Back in 1922, German Expressionist filmmakerF. W. Murnauwanted to make his own horror picture based onBram Stoker’sDracula. BecauseDraculawas copywritten material, Murnau and company were forced to change the character’s names, and so Count Dracula became Count Orlok (Max Schreck). Of course, that changed nothing, and, after a lawsuit by Stoker’s heirs, Murnau’sNosferatu(sometimes titledNosferatu: A Symphony of Horror) was ordered to be destroyed. Miraculously,the film managed to survive, and we’ve come to see it asthe classic, quintessential vampire picture. But did you know thatNosferatuwas influenced by the occult? Well, at least the film’s producer,Albin Grau, was.
‘Nosferatu’ Producer Albin Grau Was Heavily Influenced by the Occult
According to a 2007 documentary aboutNosferatudirector F.W. Murnau, titledLanguage of Shadows, Albin Grau’s influence on the production was considerable. He was the one who storyboarded the picture and was directly responsible for the look of many of the sets, costumes, and even marketing materials. But Grau was more than just a filmmaker. In fact, he was a devout and committed occultist, one who even had ties toAleister Crowleyand the Fraternitas Saturnai (aka Brotherhood of Saturn).Grau was so infatuated with mystical and occult practices that he had these messages and symbols woven throughout the 1922 picture. It was his production company, Prana Films, that he hoped to use as a means to explore his occult fascinations on the screen (viaSight and Sound). ThoughNosferatuwas the only production the company ever made(due to the lawsuit by Bram Stoker’s heirs), its influence on modern cinema is undeniable.
But as we watchNosferatu, Grau’s occultic obsession quickly becomes clear. This is not obviousin the clear Enochian symbols seen on Count Orlok’s contract at the beginning of the film, as well as through the vampire’s grotesque appearance. The picture itself even suggests that Count Orlok was likely turned into a vampire by demons in the first place, possibly on purpose after conjuring up Satan’s chief lieutenant, Belial. Naturally,Grau would have known that Belial is a demon mentioned not just in the Bible but in the occult as well.The Lesser Key of Solomon, a grimoire of particular fascination for occultists (and one Crowley interpreted into English),mentions the demon by name.Anton Levay’sThe Satanic Bible(sometimes calledThe Book of Belial) also mentions this very demon, noting that his name means “without a master.” Count Orlok is certainly a vampire without a master and aims to be the master of others as well.
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Another change that reflects Grau’s occultic beliefs would be how the Abraham Van Helsing character fromDraculawas renamed Professor Bulwer (John Gottowt). While it’s unclear if Grau himself named the character or just influenced his creation, there’s still a connection to the producer’s strange belief system. ThoughAnibal Molto BarrancoofEl Hype Magazineconsiders Bulwer a nod to the 16th-century alchemist Paracelsus (given the film’s esoteric themes and all), others such asDavid Huckvale, in his bookMovie Magick: The Occult in Film, make the case that he’s named after novelistEdward Bulwer-Lytton, who often wrote about the occult.
The Occult Influence Over ‘Nosferatu’ Remains to This Day
Though director F. W. Murnau himself had no direct connection to the occult (save for his partnership with Grau), it seems thatNosteratu’s dark undertones may still be influencing the project today. Back in 2015,The Guardianreported that Murnau’s grave was desecrated, and the filmmaker’s skull was stolen right from its resting place. Authorities found strange wax residue left around the premises, which led many to believe that an occultic ritual may have taken place at the gravesite. To this day, Murnau’s skull is still missing, a haunting thought indeed.
Despite the very religious elements of theDraculasource material,Nosferatuhas a clear occult influence on it, which speaks directly to Albin Grau’s powerful obsessions. This was a man who was deeply entrenched in the workings of the occult and allowed those beliefs to inform his artistic and creative endeavors. After all, his very next film,Warning Shadows, highlighted the use of sorcery and witchcraft for the use of divination. In the film, we see a bunch of men interested in romantically pursuing a local count’s wife, but the witch character uses her abilities to show each of them what their respective futures may hold if they do. WhileNosferatuis an exceptional piece of Gothic horror and German Expressionism, Grau’s impact on the entire production laced it with more occult ideas that perhaps audiences were even aware of.
As we wait to seewhatRobert Eggerswill do with his 2024 remake, there’s no time like the present to revisit this 100-year-old classic, especially around Halloween.
Nosferatu(1922) is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.
