119. Nosferatu (1922)

Alright, listen up—This week on *The Rotten Horror Picture Show*, Clay and Amanda are diving into F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent horror classic *Nosferatu*, the original unauthorized adaptation of *Dracula* that introduced the world to Max Schreck’s eerie, claw-fingered, sunken-eyed Count Orlok. They’ll talk about the film’s German Expressionist style, its haunting atmosphere, and its place in horror history. And yeah, that’s all great—but can we take a second to talk about the *rats*? No one warned me there’d be *this many rats*. Scurrying all over the place, spreading the plague, being generally shifty. And I *know* they’re after my cheese.   Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying *Nosferatu* isn’t a masterpiece. I’m not saying it’s not one of the most important horror films ever made. What I *am* saying is that this movie has *way* too many rats. And I don’t trust ‘em. Not one bit. See, I left a perfectly good block of sharp cheddar in my cooler on the porch, and ever since I watched *Nosferatu*, I can’t stop looking over my shoulder. Those little creeps are organized. They see me watching the movie, they know I’m scared, and now they’re probably coordinating some kind of tiny rat heist as we speak. I respect *Nosferatu* as a horror film, I do. But I’d respect it *more* if it had fewer disease-ridden, cheese-hungry vermin in it.   So if you’re here for the horror history, the incredible cinematography, and the discussion of silent film artistry, you’re in luck. But if you’re here for a movie that *doesn’t* make you paranoid about rodents infiltrating your food supply, well… maybe keep a close eye on your cooler. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go buy a lot of traps. Enjoy the episode, not the rats. Rats are gross.patreon.com/thepenskyfile