Here's the deal.

This movie was one part speculative romp, one part Goth/Expressionist nostalgia trip, with an actual attempt at a psychological message tacked on, unsuccessfully. Zero parts plot.

In case you didn't notice, Count Orlock (excellently-played by Willem Defoe) wasn't the villain in this movie. He was a pathetic and decrepid old fart who couldn't act (the character, that is, not Defoe, who clearly can act). Oh sure, he was a predator, a demon, and could snap your neck with a flick of his wrist, but he was also a depressed, horny, dotty old fogey who grew to resent the fact that he was being cowed and manipulated by Murnau. He wanted to get his mack on with Greta, but what he really wanted was to see "delight, and desun" – the one thing that could truly kill him.

Murnau (un-excellently played by John Malkovitch, from whom I was hoping for something better) was the real villian in this movie, having sold his cast to the devil to make his flick.

Aside from Count Orlock, though, none of the characters had any depth to them at all. Murnau is just another crazy morphine-addicted artist of the macabre. Greta is just another pompous morphine-addicted glam actress flapper. None of the other characters seem to have actual personalities, so much as mere idiosyncracies. And the revoltingly contrived "German" accents were too much, really.

This movie could have been saved if it had been subtler. Obviously, Count Orlock is a vampire. Obviously, he sucks blood to live. Obviously, Murnau is a creep. Couldn't have there been something that wasn't obvious? I was definitely expecting better from a film built on an allusion with as much potential for intellectual and spooky fun as this one.

Qua speculative romp cum Goth/Expressionist nostalgia trip, it's a fun flick, but wait to rent it until it's no longer considered a "new release." Don't expect much, and you won't be overly disappointed.