Actor, comedian, and major cinephile Patton Oswalt is joining the documentary project In Search of Nosferatu as executive producer.
The film directed by Alexandre O. Philippe, described as “a global archival treasure hunt for decaying prints of F.W. Murnau’s seminal vampire classic [Nosferatu],” began principal photography earlier this month. It’s being showcased in Cannes at the Fantastic Pavilion – the Marché du Film’s home for genre cinema, where Philippe and other members of the production team are meeting with potential international co-production and distribution partners.
‘In Search of Nosferatu’
Medianoche Productions/Thunderbug Productions
“The film follows Philippe and British archivist Lauren Newport-Quinn on a personal journey across the globe – from Edinburgh to Mexico City, Seoul to Bratislava – to uncover and examine surviving copies of Murnau’s 1922 masterpiece,” notes a release. “Rejecting the notion of a single ‘perfect’ version, the project champions the material decay and geographical diversity of the prints as essential to the film’s emotional and historical DNA.”
The release continues, “Leaning on Newport-Quinn’s rare form of synesthesia, in which she ‘hears’ visual distortions, the project will culminate in a reinvention of Nosferatu itself – recut from the diverse prints discovered during production, with a brand-new score informed by her unique sensory experience. All prints will be scanned and made available to the public via a free, accessible online portal, preserving their individual beauty and decay for future generations.”
‘In Search of Nosferatu’
Medianoche Productions/Thunderbug Productions
In a statement, Oswalt said, “Nosferatu isn’t just a film; it’s a cultural entity that has seeped into the collective unconscious, and its surviving prints are like relics. The chance to work with Alexandre, who dissects cinema with the precision of a detective and the passion of a fanatic, is irresistible. I can’t wait to see what horrors and beauties we dig up.”
Philippe’s directing credits include Kim Novak’s Vertigo, 78/52, Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on the Exorcist, Lynch/Oz, and Chain Reactions. Of his executive producer, Philippe said, “Patton is a true cinephile and a vital voice among cinephiles. His enthusiasm for the macabre and his deep understanding of genre mythology make him the perfect partner for this journey into the heart of cinema’s most enduring vampire story.”
‘In Search of Nosferatu’
Medianoche Productions/Thunderbug Productions
In Search of Nosferatu is being produced by Terri Piñon of Medianoche Productions (Kim Novak’s Vertigo). Horror historian and author Dr. Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (1000 Women in Horror) serves as co-producer. Along with Oswalt, Sonia Drouhliole of Thunderbug Productions is on board as an executive producer. The documentary is structured as a multinational co-production with Hopscotch Films (UK/Scotland), Morbido Group (Mexico), Artactive Production (Slovakia), and Autopilot (France).
We’re told In Search of Noseratu will feature interviews with an eclectic roster of top filmmakers and artists influenced by the film. Nosferatu is ranked as one of the greatest films of all time by the British Film Institute. In a 1994 poll of film historians, it was ranked as best European film of all time, tying for that honor with The Rules of the Game (La Règle du Jeu).
