Review: “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” With Radiohead at Cinestudio Transcends History and Genre

Maya Sasaki-George ’28

Arts & Entertainment Editor

On Nov. 7, 2025, Cinestudio screened the 1922 silent film “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror,” directed by F. W. Murnau, set to the soundtrack of Radiohead’s “Kid A” (2000) and “Amnesiac” (2001) albums. This innovative cinematic experience was curated by Josh Frank, the creator of the “Silents Synced” series, bringing silent classics into new prominence by pairing them with alternative rock music of the nineties and aughts at a variety of independent theaters and drive-ins around the country. The film played to a packed Cinestudio audience, with viewers of all ages in attendance: alternative music lovers, horror fans, classic cinephiles and more. 

“Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” follows the misfortunes of an estate agent named Hutter (Gustav von Wangenheim), preyed upon by the monstrous Count Orlok (Max Schrek). After a visit to Orlok’s castle in which the vampire tastes Hutter’s blood, Orlok buys a house directly across the street from Hutter’s own, spreading a mysterious plague across Europe in the process. Ellen (Greta Schröder), Hutter’s wife, tricks Orlok into drinking her blood just as the sun is rising over the city. Orlok disappears in a puff of smoke and the world is freed of his evil through Ellen’s sacrifice. While it’s difficult to take some of the special effects in the 1922 film seriously, Orlok’s long fingernails, sharp teeth and sunken eyes are genuinely frightening. Other aspects, like the brief appearance of a “werewolf” monster (in reality, a striped hyena not found in Germany) are understandably terrifying to an early audience. The film’s experimental effects, like adding red to certain shots or slicing pieces of film to simulate sun rays, are charming and innovative, if not always successful. 

The original score of “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” was composed by Hans Erdmann for the film’s Berlin premiere, but the music has since been lost and substituted with countless other soundtracks over the decades. Radiohead’s concurrently-recorded experimental electronic albums “Kid A” and “Amnesiac” provide an extremely interesting and surprisingly apt backdrop for the film. While the earlier songs don’t necessarily match with the happy-go-lucky scenes of Hutter accepting his new assignment, the stuttering electronic beat that jumps in as his carriage approaches Count Orlok’s castle builds heart-pounding suspense. For the most part, the music is relentless, with Thom Yorke’s soulful, murmuring voice setting the audience on edge and filling them with an indescribable sense of dread. Even more effective, however, are the tense, silent moments left in after songs end, catching the viewer off guard and adding to the suspense of the story. The bone-chilling moment when Orlok first sucks Hutter’s blood is made even more impactful by the abrupt cutting of audio. The music was even capable of creating bittersweet feelings after the death of Count Orlok, melancholic and introspective as the sun rises behind the ruins of his castle. Silents Synced’s “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” with Radiohead was a highly special experience that allowed both art pieces to be freshly examined in a creative, intriguing and unexpected way.