Rating: 9/10
Director Robert Eggers undoubtedly faced an insurmountable amount of pressure reigniting the flame of a character introduced over a century ago in 1922. However, with his newest film, “Nosferatu,” he extinguishes any worries.
“Nosferatu” is a remake of the 1922 German expressionist vampire film “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.” The remake captures the same level of terrifying beauty as the original movie.
Set in 1838, this new rendition shows real estate agent Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) traveling to Transylvania to sell a home to mysterious nobleman Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård). During the sale, Orlok comes across an image of Thomas’ wife Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), kicking off an obsession that plagues her with night terrors and visions of a great evil coming to their town.
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The story of “Nosferatu” is one of perseverance, overcoming numerous hurdles to achieve the recognition it has today — beginning with Bram Stoker’s 1897 gothic horror novel “Dracula.”
When F.W. Murnau, the German director of the original 1922 “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror,” attempted to adapt Stoker’s story, he was in contact with a publishing house that released a German translation of “Dracula.”
However, he did not contact Bram Stoker’s wife, Florence Stoker, to acquire the film rights, making his film an unauthorized adaptation. It created problems as copyright laws were still heavily enforced back then, even if the script for Murnau’s film was different.
The film had various changes, ranging from name differences to other settings, but the greatest change came from the distinction between Count Orlok and Dracula’s use of shadows. While Dracula casts no shadow, Count Orlok can cast his shadow and manipulate it how he sees fit, allowing his influence to reach greater heights.
However, the greatest change is in their demise: Count Orlok gets killed by being exposed to sunlight, while Dracula has his heart pierced and his head cut off. By having Count Orlok die by sunlight, the adaptation adds a new piece of vampire lore involving how they can be defeated.
Despite these changes, Florence Stoker was not content upon hearing of “Nosferatu’s” existence. As a result, she took the film to court, where a verdict was decided in her favor, calling for the destruction of all copies of the film.
“Nosferatu” almost became lost media as a result, but it persevered. Several copies were saved, and it was re-released in the United States in 1929.
Since then, the story of “Nosferatu” has gained more recognition, seeing another rendition in 1979 with Werner Herzog’s “Nosferatu the Vampyre” and various pop culture appearances, including “Spongebob Squarepants.”
Fast forward to 2024: With this newest rendition of “Nosferatu” hitting theaters, the love for the story is in full swing.
This “love” is shown on full display in the final film, which feels like a work of art crafted to admire the story, characters and vision of the project.
Every shot in Eggers’ “Nosferatu” is a marvel to look at, as the grim and macabre colors entrance the viewers almost as if Count Orlok himself was using his powers on the audience.
Part of this comes from Eggers’ dedication to replicating the era in which his films take place.
When his first film, “The Witch,” came out, the movie was praised for the accuracy of the 1630s New England setting. In an interview with WIRED, he spoke about his dedication to accuracy in his scenes.
“For me, if I really want to transport an audience, I can’t just say ‘This is a cool shot,’” Eggers said. “Everything in the frame really needs to be like I’m articulating my memory of this moment. Like, this was my childhood as a Puritan, and I remember that day my dad took me into the cornfield and what he smelled like. And if you’re going to be articulating a memory, the dust and the stitches on the clothing, they have to be right.”
Like Eggers’ other films, such as “The Witch,” “Nosferatu” benefits from the work of production designer Craig Lathrop and costume designer Linda Muir, who do an excellent job capturing the feel and aesthetic of the period while honoring the classic film.
However, unlike the original silent film, “Nosferatu” relies on its performances, which is one of the film’s many highlights. Everyone on board for the film did an incredible job portraying their roles and immersing themselves within their positions.
Hoult brings a unique charm to Thomas, delivering an incredible physical performance as a frail man up against one of unbelievable strength. Depp displays herself with a powerful performance of facial movements and eyes that communicate varying depths of emotion.
In a video by Video Club, Eggers explained how Depp’s audition performance was so moving that he “was in tears.”
But the greatest performance was arguably that of Skarsgård, who is completely unrecognizable in the role of Count Orlok. He brings a level of appeal to the character that is magnetic to those who see it.
This rendition of Count Orlok is truly terrifying as he seduces his way into Ellen’s life, all while being a menace in interactions with Thomas and creating chaos in the Hutters’ hometown.
These factors help solidify “Nosferatu” as a great modernization of a film that has gone through the test of time and, like its titular vampiric antagonist, has lived through decades.
“Nosferatu” is a triumph — a grim and erotic tale of obsession unlike many of the films released this year. It is a love letter to both the original 1922 classic and the gothic genre as a whole.
