Greetings, dear listeners, and welcome to the "Horror and Opera" podcast narrated by the composer behind the "Horror and Opera Project." In this bonus podcast, I shall delve into the shadows and unearth the captivating story of F. W. Murnau's iconic film, "Nosferatu."

Bram Stoker's Vampires

Our journey begins in the enchanting Dublin Castle, where the brilliant Bram Stoker toiled as a civil servant. Stoker, a contemporary of literary luminaries such as Oscar Wilde and Sheridan Le Fanu, also contributed as a freelance journalist and theatre critic for the "Dublin Evening Mail." His wife, Florence Balcombe, once courted by Wilde, intertwined their lives further, as did Stoker's association with Wilde during his university days.

But where did Stoker find the inspiration for his immortal vampire tale? His great-grandnephew uncovered a web of influences, both contemporary and folkloric, shaping Stoker's creation. In the summer of 1890, Stoker embarked on a mysterious journey to Whitby, England, where he unearthed a rare tome, "The Accounts of Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia" by William Wilkinson, within the Subscription Library's secretive archives.

He meticulously traced a route through Whitby Museum, uncovering maps leading from London to Romania. A ship, the "Dmitri," which carried eerie cargo—crates of earth—pierced the veil between the real and the supernatural. This mysterious vessel had run aground with a black dog escaping into the graveyard, an eerie omen of things to come.

The Origins of "Dracula" and The Lost Manuscript

In a telling excerpt, Stoker wrote in the original preface of "Dracula" that he was convinced the events described were real, grounded in the uncanny and inexplicable. Stoker even claimed that many characters were based on real individuals, blending fact with fiction to chilling effect.

The whereabouts of the first hundred pages of Stoker's "Dracula" manuscript remain an enduring mystery, leaving us to ponder what spine-tingling secrets they held. Clues emerge from Stoker's notes, journals, and the Icelandic first edition of "Dracula," known as "Makt Myrkanna," or "Power of Darkness." This edition preserved not only Stoker's original preface but also parts of the unreleased narrative.

Many events in Stoker's time contributed to the foundation of his novel, from the New England vampire panic to the mysterious ship "Dimitri," which inspired the ill-fated "Demeter" in the novel. These events, fresh in the public's mind, made "Dracula" all the more haunting.

"Nosferatu": Birth and Controversy

Enter Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, the innovative German film director behind "Nosferatu," which premiered in 1922. This silent masterpiece adapted Stoker's tale and introduced the iconic vampire Count Orlok, portrayed by the enigmatic Max Schreck. But this film's creation was shrouded in controversy.

The film was produced by Prana Film, a studio founded by occultists Enrico Dieckmann and Albin Grau, dedicated to supernatural films. Prana Film declared bankruptcy to evade copyright infringement claims from Bram Stoker's estate, leading to a series of international showings.

Florence Stoker, unaware of the film's existence, eventually uncovered it through a mysterious letter. Legal battles ensued, and in 1925, a German court ordered all copies of "Nosferatu" destroyed. However, the film had already crossed borders.

The Mysterious Surviving Copy

Intriguingly, a copy surfaced in the hands of the Film Society in London, provoking cease-and-desist requests. Florence Stoker diligently pursued the film's destruction, leading to an ambiguous fate for the English print of "Nosferatu."

But "Nosferatu" had other plans. It crossed the Atlantic and landed in the United States, a haven from copyright disputes, thanks to differing copyright laws.

The film remains a remarkable example of art embroiled in plagiarism allegations. Its influence reverberates through the decades, shaping the vampire genre we know today.

Narration & Music - Alia Synesthesia