You have a bucket of popcorn, a cup of soda and some Milk Duds. You sit in the movie theater and brace yourself for the chilling movie: “Nosferatu.”
“Nosferatu” is a wonderful movie with a gothic horror feel. It features amazing sets and scenery, beautiful costumes, wonderful acting and a fantastic storyline.
The storyline follows Ellen and Thomas Hutter, a husband and wife. Thomas must go away to sell a house to Count Orlok, who is secretly a vampire. While Thomas is away, Ellen is haunted by Count Orlok and tries to escape his powerful desire for her.
“Nosferatu”, released on Dec. 25, 2024, was directed by Robert Eggers. Eggers is known for other unsettling movies such as “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse.” This movie lives up to Egger’s creepy style, with a dark environment and twisting creepy storytelling that leaves the audience on the edge of their seats.
The movie is a retelling of the story “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. Nosferatu is essentially Dracula, but with a different name: Count Orlok. The storyline for “Nosferatu” is the same storyline as “Dracula” however the characters have different names, and it takes place in Germany instead of England. “Nosferatu” was brought to American audiences in June of 1929 and gained lots of notoriety here. This let Count Orlok live on in film. However in Europe, 1925, the original “Nosferatu” movie was banned for failure to give proper copyright to the story, “Dracula.”
The story of Nosferatu has been made into movies in 1922, 1979, 1988 and 2000. However, the original 1922 version still influences gothic horror and vampire movies to this day, and the 2024 remake of the movie delivers the wonderful creepiness of the original 1922 version.
Starting strong, the movie gives us wonderful sets and scenery. Taking place in 19th-century Germany, the houses in the movie are accurate and have a looming sense of uneasiness around them. Staying consistent with gothic architecture, the scenery includes the grand castle of Count Orlok, as well as the dark mansions of the Hutters.
The use of lighting in this movie is impeccable, giving the viewer a truly terrified feeling as they watch things unfold. The audience can get a sense for what the movie holds with the beautiful and spooky lighting.
The costumes in this movie are absolutely stunning as well. All the costumes are accurate to the time, and the makeup for the notorious Count Orlok delivers the trademark creepy quality. In several interviews, the actors commented on how most of the costumes are very uncomfortable because of their historical accuracy.
While watching the movie, you hardly even recognize Bill Skarsgard, who plays the vampire Count Orlok. His makeup completely transforms him, giving audiences a feeling of dread.
The acting for this movie is wonderful and gives a chill down the audience’s spine watching every actor and how terrified they are for their lives. Lily-Rose Depp, who plays Ellen Hutter, gives a masterful portrayal and scares you with her acting. For instance, in one scene, she has a mental breakdown, and the acting terrifies the audience.
The performance that Depp gives is very real and it is very raw, and Depp does an auspicious performance.
Nicholas Hoult delivers a wonderful mix of terror in his character when he first meets Count Orlok in his creepy and dismantled castle. He does a wonderful job being frightened of Count Orlok, really seeming as if he is terrified for his life. Every actor in this movie delivers jaw-dropping performances.
Overall, the movie is a wonderful and creepy mix of gothic horror for the viewer. Tons of metaphors and nods to the original story of “Dracula” are used throughout the movie. This movie is absolutely amazing and worth a watch for anyone who likes horror.
