Robert Eggers really took a tall task on in remaking this movie in my opinion. The OG Nosferatu from 1922 is literally taught in film classes because of it being such an iconic staple of not just silent film, but in the history of film in general. Now, in a way this movie needed to be made because there’s not many people that can stomach a silent film nowadays. So I’m ecstatic that this movie exists.
I can rage about the cast all day. Everyone is phenomenal honestly. The standouts to me are Bill Skarsgård as the titular Count Orlok and Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter, the muse to Count Orlok. Bill Skarsgård really puts himself in his roles, literally. Like I wouldn’t be surprised if he became a vampire temporarily so that he could achieve the levels of horror that he did here. The voice he produces for Count Orlok is so menacing in the worst and best possible ways. I literally hear it every time I’m about to go to sleep. As great as Bill Skarsgård is, I think Lily-Rose Depp is what makes this movie work. Her opening monologue, her being possessed, her being the lovely wife, being the conniving possessed muse, all while being the true protagonist and hero of the movie, and she literally shifts into many the other personalities mid scene. Her commitment to the role of Ellen is, in my opinion what makes the story elements work. She’s gorgeous and her words and love are so powerful in prayer that she can awake a literal demon, not everyone can deliver on that. If this film was released earlier this year than I have no doubt that she would be in contention for best supporting actress in many awards shows. Also! Aaron Taylor-Johnson is terrific in this movie, really goes to show how a good script and director is just as important in a performance (here’s looking at you Kraven…)
The script is really brilliant, the dialogue really modernizes the style of the 1800’s and the creative really knew what they were doing to make the world of 19th century Germany feel like a place on the brink of tomorrow but then throwing a wrench in that evolution with a freaking plague. In a film with cringe inducing scenes, the only thing I slightly wince at when thinking about this movie is the climax when it’s time to confront evil, and still even that is done beautifully in a morbid way.
If the Academy Awards had a section, just for overall aesthetic than throw that damn Oscar at this movie. The sound and editing are perfect. There’s a jump scare relatively early in the film that woke me up so hard, it really made me alert for the rest of the movie (it’s like they did that on purpose or something) and it’s crazy because they do basically the same jump scare a few more times and it gets you every time. The cinematography is beautiful, the camera moves like it’s the actual head of Count Orlok and you are there in the film through his POV. Jarin Blaschke is the cinematographer and he really has that thing on a swivel or something. The whole team does a great job at scene framing as well. They take advantage of the fact that Count Orlok has such an iconic scene with a door opening and it shows his horrific look. There are so many scenes that has a silhouettes of his body and it’s super eerie. I love it.
Nosferatu is a film that will stick with you, it’ll literally stay in your veins for Nosferatu to suck out. It’s everything you want in a vampire film of the horror genre, something that could possibly be truly generational.
🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2
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