Who's the killer? or a detective from Murnau. This film doesn’t stand out from Murnau’s style and is just as good. But everything in order. At the beginning of the film you can see how well the actors play and how well the camera is put, all the things are where they should be, and it creates a sense of comfort, creates an atmosphere of comfort, and it seems that you are sitting here, inside this house, and you are witnessing everything that is happening. Background actors play so well that they have time to play the main roles, but for the main Murnau chose the best. For example, Count Oich, played by Lothar Mahnet, is a typical underdog of modern cinema: he is not afraid of backbiting and talking about him, and goes to his goal no matter what. This character is sustained as a very wayward and charismatic person. For example, when one of the guests approaches him and asks why he doesn’t go hunting, Oich replies, “I only hunt in wet and windy weather.” Very, in my opinion, a strong phrase. I also really liked Paul Hartmann playing Peter Oich, who was killed and hanged on his brother’s shoulders. His play just dragged me into the screen and made me enjoy it. That’s probably the case, although modern movies say otherwise. So the acting is beautiful. Speaking of camera work and directorial idea, very timely interspersed close-ups of the characters' faces, helping to understand what the hero is experiencing. Also in the film was introduced a scene with a terrible dream of one of the guests, when a terrible hand pulled the sleeping man onto the balcony. It must have been scary at the time. Now I'm just curious. Also, this is perhaps the first approach to creating the image of Dracula in Nosferat. And this film with its not the most difficult story drags so that it is impossible to come away.
8 out of 10
