Widescreen: Here's your chance to see cinema's original vampire 'Nosferatu' on the big screen
Nine years before Bela Lugosi's "Dracula" made sweet music with the children of the night, Count Orlok's unforgettable, angular face and creepily long claws made their debut in F.W. Murnau's "Nosferatu," the 1922 silent film that retains its iconic status even though almost no one reading this has ever seen it.
We can change that at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, when the movie screens with live organ music by Jay Warren at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 733 Catalpa Ave., Itasca. Tickets cost $10 and include pop and popcorn. For details, visit the "Events" at the Beloved Community of St. Matthew Lutheran Church's Facebook page.
To see more silent movie events featuring Warren, visit silentfilmsjaywarren.com.
In Chicago, the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., offers another chance to see "Nosferatu" at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24. Live music will be provided by The Invincible Czars, implementing drums, strings, organ, woodwinds, guitar and electronic elements. Tickets cost $20 and are available at musicboxtheatre.com.
Further viewing
After a silent night at the movies, you may want to check out the 2000 film "Shadow of the Vampire," about the making of "Nosferatu."
OK, so it takes some liberties: In director E. Elias Merhige's version of history, the actor who played Orlok, Max Schreck, is also a vampire. (Does that mean that Willem Dafoe, who plays Schreck playing Orlok, is ALSO a vampire? Would any of us be surprised?!?)
The cast also includes downstate native John Malkovich as Murnau and "Princess Bride" farmboy Cary Elwes as Murnau's cinematographer. It's a frightfully entertaining film.
There's just one problem: It's not available on a streaming platform and never made the leap from DVD to Blu-ray. Like "Sleuth," "Cocoon" and other great movies you've forgotten about, "Shadow of the Vampire" has fallen through the cracks of the digital age.
If you're like me, though, you enjoy a Half Price Books or eBay quest from time to time ...
• Sean Stangland is an assistant news editor who would like to remind you that Christopher Walken's character in "Batman Returns" is named Max Shreck.