The first cinematic adaptation of Bram Stoker’s iconic horror novel, Dracula (you may have heard of it), was this unauthorized exercise in German expressionism by director F.W. Murnau. Nosferatu remains the scariest movie based on the book to date, chock full of dread and despair and starring the amazing Max Schreck as the rodent-like Graf Orlok. The film is public domain and there are many bootleg versions available, including one that’s set entirely to songs by death metal band Type O Negative (which actually isn’t as bad as it sounds) — whichever version you come across, it’s sure to give you the creeps like no other Dracula adaptation out there. FYI, Shadow of the Vampire (2000) presents a clever and unsettling “what-if?” scenario exploring the making of the film, starring Willem Dafoe as Schreck and John Malkovich as Murnau.
