Originally released in 1922 and directed by F. W. Murnau, the film Nosferatu is one of my all time favorite horror films and easily my all time favorite vampire film (the Bela Lugosi starring Dracula being #2).  Max Schrek plays the good Count Orlok and the movie’s story was… er… stolen pretty completely from Bram Stoker’s famous novel Dracula.

The theft was so obvious that when Stoker’s widow sued the studio that released the film she not only won a judgment against them but the studio was ordered to destroy all prints of the film.  Most were indeed destroyed but luckily for audiences today not quite all and we get to marvel at this film even today.

Having said that, I have to admit: What the studios and Mr. Murnau did was… well… I wish they had gone through the right channels and created a legitimate, non-ripoff product to begin with.

Regadless… here’s Nosferatu!