As a fan of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the horror genre, I was thrilled to watch Robert Eggers’s rendition of Nosferatu this past December. Following F.W. Murnau’s famed 1922 original, this modern remake of a vampiric tragedy was eagerly anticipated by many, myself included. And between its captivating visuals, chilling performances, and precise display of gothic cinema, it did not disappoint.
The plot follows newly wed couple Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) and Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) as they plunge into the schemes of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), entailing a both grotesque and exciting experience accompanied by provocative visuals, sounds, and performances. I found Lily-Rose Depp and her physicality as a possessed victim of Count Orlok to be a highlight of the movie. Partnered with Depp’s performance, I was in awe of the film’s star-studded cast, including Willem Dafoe, Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor Johnson, and Emma Corrin.
Despite the eye-catching cast list, I was most drawn to Eggers’s directorial style and his expertise in gothic film. Even in the first shots, I was already lured into the gloomy world of Nosferatu. There were so many moments where I felt I was nearly in the scene as fog drifted across Ellen’s moonlight garden, a lantern illuminated Professor Albin’s homestead, or snow gently fell in the looming forests of Romania.
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A particular scene that I enjoyed was Thomas’s journey into the unknown lands of Romania to visit with Count Orlok. As he enters a forest lined with trees and snow silently falls, the moon’s glow reveals an expansive path through the darkened woods. The audio then falls silent as the shot zooms out to show Thomas walking perfectly down the middle of the path, creating a symmetrical scene. Suddenly, thunder sounds in the distance as an ominous carriage speeds toward Thomas, but halts abruptly in front of him with the door creaking open to lure him inside. The shot then shifts again to show Thomas’ face seemingly in a trance as he eerily walks, nearly floats, into the carriage. Besides the beauty of the shot itself, the various elements across this scene are perfect for the gothic style, whether it’s the dreary weather, eerie silence, uncanny atmosphere, or muted color scheme. This perfection in cinematography carries across the film, with my attention being invested in the experiences of each character as the plot unfolded.
However, F.W Muranu’s historical release of Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror in 1922 cannot go without credit when admiring Eggers’s version. Muranu’s film remains a turning point in vampiric media and the horror genre as a whole. Influencing a new era of expressionist film, it also catapulted vampires into public fascination as Bram Stoker’s Dracula became popular from Muranu’s success.
Despite its later esteem, Muranu released his film as an unauthorized rendition of Stoker’s novel. Consequently, Stoker’s estate issued an infringement lawsuit and led Albin Grau, the film’s writer, to declare bankruptcy and close his production studio. Making it both infamous and almost extinct, the film was then banned in Germany in 1945 and ruled to be burned immediately. Nonetheless, a singular copy was preserved and redistributed in the American public domain, cementing its existence and relevance today.
Many moments in Eggers’s rendition pay homage to its silent predecessor. My favorite touch was Eggers’s use of shadows, particularly with Count Orlok’s hands, that directly mimics the shots from the 1922 classic. These minute details attest to the care taken in the creation of this film to ensure the preservation of the original while still creating something new for viewers to enjoy.
So, whether you’re entrenched in horror media or just beginning your horror repertoire, Nosferatu is a great way to spend your time.
Image Sources: Wikipedia, Forbes, SYFY, Tenor, SceneByGreen, Mashable, Tumblr