Why All Copies of the Original Nosferatu Film Were Destroyed Except One: The Dracula Connection That Made This Horror Classic Illegal

The horror genre will always have a special place in our hearts. It’s like a toxic relationship that we just can’t get out of. When talking about horror films, no conversation is complete without mentioning the 1922 classic: Nosferatu: A symphony of horror. Unofficially based on the book, Dracula, Nosferatu has single-handedly revolutionized the genre with its terrifying, skin-crawling vibes.

As we get closer to the film’s remake, let’s take a look Nosferatu‘s history and how the film barely made it to the big screen. When the black and white silent film was first released, a lawsuit was filed against it by the heirs of Dracula‘s author, Bram Stoker. The film was soon declared illegal and all copies were destroyed. Well, all except one.

1922 Nosferatu Was considered illegal

Nicholas Hoult will soon be seen in the remake of Nosferatu, all of which will be released next month. However, if it is up to Bram Stoker and the German judge, this is the case remake would not have been made.

In 1916, Serbia, the producer of the original horror, Albin Grau, served in the First World War. had an idea to make a horror film about Dracula, based on the folk tales the locals heard.

However, upon further investigation, he realized that the story he was trying to tell was already on the market thanks to Bram Stoker. Still, Grau, determined to make this film, decided to pay the price estate of the author visit and ask to purchase the rights Dracula.

The best-selling novel was in the public domain in the US thanks to an erroneous copyright notice, but the situation was different in Grau’s native Germany. Despite Florence Stoker’s (Stoker’s widow) refusal to sell the rights to his book, Grau went ahead and decided to make the film anyway.

He changed the details and even changed the title of Dracula Unpleasant Nosferatu and named the main character Count Orlock instead of Count Dracula. He also made major changes to the plot in an attempt to circumvent copyright infringement.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work out in his favor and shortly after the film’s release, Stoker’s heirs filed a lawsuit against it.

How the film still exists despite the ban

Florence Stoker took Grau to court, where it was ordered that all existing copies of the film be destroyed. Not only that, but Nosferatu was declared illegal and was therefore banned by the court for copyright infringement.

The court came to this decision after learning that the first versions of Nosferatu contained the word “Dracula” and the fact that it was based on Stoker’s novel.

While Grau and his team adhered to the ruling, one copy was left behind and it somehow found its way to the United States, where, if you recall, Dracula was public domain. Thus, the film was re-released in the United States, redefining the genre for us. Even today, Nosferatu strongly inspires the elements we see in horror films.

Now we just have to wait and see how the remake starring Hoult will go. Bill SkarsgardAnd Lily-Rose Depp rates compared to the original.

Nosferatu (1922) can be viewed on Prime Video.

Nosferatu (2024) will be released in theaters on December 25.