Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu: A Disturbing Resurgence of Vampire Horror

The plot is very close to the original. Nicholas Hoult (who previously dabbled in vampire films with the comedy Renfieldalthough Nosferatu is so far from Renfield as Barbie is) plays Hutter, an ambitious real estate agent eager to get a big commission by selling a castle to the enigmatic Count Orlok. Shortly after Hutter embarks on his journey, his boss, Knock (Simon McBurney), abruptly closes his practice and becomes a devout follower of Count Orlok, a manifestation of evil with an insatiable crush on Hutter’s girlfriend. What follows is a story of foreboding and terror that unfolds in the purest Gothic style, with Eggers’ distinctive touch.

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While the 1922 silent film was a pioneer in horror cinema, its unintentional campiness is evident by today’s standards, particularly in the scene in which its menacing vampire runs around carrying his own coffin as if it were a garment bag. . Eggers, armed with the countless conveniences of modern cinema (especially sound), makes the most of them. If any filmmaker understands the power of sound, it’s Eggers. Bill Skarsgard disappears so completely into the role of Count Orlok that you forget about the actor behind the character, a testament to casting someone who embodies the essence of a vampire.

Eggers had Skarsgard work with an opera teacher to lower his voice a whole octave. The resulting baritone projects such a sinister aura with every syllable that you believe this monster has haunted the living for thousands of years. For much of the film, the camera rarely lingers on Orlok’s face. Instead, we see fleeting glimpses of his monstrous figure, as if through the terrified eyes of his victims. This perspective heightens the sense of dread and reflects the unbearable horror of being in the same room as the creature.

What sets Eggers apart from his contemporaries is the eye with which he builds his worlds (this was one of my favorite things about his previous film, The man of the north). In an early scene, the camera follows Hutter as he sets to work, navigating the bustling cobblestone streets of 19th-century Germany. From a butcher going about his business in the background to a later scene depicting the ceremonial ritual of a gypsy tribe, Eggers puts as much thought into the details of the background action as he does into the central scenes.

This immersive perspective continues throughout the film. A standout sequence occurs when Hutter meets Orlok for the first time at the vampire’s mansion in Transylvania. Orlok invites you into a fireplace-lit dining room, an intimidating gothic setting with an oversized fireplace. Even without Orlok’s presence, the room oozes menace. With the vampire looming over him, Hutter’s trembling, stuttering expression captures the full weight of the scene’s terror.

It’s not Eggers’ fault, but some elements of NosferatuThe narrative is dubious, even for a gothic tale. For example, the prophecy predicts that Orlok cannot win Ellen Hutter’s heart through coercion; she must volunteer. However, this doesn’t seem to place any restrictions on Orlok slaughtering her loved ones all night until she “voluntarily” submits to him, the classic extortion loophole. It is also unclear why the townspeople do not attack Orlok’s grave at lunchtime, given that the vampire cannot survive daylight.

While Hoult and Skarsgard’s contradictory performances representing good and evil are the stars of the film, the rest of the cast is equally compelling. Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter skillfully captures the trapped and tormented soul of Orlok’s muse. “Does evil come from within us or from beyond?” she shakes in one scene. Meanwhile, Willem Dafoe, as Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz, a replacement for Van Helsing in Bram Stoker’s film. Dracula — provides a dose of comic relief as an eccentric scholar who, despite his scientific erudition, refuses to deny the existence of evil and supernatural forces.

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Over the last century, Hollywood has stripped vampires of their terror, adapting them into everything from teen dramas like Buffy the vampire slayer even obscene adult food like true blood and absolute comedies like What we do in the shadows. But Eggers Nosferatu It is a minimalist return to form that removes layers of complexity and humanization. Orlok is not a misunderstood antihero but an unadorned incarnation of Satan: pure, irredeemable evil.

Eggers’ choice to portray Orlok as a manifestation of relentless darkness aligns with Dracula’s original intention. The vampire is not a multifaceted villain with a soft, relatable side; is a creature meant to convey horror in its most elemental form. In doing so, Eggers reminds us why these stories terrified audiences a century ago and proves that vampires can still be truly terrifying.

Harry Khachatrian (@Harry1T6) is a film critic for the Washington Examiner Beltway Confidential blog and computer engineer in Toronto, pursuing his MBA.