Synthesist John Wilson, aka Dieters Monkey, created an original analog synth soundtrack for the classic silent film Nosferatu.
The score is inspired by the classic synth music of 70’s electronic music pioneers.
Here’s what Wilson has to say about the project:
“The world’s first cinema Vampire: 1922 FW Murnau’s silent film (Public Domain) with my own musical compositions using 40 year old analog synthesizers to augment the haunting, stylized German expressionist classic. There were many blown capacitors and broken pure silver key trigger wires along the way. This film was forced to be destroyed by Bram Stokers widow, due to the obvious plagiarism of 1897’s Dracula. It survived as copies were found in cinemas during the 60’s.
I have been working on this project for a very long time and the convergence of many themes of Nosferatu and 2020 inspired me to finish it off.”
The score was created with a variety of vintage analog gear, including Roland JX-8P, ARP Omni mkI, PAIA Vocoder & Korg Polysix. In addition, he used Mutable Instruments Shruthi, Farfisa organ & Small Stone Phaser.
I don’t like this soundtrack – in my opinion, there are so many stylistic inconsistencies between the music and the old movie – the music scale, type of sounds, tempo of music… and the drum machine! and what else?
Thumbs up for the work, great synth tunes – definitely! Admittedly, I couldn’t feel any connection between the scenes and the music. The soundtrack doesn’t add anything to the movie’s atmosphere.
Nash The Slash, may he rest in peace, did something very similar (albeit played live) back in the mid-90s.
As a piece of film it lends itself very well to synth soundtracks.
Excellent!!!
Brilliant labor of love.
Just a warning for copycats: the film is not everywhere pubic domain – especially not in Germany!
awkward typo there, wok
😀
the music is way to happy
come on, its Nosferatu – Eine Symphonie des Grauens
(a symphony of horror)
Here’s Popol Vuh’s take on Nosferatu (the Werner Herzog version). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjHM41QJ6dI&list=PLwZyLyoCdAbM0T0ZRrgbRrDGcZDU1xr2O
I also, find the music does not reflect the atmosphere of this movie even though the analog sounds are ok. Here is a sample of a better reflection of the atmosphere of the film with the use of electronic music
https://youtu.be/3G8t17nxLf8