In recent years, many masterful film auteurs have emerged in the horror genre. One of the most prominent is Robert Eggers, whose moody and atmospheric films have stuck out as some of the most unique in horror. His newest film, Nosferatu, is no exception. Sensual and haunting, Nosferatu is a vampire story that takes your breath away.
The Original Nosferatu
Vampire stories have around for centuries. Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, Dracula, has been one of, if not the most, influential vampire tales for many horror films.
In 1922, F.W. Murnau set out to make his own version of Stoker’s classic tale, although it was more of a rip-off rather than an authorized adaptation. Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, tells the story of Thomas Hutter, a land clerk who is invited to meet a mysterious buyer in Transylvania. The buyer turns out to be a vampire, Count Orlock, who comes back with Thomas to his village where he wreaks havoc on the townspeople.
The film attempted to modify the story from the original source material, but it was clear to anyone who had read Stoker’s work that the two were extremely similar.
According to an article written by Oscar Kim Bauman for SYFY, Stoker’s wife noticed the similarities to her late husband’s novel and sued for copyright infringement. Since the film was released in Europe, and Dracula was not in the public domain yet, Murnau’s film was prohibited from having a wide-spread release. All copies were ordered to be destroyed.
Thankfully, a few copies survived and the film can now be found on YouTube and other video platforms. Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror became the source of many filmic and vampiric tropes. It is the originator of the trope that vampires can’t stand in the sunlight, and the film’s use of visual effects was monumental at the time. Although controversial when it came out, Murnau’s film is now regarded as one of the most important pieces of cinema, and the source of Eggers’ remake.
Nosferatu’s Gothic Themes
Although black and white might be the color palette for the gothic genre, the themes within are anything but. The genre is known for blurring the lines between desire and fear, specifically when it comes to the women.
In Nosferatu, Ellen Hutter, played by Lily-Rose Depp, begins a romantic relationship with a centuries old vampire, Count Orlock, after experiencing a deep sense of loneliness as a child. Years later, she falls deeply in love and marries Thomas Hutter, a land clerk.
Thomas, in the dark to Ellen’s previous relationship with Count Orlock, is invited to Orlock’s castle for business. Leaving Ellen alone, Thomas ventures to meet the mysterious host. Once they meet, Orlock is able to come back to the town where Ellen resides and unleashes a plague in order to get her back.
Ellen is both unsettled by Orlock’s presence and drawn to it. In the Victorian era, women’s sexuality was a taboo topic. Women were meant to be pure, so any mention of feminine sexual desire and pleasure was sinful.
The film, and many gothic tales, use the vampire as a symbol for repressed desire. As Count Orlock says in the film, he is Ellen’s appetite personified. She loves Thomas, but she also has a deep want for something seen as shameful. Both alluring and repulsive to her, Orlock is Ellen’s unconscious coming to light and in the final scene, we see her finally give in by dying with Orlock. She is both sacrificing herself to keep Thomas safe and accepting her deepest shame.
There’s an unsettling beauty in this story, which is exactly what has made gothic tales so fascinating for centuries.
Breathtaking Cinematography
Eggers’ previous films all share an eerie and chilling atmosphere. His first film, The Witch, is a dark, folklore-heavy story that is visually both stunning and disturbing. His other films, The Lighthouse and The Northman also share the same double-edged sword — you can’t take your eyes off of them but you also so badly want to look away.
The same can be said for Nosferatu. The cinematography, while gray and dull in color, captures a feeling of both admiration and fear. This mixture pairs well with the film’s themes of repressed desire and repulsion. Whether we’re watching Thomas’ physical journey to Orlock’s castle or Ellen’s internal journey to understanding what she wants, there’s a sense of awe and disgust working together.
Even those who might not be particularly impressed with the film’s narrative have to admit that the film is gorgeous. There’s no denying Egger’s visual mastery and his ability to express so much in just one still image.
Haunting Performances
Eggers’ Nosferatu pairs it’s haunting cinematography with soul-stirring performances, specifically Lily-Rose Depp’s. Not only does Depp evoke powerful emotion in her dialogue, but her movements and mannerisms are an unsettling sight to behold.
In an interview with DigitalSpy on TikTok, Depp revealed that she worked with a movement coach to help ensure that every movement she made in the film had emotion behind it. “It wasn’t just like going crazy for the sake of going crazy but that it was rooted in a real emotion and a real intention,” she says.
@digitalspyuk Lily-Rose Depp discusses working with a movement coach for the physical aspects of her role as Ellen in Nosferatu. #Nosferatu #LilyRoseDepp ♬ original sound – Digital Spy
Another incredible performance comes from Bill Skarsgård, who plays the titular Count Orlock. Bill is transformed into a grotesque and unrecognizable vampire through prostetics and makeup, and his voice is deep and heavy. Every time he’s on screen, you feel a thick tension that threatens to snap at any moment.
In an article written by Will Padfield for ClassicFM, it’s mentioned that Skarsgård worked with an Icelandic opera singer to deepen his voice. Paired with a thick Transylvanian accent, Skarsgård’s look and voice seem so outside of himself it’s hard to believe he’s under there at all.
Nicholas Hoult and Willem Dafoe also give strong performances that compliment the intensity of Depp and Skarsgård’s characters. Everyone’s involvement helps to create a devastatingly emotional journey for the viewers.
Nosferatu’s Success
Eggers’ Nosferatu made 84,4 million dollars at the domestic box-office, making it Focus Feature’s second highest grossing film. The film was also the highest rated 2024 horror release on Letterboxd.
Clearly, there’s an interest in Eggers as a filmmaker and gothic horror stories. Hopefully this means that we’ll get to see more of both in upcoming years.
Nosferatu joins the overflowing canon of vampire films, but its unique style helps it stand out. There’s intention behind every shot, every word, every movement. Eggers set out to tell a hauntingly beautiful story, and he surely succeeded.
