Nosferatu the Vampyre

Description from Netflix:
This stylistic 1979 retelling of Bram Stoker's Dracula follows the bloodthirsty, undead count as he takes over the German village of Virna and then tries to spread his bloodsucking ways throughout the world.  All that stands in his path is the lovely, selfless Lucy Harker.  Iconoclastic German director Werner Herzog blends dreamlike imagery and a languid pace to give the film an ethereal milieu.

Notable actors: Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Adjani

My thoughts:
First of all, let's state two facts about this.
1. Klaus Kinski is terrifying as Nosferatu.  Even worse than his face are his hands.  Those hands freak me out.

2. Isabelle Adjani is gorgeous.  Pictures don't do her justice.  She carried herself so well in this film.  She really was the embodyment of all things beautiful and pure, which is exactly what Herzog was going for.  He could not have cast two better leads for this film.

This was very much a 70s film.  By that I mean, it was slow paced.  It was also very deliberate with each shot, and very deliberate in its setting and surroundings.  It made for a beautiful film, but also one that I kind of zoned out of a handful of times.

Technically speaking, it's a masterpiece.  Between the acting and the directing and the setting, it really is amazing to look at.  But it wasn't the easiest film to watch.  It was late and I was a little tired.  This is a film that demands your full attention, and I wasn't in a place to give that last night.  I plan on watching it again when I am better prepared for it.

If you haven't seen it, it's definitely worth a watch.  But it's not one that you can watch passively and still expect to get full enjoyment out of it.

Rating: 3/5
(I'm sure that rating will increase if I watch it under different circumstances)

One final note: after watching this, it's easy to see where the influence for The Master in Buffy the Vampire Slayer came from.