The first silent film I ever saw was Nosferatu (1922). I can’t remember how old I was but I wouldn’t have been more than about 14. I didn’t actually see all of it, just the last fifteen minutes or so, but I was knocked out by it. I normally ran away from the very thought of silent films (I wasn’t yet even hip to black and white movies) but something about Max Schreck in all that freaky makeup creeping up on that sleeping girl mesmerized me.

Last year I attempted to start a film club on Facebook. The idea was to take turns picking out movies for everyone to watch and then come back and discuss it at our leisure, through a FB post. The movie I chose was Werner Herzog’s 1979 remake of the film Nosferatu the Vampyre. I don’t know if my friends just didn’t like it or that a film club is a bad idea, but only one person responded to the movie. Personally, I love it.

Nosferatu, of course, was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which has been adapted dozens of times on screen, but there is something about Nosferatu that continues to fascinate.

Robert Eggers recently remade the film and I’m excited to finally get to see it. This new 4K UHD release contains an extended cut and lots of fun extras. I love Nosferatu in its many adaptations and I’m happy to make this new one my Pick of the Week.

Also out this week that looks interesting:

Constantine 4k UHD 20th Anniversary Addition: This comic book adaptation starring Keanu Reeves met with a collective shrug from critics and audiences alike when it first came out but like so many things time has caused many to revisit it and its reputation has only grown. I first saw it on an airplane and thought it was awful, but I revisited it last year and found it to be quite enjoyable if not exactly a masterpiece.

Panic Room 4k UHD Steelbook: Another film that isn’t a masterpiece but is sturdily made, beautifully directed by David Fincher, and a ton of fun to watch. The transfer here was approved by Fincher and it’s got loads of cool-looking extras.

The Social Network 4K UHD: This was the first Blu-ray I ever bought. It was sort of accidental as the first time I watched the film I didn’t like it that much, but the Blu-ray was on sale for like two bucks so I laid my money down. I’ve since come to appreciate the film in a big way, especially now that Zuckerberg has proven himself even more of a monster than the film depicts.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim: Animated prequel to the Lord of the Rings movies. It takes its visual inspiration from Peter Jackson’s films. I think it was inspired by some of the other writings J.R.R. Tolkien wrote about Middle Earth, but it is mostly an original story. I’m not deeply steeped in that lore, but I do like those films (still haven’t seen the Hobbit films) so I’ll eventually get around to this.

Drugstore Cowboy: Criterion Collection presents this drug-fuelled road movie from Gus Van Zandt.