At more than a century old, 1922’s Nosferatu casts a wide shadow over virtually every vampire movie that’s followed. There have certainly been other great vampire movies since then. We’ve even gotten several adaptations of Bram Stoker’s Dracula that didn’t have to change any names. Even on the heels of Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee, Max Schreck’s performance as Count Orlok has always been in a league of its own. The idea of somebody trying to replicate F. W. Murnau’s symphony of horror sounds like a thankless task. If any living filmmaker could pull it off, it’s Robert Eggers.
With The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman, Eggers has delivered three brilliantly crafted and acted modern classics. If one word best describes Eggers’ work, it’s atmosphere. Various directors are known for making good-looking movies, but producing a strong sense of atmosphere isn’t easily taught in film school. Eggers has a knack for plunging the viewer into gothic environments and the psychological torment the characters are enduring. Eggers directing Nosferatu sounds like a natural fit – and he doesn’t disappoint.
The plot doesn’t stray too far from the original film or other interpretations of Dracula. Eggers’ script makes us feel like we’re hearing this story for the first time, however. Nicholas Hoult continues to prove he can do no wrong as Thomas Hutter, a real estate agent sent to close a deal with a mysterious client in Transylvania. That client is, of course, Count Orlok, played by Bill Skarsgård. Many will surely describe Skarsgård as unrecognizable here, even more so than his performance as Pennywise in It. The trailers have graciously kept Orlok concealed in the shadows, making it more impactful as the film gradually pulls the curtain back. Even before we see Orlok, Skarsgård’s voice paralyzes the viewer with fear. His transformation goes beyond the sensational makeup effects, which deserve an Oscar nomination along with The Substance.
While Skarsgård’s transformation might be the most apparent, Lily-Rose Depp undergoes a physical and internal metamorphosis. Depp has demonstrated her ambition as a performer in the past, but many still view her as Johnny Depp’s daughter. Her performance as Ellen Hutter is a revelation bound to solidify Depp as an A-list star. As Orlok grows infatuated with her, Ellen finds herself embroiled in a battle of will, sanity, and passion. Although sexuality has always been a facet of Dracula, Nosferatu perhaps goes further than any other adaptation. Depp is resilient as an innocent – albeit unstable – woman going through a sexual awakening, discovering how she can use it as a weapon. Ellen may fear Orlok and what’s brewing inside her, but Depp is brave throughout.
The supporting cast also includes strong work from Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe, the latter of whom previously received an Oscar nomination for playing Max Schreck in Shadow of the Vampire. The crafts are just as much the star with gothic production design, chilling cinematography, and a haunting musical score that calls to us like a demented pied piper. Speaking of which, Orlok’s presence spreads throughout Germany like the plague, yet the disease is practically intoxicating. At the center of everything is Eggers, who leaves his personal touch in every nook and cranny of a remake that might not surpass the original’s influence, but will leave audiences releasing a breath of fresh air that whispers, “cinema.”