Art on Film: Nosferatu

Explore one of cinema’s most influential works on the big screen with this presentation of the original 1922 version of F. W. Murnau’s Nosferatu, a landmark of German Expressionist filmmaking and one of the earliest masterpieces of the horror genre.

An unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the film follows the mysterious Count Orlok as he brings terror and plague to a small German town, creating an enduring portrait of horror through its haunting imagery and unsettling atmosphere.

Presented in conjunction with AMFA’s exhibition The Age of Anxiety: German Expressionism in Art and Film, the film reveals how artists and filmmakers responded to a rapidly changing world through imagery marked by psychological tension, distorted realities, and haunting beauty.

Through its eerie visuals and enduring influence, Nosferatu offers a powerful window into the fears, uncertainties, and creative innovations that shaped the modern age.

Run Time: 1 hour, 4 minutes
Recommended Age: 10+ (Not Rated)

To introduce the film, AMFA’s Jackye and Curtis Finch, Jr. Curator of Drawings Dr. Catherine Walworth, Director of Children’s Theatre and Performing Arts Chad Bradford, and Performing Arts Manager Kiera Smithson will give a brief presentation exploring the film’s artistic significance, historical context, and lasting impact on the horror genre.

Art on Film is supported in part by Art Bridges.

The Age of Anxiety: German Expressionism in Art and Film is in cooperation with the Institute for Cultural Exchange and the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau Foundation.

This exhibition is generously presented by Anne and Merritt Dyke.

Film Still of Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, 1921, Director Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, Screenplay Henrick Galeen, Source: Friedrich-Wilhelm Murnau Foundation, Wiesbaden.