Writer/director Robert Eggers has steadily built a name for himself in avant-garde film circles with films like The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman. Now, after years of development and some casting changes, he finally tackles one of his biggest challenges yet, remaking a monumental cinematic achievement for the modern era.
Set in 1838 Germany, like its predecessor, Nosferatu follows estate agent Thomas Hunter (Nicholas Hoult) who is summoned to the country of Transylvania to complete a sale of property a mysterious wealthy, elderly man named Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård). While there, Thomas soon feels unease and danger surrounding the old man and his interest in his young, haunted bride Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp). Thomas must return to Germany before Count Orlok does in order to save his wife, and their village itself.
Remaking a classic film, much less one foundational to the art itself, is no easy task but Eggers manages to create a modern take that both honors what came before and offers something new and fresh firstly through his impeccable craftsmanship. The visual landscape the director and his cinematographer Jarin Blaschke have imbued Nosferatu with includes not just the contrasted color grading in many of the nighttime scenes that pays homage to the franchises black and white roots, but the staging throughout that at times creates frames that resemble gothic art befitting of its 17th century setting. In addition, the camera movement utilized in the film gives it added flair with various slow pans, rotating shots, and tracking shots that makes the camera feel alive and aids in setting a creepy, ominous tone for the film that matches the subject matter and performances. As a silent film, the visual language used in the original was pivotal in setting the stage for its horror elements and Eggers and his team do a fantastic job in following that lineage despite the modern advancement of sound that could’ve easily served as a crutch to forget the importance of visuals that their predecessors had no choice but to rely on. It ends up being essential in establishing the quality of this modern remake.
The atmosphere that both the script and Eggers’ direction sets for the titular villain are as exquisite as the film’s visuals with the sense of foreboding surrounding Count Orlok steadily built from the onset. From the time his name is first mentioned, his presence can be felt even if his actual figure has yet to be seen. His introduction, from the stunning shot of his carriage meeting Thomas at a forested crossroad under the moonlight (featured atop this review) to their conversation in his study by the fireplace, sticks the haunted landing as the audience first hears Skarsgård’s creepy portrayal of the legendary vampire. The actor perfectly embodies the voice and movement of an undead immortal, with a slow, deep timbre in his voice and slow gait in his walk. Skarsgård’s performance in remarkable in its haunting unease and is a more than worthy entry in the cannon of the franchise. He’s joined by Depp who performs capably as the target of Orlok’s obsession. She plays Ellen as a bit more than a damsel in distress, hitting the emotional beats as a conflicted and disturbed woman who searches for the strength to battle not just the demon that chases her, but the demons inside of her so that she may protect those she loves. A lot of heavy lifting is required of her performance and she succeeds in depicting the terror of a horror film protagonist and communicating her character’s internal conflict in service of the film’s theme.
Nosferatu does attempt to add in some thematic depth amidst its horror elements through both Ellen and her and Thomas’ friend Harding, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Through Harding, we see the tug of war between science and reason and faith and the supernatural. Harding is skeptical of the existence of an otherworldly evil and its effect on the spiritual when confronted with Ellen’s experience and the theories of Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz (Willem Dafoe) of what Count Orlok is. Franz believes in the existence of the devil and the question he poses of Ellen through his torment; does evil come from us or to us? Ellen’s experience with Orlok and the resulting guilt she carries explores the effect of carrying shame on the human psyche and the role of redemption in solving it. While secondary to the frights of Nosferatu, it does provide an added layer of complexity that is just enough to differentiate from its predecessor without bogging down the film or overly complicating it in a bid for additional highbrow points.
Nosferatu is stylish horror triumph and feels new and modern while also paying homage to the classic that came before it. A hard task of balancing to be sure, but Robert Eggers manages to nail it through impeccable cinematography, respect for the source material, and his own creative spirit. Count Orlok and Bill Skarsgård’s is magnificently creepy and sets the stage for the palpable dread that marks the film and makes it such a frightful delight. Lily-Rose Depp also offers a quality performance opposite the night terror, displaying the array of emotion that powers both the film’s subtext and its call for a siren for its antagonist. Nosferatu is a fantastic successor to what came before and a horror standout in its own right.
Image: Focus Features
