Nosferatu (1922) is not technically illegal today, but it was the subject of a significant legal battle that nearly led to its complete eradication. The film, directed by F.W. Murnau, is an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. Since the filmmakers did not secure the rights to the book, Stoker’s widow, Florence Stoker, sued for copyright infringement.
The court ruled in her favor, declaring that all copies of Nosferatu were to be destroyed. For a time, it seemed that this landmark of early horror cinema would be lost forever. However, several copies of the film survived, allowing Nosferatu to evade total extinction. These surviving prints circulated in various countries, eventually leading to the film’s status as a public domain work in many regions today.
The reason Nosferatu was initially deemed “illegal” is because it blatantly copied the plot and characters from Dracula without permission. Names were changed—Count Dracula became Count Orlok, for example—but the story remained unmistakably similar. Despite the legal controversy, the film has since become a classic, celebrated for its pioneering use of shadow and light, its haunting atmosphere, and Max Schreck’s unforgettable performance as Count Orlok.
Today, Nosferatu is widely available and recognized as one of the most influential horror films of all time. The irony is that the legal battle that nearly destroyed it only contributed to its mystique and enduring legacy in the horror genre.