Okay, “hee” is probably not the visceral response Murnau was going for. Alas: “hee.” Of course I see why it’s a seminal film, but there’s just not much point in watching it unless you’re in film school (or feeling kind of down; see above re: “hee”); you’ve seen it already, via Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Nossie looks kind of Muppety. The famous scene in which he sort of flips upright was, I’m sure, terrifying to contemporary audiences, but you’ve seen it in so many car commercials and the like by now, it’s not terribly powerful. But it’s kind of fun anyway, especially for that silent-movie breed of scenery-bingeing, and if Renfield was just way too much for you to take in BS’s D, try this version. Knock, the analogous character, is more amusing than annoying. (12/15/05)

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