Nosferatu (1922)

The grandfather of all vampire films, this silent masterpiece of German Expressionism remains a haunting and visually striking experience. Max Schreck's portrayal of Count Orlok is the stuff of nightmares, a rat-like, grotesque creature that stands in stark contrast to the later, more romanticized versions of the vampire. Its use of shadow, architecture, and unsettling imagery helped define the visual language of horror cinema. While it requires a modern viewer to adjust to the silent format, it is an essential piece of film history that still manages to unnerve.