One of the most influential horror films, 1922 Nosferatushas a remake by Robert Eggers, director of The Witch, The Lighthouseand The Northman. It’s one of the most anticipated horror films of the year; however, the original film didn’t receive the same kind of warm reception.
The original Nosferatus almost never existed due to a copyright issue. The film was an illegal adaptation of Draculawhich was not in the public domain at the time in Germany. However, the film was still made despite objections from the Bram Stoker Estate. This led to the estate filing a lawsuit against the film and the almost permanent destruction of the classic horror film.
Nosferatu’s legal battle with Dracula explained
Nosferatu was an unauthorized expressionist adaptation of Dracula
As Plagiarism today reports, producer Albin Grau decided to make a vampire film in 1916, and decided to make an expressionist reinterpretation of Dracula with screenwriter Henrik Galen and director FW Murnau. Unfortunately, the Bram Stoker Estate would not sell him the rights. Refusing to let this potential lawsuit get in the way, Grau pushed ahead with the adaptation, changing some details from the original novel – such as Count Dracula’s name to Count Orlock – in hopes of avoiding the lawsuit. It would also be considered by some as one of the best Dracula films, despite his legal troubles.
These plot and character changes weren’t enough, however, and Stoker’s estate filed suit alleging infringement, according to Plagiarism today. What worked even further in the Stoker Estate’s favor was the fact that the name Dracula was still included in early versions of the film. Along with the bankruptcy of Grau’s production company Prana Film, the judge ruled that all copies Nosferatus be destroyed.
Why Robert Egger’s Nosferatu Remake Could Happen in 2024
Dracula is in the public domain and Nosferatu has been remade before
Although almost all copies of Nosferatus was destroyed, as reported by Plagiarism todaya version reached abroad, to the United States. Due to a copyright error, Dracula was – and still is – public domain in the United States, so no court in the United States could order the physical destruction of Nosferatus. From there, Nosferatus it was able to be shown in the United States, where it would eventually become a horror classic that would influence cinematic representations of vampires in the following years. It would also receive several remakes.
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Before Robert Eggers’ 2024 remake, there was another 1979 Nosferatus film — Nosferatu the Vampire by director Werner Herzog. This film, although with a slightly different name, remade the infamous 1922 film in 1979. 45 years later, the director Robert Eggers will try his luck Nosferatus much more easily than Albin Grau and company did.
Nowadays, Dracula It’s not just in the public domain in the United States. It is in the public domain globally (via Plagiarism today), so future adaptations of the novel – which the original Nosferatus was – are fair game. More, Nosferatu the Vampire and other iterations of the character and film showed that it was possible to remake the original 1922 film without repeating history. It looks like the 2024 film is doing this too, with great success, with some industry professionals like Fede Álvarez proclaiming it to be the horror film of the year.
Unlike the 1922 film, The 2024 Movie Isn’t Dancing Around What It’s Adapting or remake, and it is not the debut film of the producers or distributors behind it. 2024 Nosferatus is from Focus Features, which has a history of bringing remakes and adaptations, such as Emma and The deceivedto the big screen. Focus Features is a distributor that knows how to navigate copyright laws for its films, even those based on established properties, and does so again in 2024 Nosferatus, which is receiving positive and unanimous first reactions.
Source: Plagiarism today