you like avant garde music, that is an option too.

 

[Kramer Lowry]

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Jack, even the more "traditional" music on Kino's version is not in sync for my viewing pleasure. Seems to be an afterthought score that causes me to loose attention. I do like the score in the Treeline version, wish I knew who did it?

How about my other complaint? Intertitle cards being too clean, crisp, new, bland with the strange hard to read font - glaring against older film elements. What about the other versions? DVD Beaver doesn't show a card to compare with.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

Of the many DVDs of this I have, the one that is a double feature with the 1910 Edison is the least cropped: only on that disc does the Orlock standing bolt upright from his coffin have plenty of head clearance (on most discs, his head is chopped off entirely!). It has the MOMA titles, though.

 

[Seretur]

I've held off buying this title for years precisely because not a single edition out there seemed to be worth it. Same as with Faust, really. I knew someone would eventually set things right.

And Eureka's Masters of Cinema series really has done it -- their Faust release is head and shoulders above all others, and I have no doubt that they will finally do Nosferatu justice when it comes out. Assigned spine number 23, it will be a 2-disc release in early 2007. If you've waited for this title as long as I have, I hope you can hold off for a few more months.

And yes, MoC really is worth upgrading to region-free for.

 

[Kevin M]

The Kino transfer is the supposed "restored" and official licensed version from Transit & the Murnau people......I agree that it is definitely sharper and the framing is better but my main complaint is that even though this is a "reconstruction" by Cineteca del Comune di Bologna, it ain't no visual "restoration" by a damn site, meaning that Kino could have spared some $ and cleaned up the fairly dirty and grainy transfer a little or at the very least digitally steadied the frame as it jumps around quite a bit compared to Image's version. However if you look at THIS DVD BEAVER LINK that directly compares the Kino & Image discs you will see that Kino has the better transfer if very grainy (which, then again, lends it more detail in the end and a more film like air) and perhaps overly dark in some spots.

The two scores on the Kino disc are a pain.....boy I mean they both suck for their own individual reasons, the organ score on the older Image dvd is much better and appropriate IMO.

For now I think the Kino disc is the best in R1 but there is much room for improvement....the original 1922 score restored in 1995 would be nice to hear.