(NEXSTAR) — It’s been 102 years since FW Murnau’s silent horror masterpiece Nosferatu: Symphony of Terror was released in theaters. This film helped define the vampire genre with conventions that continue to this day. This story is old, so some people may be familiar with it to some extent, but horror author Robert Eggers’ latest work, Nosferatu, reveals the horror hidden within this eerie and atmospheric story, even after the fact. It proves that it taps into our deepest fears. .
Eggers’ “Nosferatu,” which opens on Christmas Day, stars Nicholas Hoult (“Jury #2”) as Thomas Hitter, a newly married real estate agent who is given an undesirable assignment. It is to travel to Transylvania and sell real estate to the mysterious aging Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgard), who lives in the ruins of a castle surrounded by wild wolves and mountain passes in a foggy labyrinth. .
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To do so, Hatter leaves behind his wife Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), who has recently been haunted by phantom dreams she has had her entire life. Ellen’s dream, in which she is happily married to a dark figure she calls “Death,” feels like a prophecy to her, but everyone in her life dismisses her concerns as “hysteria.” ” or dismiss it as “depressing.” Despite this, Eren feels a familiar, disembodied voice calling to him from afar.
In Count Orlok’s crumbling castle, Thomas slowly learns the truth about the Count: Spoiler — he’s a vampire. More spoilers: He is a mysterious spirit who calls Eren. Thomas escapes from the Shadow Fortress, but will he be able to get home before Orlok, who knows Eren’s whereabouts, comes to claim his bride?
This image released by Focus Features shows a scene from Nosferatu. (Function concentrated via AP)
The film’s biggest strengths are the performances, especially by Skarsgård and Depp. It’s no big surprise that Skarsgård, the man behind his latest film, Pennywise the Dancing Clown, is once again the standout creature of darkness. Skarsgård, who plays Orlok, is frighteningly thin and wears heavy prosthetics, using both his physicality and the harsh rasp that Skarsgård told Entertainment Weekly was an octave lower than his real-life voice. It creates fear in every scene. Every time Orlok appears in the shadows, you’ll find yourself unconsciously holding your breath as Skarsgård commands your eyes, no matter how much you want to look away.
Depp, on the other hand, has the film’s biggest chance for stardom. Although Ellen is locked in a room or relegated to bed to rest, it shouldn’t give the impression that Depp isn’t given much to do. As the mental and emotional torture she experiences at the hands of her vampire lover increases, Depp transforms into something evil and cunning in some moments, and Depp completely dedicates her body to possession. Watching this relative newcomer (her most notable role was on HBO’s The Idol last year) pursue such an ugly, intense role that’s also disgustingly dazzling. is shocking.
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When Orlok arrives in the fictional Germanic village of Wisborg, he brings with him swarms of disease-carrying rodents, flooding the town with disease. The threat of infectious disease is woven deep into the story of Nosferatu, and the threat of plague feels even more real now, just a few years after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eggers spends several scenes with rats and people infecting them, but many may find these elements to be one of the most disturbing in the entire film.
This image released by Focus Features shows Aaron Taylor-Johnson in a scene from Nosferatu. (Function concentrated via AP)
Elsewhere, Orlok himself begins to infect the city. It gives Eggers, director Jarin Blaschke, production designer Craig Lathrop, and the film’s art department an additional opportunity to showcase some of the best visuals and world-building we’ve seen this year. . In addition to the otherworldly, eerie atmosphere of Orlok Castle and its surrounding wilderness, Eggers et al. imbue their image of Wisborg with a picturesque yet incredibly tactile image of the ancient German city. Many of the film’s visuals seem to tap into the striking visual style of Murnau’s 1922 film, but they never draw attention to themselves or feel like copies. Whether shot from above the city or in a dimly lit cellar below, Eggers’ films are endlessly stunning, with each scene a visual feast on screen.
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The film also stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kraven the Hunter) and Eggers’ previous collaborator Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse), both of whom had bit parts. are. Taylor-Johnson, who plays the skeptical Friedrich Harding, is arguably the film’s “heterosexual” character, and the 34-year-old plays the role (and the 1800s attire) well. Meanwhile, as an occult-obsessed professor, Dafoe becomes yet another addition to the canon of “Willem Dafoe as a loony eccentric character” (“Spider-Man” (2002) and “Poor People” (2023)). ). Whenever Dafoe appears in a movie wearing some kind of costume or wig, it’s always a good occasion.
Nosferatu also deserves praise for being downright scary. Director Eggers dispenses with any jump scares, instead building the brilliant tension and sense of foreboding that made films like The Witch and The Lighthouse one of the year’s best horror films. is used. In addition to the fear of losing bodily autonomy (Ellen), the fear of the unexplained (Harding), and the fear of infectious diseases, “Nosferatu” depicts Ellen’s tragic upbringing. You can tell that in the first frame of the movie. She was so lonely that she started dating spirits from an early age. A spirit that came to call? you guessed it. This is a tragic and realistic story. Loneliness, which we have all experienced, is itself a kind of fear, and there is a danger of inviting the wrong kind of companions. In the film’s beautiful and grotesque final scene, Ellen finally makes the choice to regain her independence. What we are ultimately left with is a story of women’s triumph over evil.
Eggers’ “Nosferatu” takes place on Christmas Day and is set in winter, so it fits neatly into the same spooky holiday frame as “A Christmas Carol” and feels perfect for the season.
Overall, 2024 is a very solid year for movies, and Nosferatu is one of its best.
Score: ★★★★★
