With Halloween on the horizon, many film fans’ thoughts will be turning to their choice of spooky viewing. On that playlist should be F W Murnau’s classic of German Expressionist filmmaking Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, which celebrates its 100th birthday this year.
The film’s influence can hardly be overstated. It wasn’t the first horror film. In fact it wasn’t even the first vampire film, with the now-lost Hungarian trailblazer Dracula’s Death released a year previously in 1921. Few films can claim to have achieved such esteemed status though, with Murnau’s striking aesthetic and creepy atmosphere laying down a template that survives to this day as the gold standard for successful horror filmmaking.
But we shouldn’t give all the credit for the film’s longevity to Murnau. The film’s lead, Max Schreck, deserves a slice of the pie, too. His gaunt face, otherworldly features and remarkable ability to simultaneously convey both the terrifying and pitiful nature of Count Orlok (Bram Stoker’s widow refused to grant Murnau the rights to use the name Dracula, although the film was based on the novel), even in a silent film, create an unforgettable anti-hero who has influenced portrayals of vampires ever since.
From Bela Lugosi’s take on Dracula in numerous Universal horrors of the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s to Gary Oldman’s charming-yet-beastly count in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 Dracula, there’s a straight line that can be drawn to Schreck’s tormented villain. Even Christopher Nolan’s Batman, struggling with the duality of being a saviour to the people, and a cold-hearted vigilante, can trace his origins back to Orlok and the conflict he faced as would-be romantic lead and hideous unearthly monster.
It’s perhaps telling that on hearing Schreck’s name, most people with even a passing interest in movies would probably reference Nosferatu, although all but the most ardent cinephiles would struggle to name a single other film in which he appeared, despite his working extensively with Bertolt Brecht, and even teaming up with Murnau again in 1924’s The Grand Duke’s Finances.
Murnau’s masterful directing is the true star of the show, however. Expressionism was by definition a visual movement, and as such ideally suited to the nascent cinematic art. Murnau understood this in a way that no one before him truly had, and many since have tried to.
His decision to film Nosferatu on location, rather than in a studio as with contemporary classics such as The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, was crucial here. The historic buildings of Lubeck in northern Germany, and the rolling hills and mountains of Slovakia, become characters in the film in a way that no studio set could hope to achieve, with Orlok’s crumbling castle home imparting just as much impending doom as Schreck’s freakish features.
Murnau’s use of light and shadow to create atmosphere was also boundary breaking at the time, and a technique that remains a staple of the modern horror genre, whether we’re watching teenage girls fleeing through darkened corridors in countless scream queen movies — a genre which reached its peak in the 1970s with the likes of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween, and persists to this day, as with Billie Lourd in the self-aware 2015-2016 series Scream Queens — or Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley stalking her alien prey in deepest, darkest space.
Indeed, Murnau’s film laid down numerous tropes that remain central to the entire horror genre. The outsider entering a lively inn that swiftly falls silent as the newcomer reveals their planned destination; the vampire disintegrating in the first rays of dawn sunshine; the heroine swooning into her lover’s arms as she draws her last breath; and the importance of that one, crucial, unforgettable image that will ensure your film lives on eternally.
In Nosferatu, although there are a couple of candidates, we’re looking at the shadow of the beastly Orlok climbing the stairs. Other such images forever seared into our brains include Johnny’s psychotic face peeking through the door in The Shining, Michael Myers, masked up and knife held aloft in Halloween, and Freddy Krueger grinning in his trademark striped jumper, lethal nails poised.
It’s surely no coincidence that Robert Eggers, the current darling of the art-house horror scene and now a big-budget Hollywood golden boy, has announced that his next project will be a remake of Murnau’s century-old classic.
Even Eggers though, whose films The Witch and The Lighthouse represent some of the finest examples of the genre in recent times, will have to pull out all the stops to deliver a film anywhere near as influential as Murnau’s.
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
THE SPECS
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 518bhp
Torque: 625Nm
Speed: 0-100kmh 5.3 seconds
Price: Dh633,435
On sale: now
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight Championship AJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v tba
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
