I’m instantly obsessed with any movie that has a vampire in it: from The Lost Boys (1987) to Renfield (2023), the alluring nature of these undead creatures has me absolutely enthralled. Even Twilight (2008) has a special place in my heart. For fellow fans of these creatures of the night, I have the perfect film for you to sink your teeth into.
Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024) is easily one of the best vampire movies I’ve ever seen. A remake of F.W. Murnau’s silent film, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922), Eggers’ revamped adaptation follows its predecessor closely. The movie centres around newlyweds Ellen, portrayed by Lily-Rose Depp, and Thomas, played by Nicholas Hoult. When Thomas is called away to secure a deal with the mysterious Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), Ellen gets left behind in the care of Friedrich (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his wife, Anna (Emma Corrin). The movie flips between Thomas’ horrific journey and a tormented Ellen, who hides a dark secret — one that threatens all of Wisborg.
As soon as the film opened, I knew I was in for a treat. Everything from the beautiful score to the haunting dialogue had me hooked. That, and the heavily desaturated lighting in the film harkens back to the original black and white movie in a way that reminds us that this is still an updated version.
Without a doubt, the most effective parts of this movie were the moving performances of the entire main cast. If I had to narrow it down, I would say that Willem Dafoe’s portrayal as Professor Von Franz was one of the most memorable. Fans of his know that any film where Dafoe gets to play an odd and eccentric character is always entertaining.
However, the two cast members who undoubtedly stole the show were Depp and Skarsgård. While Skarsgård’s monstrous voice was the most notable aspect of his character, he was also visually unrecognizable as the undead count — not surprising if you’ve seen his portrayal of Pennywise in It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019).
As for Nosferatu’s leading lady, Depp’s performance is extremely captivating. Not only does she convey so much raw emotion with her acting, but her ability to manipulate her body in such unique ways deserves praise in and of itself. In an interview with Extra TV, Depp confirmed that no CGI was used to aid her movements and that she instead worked with a movement coach to enhance her performance.
There is one part of this film that I didn’t love; the beginning was a tad slow and I unfortunately did find myself wondering when things were going to pick up. However, I thought the same of the 1922 film, so I might just be impatient.
The most successful aspect of this film is its deep dive into the gothic. A mysterious plague, a damsel, and more historically, the clash of religion and science that is the focus of so much classic gothic literature — the most famous example of this being Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein (1817). Of course, many of these gothic elements are because the 1922 film was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s original novel, Dracula (1897). Regardless, both versions of Nosferatu have their own unique elements that they bring to the classic tale.
Count Orlok himself is an excellent example of a classic folk vampire paired with the seductive nature that’s been associated with vampires since John Polidori’s short story, The Vampyre (1819). All of that to say, Eggers’ version not only maintains the story’s pre-existing gothic tropes, but it also includes fresh macabre elements that any fan of classic gothic horror will no doubt appreciate.
As for why these darker stories are so important today, Eggers stated in a conversation with Dafoe on GQ’s YouTube channel, “These stories are deeply important to explore. ‘What is the darkness?’ It doesn’t even have to be about you. It’s like, it’s in humanity.” Safe to say, with all the darkness we’ve been experiencing in the world and online since the most recent US election, it feels right that a movie delving into the subject of evil was made now.
If you want a good vampire movie that explores humanity’s darkness, make sure to add Nosferatu to your watch list. Safe to say, if this superb film doesn’t win at least one Oscar, I will be throwing a fit.
