- Director: Robert Eggers
- Screenplay: Robert Eggers
- Cast: Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, Willem Dafoe
- Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke
- Editing: Louise Ford
- Score: Robin Carolan
- Genre: Gothic horror
- Runtime: 132 minutes
The silent horror ‘Nosferatu‘ (1922) is given the big screen remake treatment by gothic auteur Robert Eggers (‘The Lighthouse‘, ‘The Northman‘). The concept of Nosferatu was created as a way of honouring Bram Stoker’s classic vampire novel ‘Dracula‘ without infringing on copyright laws, thus, character names were changed and the setting moved to mountainous Germany.
An estate agent, Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), is tasked by his employer to sell a crumbling manor to the mysterious Count Orlok – in doing so, he must travel (by phantom carriage, naturally) to the Count’s castle in the Carpathian mountains. Upon their meeting, the nocturnal Orlok displays a taste for human blood…and a fascination for Hutter’s new bride, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp, overacting to the max).
As the original was silent (although accompanied by a musical score), this all-screaming, all-biting version allows the narrative to be fleshed out, with a deeper exploration of emotions. Though with the inclusion of words, it risks becoming a tad verbose – my interest started to wane when the dialogue threatened to mar the eerie atmosphere. Likewise whenever my eyes witnessed any unnecessary nudity. I had fears that giving the formerly mute Count Orlok a voice would diminish his power but Bill Skarsgard’s vocal presence assured me otherwise; the character design was more zombified German nobleman, less pointy-eared, wide-eyed space creature.
The film’s colour palette is drained of warmth, as if it too had been sucked dry by the fangs of a vampire – a certain chill in the air can be felt while viewing the gorgeously bleak visuals.
The antecedent ‘Nosferatu‘ (available to watch on Amazon Prime of all places) still holds up as a body of work a whole century later (an incredible feat). Will 2024’s overlong ode to vampirism endure in the public consciousness for a similar hundred? Wake me from my coffin and let me know when the time comes.
My rating: 6 / 10
SilverScreen 