NOSFERATU by Robert Eggers is a 2024 retelling of the old gothic tale about a vampire who demands that one living lady surrender herself to him. The film is scary and deeply upsetting. It is a masterpiece. Read the complete Nosferatu movie review here!
NOSFERATU in this 2024 rendition by Robert Eggers is based on the 1922 original, with a nod to Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula. If you’ve seen the 1922 version, you’ll notice a strong connection between the two.
The more than two-hour runtime may appear overwhelming, but I assure you that it is not long. You won’t be checking your watch (unless you wish to mentally time stamp specific instances), nor will you want it to stop. If possible, watch it in a movie theater.
Continue reading our Nosferatu movie review below. It will be released in theaters across the United States on December 25, 2024.
Brilliant use of color – and lack thereof
Nosferatu 2024 is a dark fairytale presented in the form of a waking nightmare. You’ve definitely seen earlier films about a vampire who sets his sights on a living woman, so let me give you a quick synopsis of the narrative.
We meet estate agent Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) as he prepares to travel to Transylvania. He needs to go there to conclude a deal with Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), a vampire who wants to buy property in the town of Wisburg, where Thomas lives and works with his new spouse Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp).
While Thomas is abroad, Ellen is left in the care of their friends Friedrich and Anna Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corrin), who have a bad feeling about Thomas leaving.
Ellen, now on her own, is troubled by images and terror every night, just as she was when she was younger. We [the audience] know it’s Count Orlok, who just wants to get to Wisburg and finally have Ellen in his grip.
Ellen also has a hunch that something is going to happen, but no one believes her. At first, Doctor Sievers (Ralph Ineson) seemed to be the least interested. Nonetheless, he has a suspicion that something is wrong and seeks assistance from an old professor. Enter Albin Eberhart von Franz (Willem Dafoe), who is instrumental in assisting Ellen.
Or, they eventually aid each other. He is familiar with the mythology and myths, whereas she is experiencing them.
Is Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu a black-and-white film?
In Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, we meet Ellen (Lily-Roes Depp) in a powerful and daring opening scene. This is where Count Orlok’s grasp on Ellen begins, and she is still a girl, not a woman.
The first scene is in black and white, however this is not a black and white film. This is revealed in the subsequent scene, which occurs years later. When Ellen meets Thomas, Count Orlok’s grip weakens but never vanishes completely.
Although there are black-and-white scenes throughout the film, the most of it is in color.
Scenes are sometimes devoid of color, suggesting how Count Orlok, as a vampire, depletes the world of life (by blood), leaving everything grey and colorless. The use of color (or lack thereof) combined with shadows creates a horribly unsettling viewing experience.
Also, the black-and-white visuals appropriately accentuate the story’s age, which only feels black and white because it takes place over 200 years ago.
A tale of desire and grooming
In essence, most of us are familiar with the story of Nosferatu, a vampire who craves a woman and has the ability to detect beyond time and space. It is crucial to both the classic 1922 film and Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
However, it is evident that this 2024 version, created more than a century after the first Nosferatu film, has changed its focus away from Count Orlok and the man who comes to see him. Don’t get me wrong, these two characters are still important, but they are not the focus.
Instead, the story focuses on Ellen, a human lady who Count Orlok desires. It’s a unique perspective that complements the tale and heightens the terror. In many respects, it becomes a straightforward story about grooming.
Count Orlok first notices the woman as a girl. He haunts her nightmares and has a hold on her that extends into her waking hours. It’s intense and frightening in the same ways that stalking and grooming are.
It’s also why Lily-Rose Depp (rightfully so) receives top billing in the credits. After all, we don’t see much of her with Count Orlok, but we do see how he affects her.
Watch Nosferatu in theaters!
As previously stated, Robert Eggers authored and directed the 2024 version of Nosferatu. He co-produced it alongside Jeff Robinov, John Graham, Chris Columbus, and Eleanor Columbus.
Robert Eggers’ filmography includes a number of excellent and already classic films. From his first feature picture, The VVitch (2015), to The Lighthouse (2022) and The Northman (2022). He always tells character-driven stories set in a fascinating time and place.
His version on the classic gothic tale of a vampire demanding that a lady give herself to him is, in my opinion, his greatest yet. Not least because of the many courageous decisions made. From making Count Orlok look like a rotting corpse to Lily-Rose Depp’s stunning portrayal of Ellen.
It’s a masterpiece, and you should see it in a theater. At least on your first watch, because you should anticipate wanting to watch it again.
Nosferatu (2024) is out in US theaters from Christmas Day, December 25, 2024.
Details
Writer & Director: Robert Eggers
Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, Willem Dafoe
