Over the past few years, there has been a renaissance within the horror genre. With the waning popularity of major franchise films, such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, independent films have become more and more mainstream, with unique stories and characters being introduced to audiences worldwide. However, this does not mean that the horror genre has disappeared. In fact, it has adapted. Audiences are no longer satisfied with classic horror films, and this has influenced filmmakers to take a step back and think about what kinds of films audiences want to see. Director Robert Eggers has taken this approach with his adaptation of F. W. Murnau’s 1922 silent German expressionist film “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.”
Eggers’ “Nosferatu” is the latest in a string of vampire movies over the past century since Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” was published in 1897. With the rising popularity of vampire and supernatural films over the past few decades, including the success of the “Twilight” series and the renewed interest in Anne Rice’s “Interview with the Vampire,” audiences are used to seeing each director’s interpretations and adaptation of vampires on the big screen. The adaptation is a loose retelling of the 1922 film, which is itself an unauthorized adaptation of Stoker’s novel, as it follows similar plotlines and characters in the film are inspired by characters from the novel.
Eggers made a name for himself within the horror genre with the success of his 2015 film “The Witch.” His latest film, “Nosferatu,” has not only positively impacted the horror genre with its nuanced and original portrayal of the typical vampire plotlines audiences have been fed over the past few years, but it has also begun a discussion of the need for increased media literacy and more gothic horror movies to be made.
The film’s stand-out performance was delivered by Lily-Rose Depp, who plays Ellen Hutter, the film’s female protagonist. Depp plays a young woman who is being tormented by Count Orlok, played by Bill Skarsgård, through the psychic connection that they share. Ellen’s guttural screams as she lays, bedridden and in agony while she fights back against Count Orlok’s hold on her are as terrifying as they are mesmerizing. The way her body contorts is more terrifying than Count Orlok’s presence.
Even though Ellen is presented as both angelic and innocent, she is anything but. She is her own woman, with desires and ambitions separated from her husband, but is held back by the strict constraints of the society she lives in. These constraints are a major influence on how Ellen, Thomas and Count Orlok behave and interact with each other. Ellen is seen as a damsel in distress by Thomas and by Count Orlok as an object of desire. While Ellen may be married to Thomas Hutter, played by Nicholas Hoult, she is kept apart from him for most of the film by Count Orlok, causing her to become not only an independent female character but also the heroine of her story. “Nosferatu” has many of the typical tropes seen in both gothic and horror movies, such as exemplifying the damsel in distress trope and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This puts characters such as Ellen in positions that force them to not only be independent but to analyze the world around them.
As the film continued, it became apparent that the film was not meant to terrify audiences — it was meant to make audiences think. It is why “Nosferatu” doesn’t simply fall under the horror genre but instead finds a home in the gothic horror genre. Gothic horror, by definition, is a “loose literary aesthetic of fear and haunting” that focuses on themes such as fear of the unknown, and at times, incorporates facets of the supernatural. The genre often combines the themes of romance and horror, which is what “Nosferatu” does. The film can’t simply be categorized as a coming-of-age or romance film — it is more than that, and that is what makes it stand out from other films. The audience pieces the facts together alongside the characters, and it makes for a complex interactive experience that is not made for everyone.
Vampires have always been a staple of the horror genre but with movies such as “Twilight,” the idea of how a vampire should look has influenced the way that vampire horror films are made and that often ends up warping the meaning of the story, as it leans toward the superficial aspects of the vampire plotline rather than the psychological. Eggers’ “Nosferatu” takes a different approach, and it pays off.
The film is a masterclass in how actions speak louder than words. While this adaptation of the 1922 film is not a silent one, it is influenced by the aspects of the silent era, with its bluish-black and white color scheme and ominous soundtrack. The film itself was not released on Halloween, but on Christmas Day, cementing the idea that “Nosferatu” is not a typical run-of-the-mill horror movie. It is meant to make audiences think about the meaning behind the actions and decisions of characters, the way the story is being told and most importantly, who the story is being told by.
Since the release of the trailer back in the summer of 2024, viewers have been anticipating the release of the movie for one reason — no one knew what the titular character looked like. The looming and nefarious presence of Count Orlok, who is also referred to as Nosferatu in the film, was felt in the trailer, but not seen, this left audiences wondering what the vampire of the film would look like. Count Orlok, when revealed to audiences halfway through the movie, is not beautiful. He is a relic, a remnant of the past, and his status as a vampire cements the idea that in Eggers’ films, vampires aren’t meant to be beautiful, they are meant to be deadly. Count Orlok is a terrifying, decaying shell of a man that exists in a world that will never welcome him, this is why his obsession with Ellen causes him to lash out. Ellen, in a moment of weakness and isolation, called out for someone to be with her to combat her loneliness, and Count Orlok answered.
Count Orlok’s story is intertwined with her story due to decisions made before the events of the movie, and it serves as a way to show the true nature of not just Ellen but of the people Nosferatu torments. Count Orlok is not meant to be beautiful or seductive, as mainstream vampires tend to be presented. He is meant to be a physical manifestation of Ellen’s loneliness and her desires for companionship, however twisted those desires may be. It is why the other characters in the film, such as the Hutters’ friends, Friedrich and Anna Harding, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corrin, respectively, fear Count Orlok and run, and why Ellen, despite her fears of him, confronts him, as she, being the one who called him, can be the only one who can banish him. The cast of characters is constantly running around trying to avoid Count Orlok’s wrath and his attempts to establish control, but Ellen, despite being afraid of Count Orlok, runs toward the danger.
The beauty of having a film such as “Nosferatu” exists within the realm of the gothic horror genre and the period that it is set in is that it serves as an explanation for not only the decisions the characters make, but also their behavior. The characters are very obviously a product of Stoker’s era, but Eggers understood these constraints. Instead of overlooking them, Eggers worked alongside them to create a film about the horrors and complexities of desire, all while redefining the meaning of what a film about vampires should be about.
Rating: 4.5/5