“NOSFERATU” OFFERS A NEW TAKE ON VAMPIRES
BY AVERY ST. GEORGE PHOTO BY PROVIDED
If you saw “Nosferatu” (2024), you probably have many thoughts about it. The bizarre and macabre film sparked discussions online and was recently nominated for multiple Oscars. “Nosferatu” was directed and written by Robert Eggers and released to American theaters on Dec. 25, 2024.
Eggers has become a big name in the horror genre for his eerie, historical films including “The Northman” (2022) and “The Lighthouse” (2019). “Nosferatu” is loosely based on the 1897 novel Dracula and the 1922 black-and-white film “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror,” but Eggers takes his own creative liberties with the 2024 version making it more than just an average remake.
The movie stars Lily-Rose Depp, a young, up-and-coming actress I think we will be seeing a lot more of. Depp gives an incredible performance as Ellen, the main protagonist of the film, that leaves the audience feeling haunted and uneasy, and her connection with co-star Bill Skarsgård is unsettling. Depp said in an interview that Ellen is not the victim in the story, but is actually intrigued by Nosferatu’s desire for her.
“I think Nosferatu himself is the physical manifestation of that darkness and those darker desires that she’s learning to come to terms with,” Depp told Sirius XM.
The sexual connection between Ellen and Nosferatu is meant to make the audience feel uncomfortable and explore the concepts of repressed female desire within Ellen.
Skarsgård was basically unrecognizable as he fully transformed into his role as Count Orlok or Nosferatu. The voice he adopted for the character added to his performance. His deep, raspy breathing and Romanian accent brought Nosferatu to life. Notably, Willem Dafoe and Nicholas Hoult also flexed their acting capabilities and complemented Depp’s unhinged energy very well.
The cinematography of the film, which was nominated for an Academy Award, is incredible and works to bring the story to life. The dark, blue-tinted world feels cold and hopeless which helps put the audience into the minds of the characters. The wide shots did a great job of creating a landscape and showing the barrenness of the world. Specifically, the carriage scene with Hoult’s character wandering through the woods was outstanding at conveying the impending doom of his character and his succumbing to Nosferatu’s will.
“Nosferatu” is labeled under the horror genre, but the jump scares of a typical horror film are very limited. This movie is more akin to “Midsommar” (2019) or “Us” (2019) in that it’s meant to be disturbing and has a deeper meaning behind the general scariness. The movie’s message encourages us to look within and reflect on our own darkness and desires. Overall, I appreciated the artistic integrity of the film and the acting performances, but it will definitely be a while until I watch it again due to the haunting story that it tells.
