Due to a series of weather delays, we’ve only just gotten to see Nosferatu and we are here to share our thoughts on it!
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m always on the lookout for vampire films to watch, and when I heard that Robert Eggers was remaking the iconic Nosferatu in his own image, well, I was intrigued to say the very least. As a longtime film buff I’ve long been aware of the 1922 Nosferatu silent film that tells the story of the nefarious vampire Count Orlok. Were anyone else in charge of this project I might’ve been worried about the final result, but this is Robert Eggers we’re talking about: director of The Witch, The Northman, and The Lighthouse. If anyone can pull this off, it’s him.
Nosferatu
Director: Robert Eggers
Studio: Focus Features
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Release Date: December 25, 2024
And did he ever pull it off!
Nosferatu loosely follows the plot of the 1922 film: in a small Germany city in the early 19th century, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), a newly married woman, is plagued by nightmarish visions of evil. At the same time, Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), her husband, is sent to Transylvania to finalize the sale of a piece of property to the reclusive Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgard). What should be a simple business transaction turns into a hellish nightmare for both husband and wife.
Willem Dafoe stars as Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz in director Robert Eggers’ NOSFERATU, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Aidan Monaghan / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
I gathered from the intense trailers that Nosferatu was going to pack a punch, but I was in no way prepared for the intensity of what I experienced in the theater. Nosferatu is a heavy, heavy film when it comes to the horror. By which I mean you frequently feel like the monster is one inch from your face even when he isn’t onscreen. This is the type of film that will turn your mind inside out with the intensity of the action. In other words, this is not a film to be watched lightly.
Most of all I need to talk about Bill Skarsgard as Count Orlok. I’d heard the stories about his performance in this film of course. I’d heard he was unrecognizable and terrifying, but I still nearly jumped out of my skin the first time I saw him properly in the film. One of the scariest parts of Nosferatu is that it takes quite a bit of time before you see Count Orlok properly. Until that big reveal, the character is seen in the background or in heavy shadow, where you can almost see the monster that he is, but not clearly enough to be sure of it.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2023 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
Every scene Count Orlok appears in, you can’t help but look at him, his presence demands your undivided attention. I credit this not only to Skarsgard’s excellent performance, but also to the makeup and practical effects that brought Orlok to life. The way the vampire is designed, you can always see his eyes, and as a result it always feels like he’s looking at you and the final result is extremely unsettling.
Then there’s Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen, the unwilling object of Orlok’s affection. To avoid spoilers, I can’t go too deep into her performance except to say that it was stunning. Watching her face off against Orlok was a sight to behold, and I applaud the filmmakers for addressing how women were frequently dismissed or ignored (even if they were right) because they were women.
The cinematography in Nosferatu is exquisite. Eggers has this trick of framing shots so that everything feels symmetrical around the person standing in the frame. For instance, when Thomas arrives at Orlok’s castle, there’s a moment where he stands outside the castle’s main gate looking in and when the camera reverses back you see an arch over an arch over an arch, all perfectly aligned where Thomas is standing. Details like this pepper the film and make it stand out even more in the mind.
Finally, one of my favorite details is how the film pays homage to the original Nosferatu. The original silent film is well known for the striking silhouette of Count Orlok as he ascends a staircase and casts his sinister shadow on the wall. Imagine my delight when this moment was recreated in the remake. Little moments like that are the best way to pay homage to the original film and I appreciate that Eggers took the time to put details like that in.
I’ve now seen three of the four films Robert Eggers has directed and Nosferatu is by far my favorite. This is the kind of movie that will stay in your mind long after the credits have rolled. The acting was superb, the story was enthralling, I can’t say enough good things about Nosferatu. If you haven’t seen this film yet, go see it at your first opportunity, it’s worth it.
