Our second meet for the workshop NYSFERATU: Film & Writing Workshop at Queens Museum started with a review of last week’s screening of Nosferatu (1922) Act 1. We discussed the characters that including Hutter, Ellen (Hutter’s wife), the real estate agent Knock, and briefly the Count Orlock. For some, they felt as if they were experience the film through Hutter’s perspective. We talked about our first impressions of the 1922 versions as well as our key observations such as the use of symbols and metaphor early on in the film. We identified major themes that are starting to emerge from the beginning such as innocence or willful ignorance, greed, and the fear of the unknown. We asked questions such as the connection between Knock and Count Orlock and Hutter’s realization of his situation. With Andrea, we were able to screen (exclusively!) Act 1 of NYSFERATU the contemporary version set in today’s New York City followed by a conversation on they major themes as well as the similarities and contrast between the two versions. Andrea provided the overview of the new version. After this, we screened Act 2 of the original version and continue our conversation of the film.

Text by PJ Gubatina Policarpio.