There are many things that place this film in your "see before you die" category. It's a priceless, fantastic piece of work, from start to finish, and it has beautiful staying power, even now. But there are a few things that work against it. The music to the film lends neither good, nor bad to it. Understandably, this is very early film, and perception of people watching the film in the twenties was probably vastly different, but seeing as this could be considered one of the earliest horror movies, the music from this film could very much have been better used in a silent drama, or comedy.
On that note, Max Schreck is perfect. Much has been said about his ability to capture the character so perfectly (as in Shadow of the Vampire), and it's true. Though it's in no way comparable to Bela Lugosi as a character, this movie is still a very important piece in cinema, and I'm honored to be able to say that I've had the opportunity to sit down and enjoy a brilliant work of early cinema.
On that note, Max Schreck is perfect. Much has been said about his ability to capture the character so perfectly (as in Shadow of the Vampire), and it's true. Though it's in no way comparable to Bela Lugosi as a character, this movie is still a very important piece in cinema, and I'm honored to be able to say that I've had the opportunity to sit down and enjoy a brilliant work of early cinema.