Nosferatushould be required viewing for all horror fans, especially those who can appreciate the gothic trappings of the vampire genre writ in its most classic form. Releasing in 2024,Nosferatuquickly gained critical acclaim even from cinema lovers who wouldn’t normally praise horror films, still holding with an84% critical score on RottenTomatoes.com.
Upon viewing the film, it’s easy to see why the latest film inRobert Eggers' cataloghas risen to such an unprecedented level of critical success. Despite being a remake of one of the oldest hit films in cinema history,Nosferatustill manages to feel like a breath of fresh air, albeit one carried in on a foul and foreboding dark wind.
Nosferatutakes place in early 19th century Germany, centering on a struggling newlywed couple. Dedicated husbandThomas Hutter sets off for Transylvania to sell a decrepit mansion local to his town to a mysterious ancient noble, the enigmatic Count Orlok. Orlok is revealed to be a nosferatu, or vampire, with his sights set on Thomas' wife Ellen.
Before long, all hell has been unleashed on the unassuming German village, with the Hutters' wealthy friends taking the brunt of the pestilence that comes with Count Orlok’s arrival. It’s up to the four of them to stop the beast from wreaking further havoc with the help of an eccentric occultist bearing some knowledge of the creature.
Nosferatu Is A Great Retelling Of A Classic
With Just Enough To Distinguish Itself
2024’sNosferatu, of course, takes heavy inspiration from the 1922 silent German expressionist classic,Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.The film represents an interesting telephone game of translation, as the originalNosferatuwas loosely based on Bram Stoker’sDracula,albeit with the names of characters changed to new German ones to avoid copyright.
There are some key differencesbetween 2024’sNosferatuand 1922’s, however, keeping the film from being a straightforward remake with nothing new to say. Perhaps the most obvious changes are the stylistic ones, with modern filmmaking no longer bound to the silence and monochromatic color palette of early filmmaking, though this is arguably a strength of the ancient horror movie.
Story-wise,the plot is certainly enhanced by the addition of Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz, played by Willem Dafoe. A clear stand-in for the original novel’s vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing, who has since become a pop culture figure nearly on par with Dracula himself, Von Franz is a phenomenal addition to the cast that was sorely lacking in the original.
However many differences it may have,Nosferatustill provides the same eerie sense of looming dread and supernatural chills as the iconic 1922 version. With slow, plodding horror that isn’t afraid to take its time, gradually encompassing the entirety of the audience’s viewpoint, 2024’sNosferatuarrests its viewer with terror on an unprecedented scale, just like its senior.
Robert Eggers Is A Modern Horror Master
And Nosferatu Undisputably Proves It
Of course,Nosferatuis far from Robert Eggers' only amazing horror film. Right out of the gate, Eggers proved himself as the undisputed king of period horror with 2015’sThe Witch, which told the story of a pilgrim family assaulted by dark forces on the American frontier in the 1630s. Eggers command of period-accurate language and his dedication to historical authenticity knows no bounds.
Eggers' follow-up toThe Witch, The Lighthouse, moved things up a bit in the timeline while revealing his first collaboration with the great Willem Dafoe.The Lighthouseis one of Willem Dafoe’s best performances, a stark raving mad sailor dripping with salt that sowed the seeds of his appearance inNosferatu.
Dafoe also has a smaller role in Eggers' lesser-known film,The Northman, which is more of a revenge epic than a horror movie. That being said, all three of his films leading up toNosferatuprove thatRobert Eggers is a master of terror, especially when exploring the historical settings that he loves to set his stories in.
Nosferatusees Eggers firing on all cylinders now that his particular brand of period horror has been well-established. From the phenomenal performances he’s able to command to the dramatic, cinematic presentation he hoists up the narrative with, Eggers' proficiency with horror is on full display inNosferatu.
The Cast Of Nosferatu Is Incredible
Few Horror Movies Have As Much Talent In One Room
For as great as Robert Eggers is as a director,the castNosferatubeautifully handle the difficult task of realizing his vision. The star of the show is easily Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter, proving she’s not just a nepo baby who lucked into the industry with her brilliant performance that conveys demonic possession, horrific desperation, and unsettling lust in various flavors.
Though Lily-Rose Depp’s character work deserves more credit, it’s easy to see why Willem Dafoe continues to steal every scene he’s in. Dafoe channels his best lunacy once more by working with Eggers, mixing in equal parts terror and comedic relief as the bizarre occultist doing his best to make difficult decisions that might save others from the nosferatu’s wrath.
After already doing so as Pennywise in theITfilms, Bill Skarsgård utterly transforms his body with practical effects to become the haunting Count Orlok.
Once again, after already doing so as Pennywise intheITfilms, Bill Skarsgård utterly transforms his body with practical effects to become the haunting Count Orlok. Skarsgård’s vocal work is stupendous here, if a bit unintentionally silly at times, drawing out his words into the horrific rasp of an ancient and foreign demon consumed by his desire.
If there is one weak link, it’s Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the wealthy Friedrich Harding. In any other movie, Taylor-Johnson would be holding his own just fine, but put up against his marvelous peers, he’s a bit underwhelming. Nicholas Hoult, on the other hand, is the perfect firsthand witness to Count Orlok’s terrifying visage.
Nosferatu Sets An Eerie Tone
The Film Sets The Stage Of Its Terror Beautifully
The worldNosferatu’s cast inhabits is just as impressive as their performances, if not more so, dancing with them as though it was a character in and of itself. In many cases, it might as well be, particularly in the dramatic Transylvania scenes in which the haunting environment seems to swallow up Nicholas Hoult’s Thomas as though it were the gaping maw of a beast.
Robert Eggers' commitment to period accuracy is second-to-none, and this passion shines through in the final edit ofNosferatu. With not a single stitch of clothing out of place,the art department of the film is its true unsung hero, giving the entire narrative a degree of authenticity that adds a multiplicative effect to the horror.
The score is also another bright spot in such a gloomy film, with Robin Carolan returning to work with Eggers fromThe Northman.The chilling ambience of his strings sets every scene beautifully, particularlyNosferatu’s bittersweet ending.
In the end, the film succeeds by the combined strength of all its different elements, not faltering in any one area. For any fan of gothic horror, vampires, or scary stories in general,Nosferatuis a must-watch that shouldn’t be ignored.
