'Nosferatu' Will Take A Bite Out Of You!
Robert Eggers remake of the classic silent film is a beautiful work of art
"Nosferatu" is another stunning work of art brought to life by the incomparable Robert Eggers.
The story follows businessman Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Holt, "Renfield," "The Great") as he acquires a new business deal and is sent from by boss to meet a client at his home for a land transaction deal.
Thomas decides to take the opportunity, as it could lead to a huge payout for him and his wife, Ellen, played by Lily-Rose Depp ("Voyagers," "The Idol"). Despite her pleadings to stay, Thomas embarks on a haunting journey across Germany and into the clutches of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård).
I loved this movie through and through. Despite having a slow start, it quickly picks up when Holt's character arrives in an old, dilapidated town and things start to seem strange.
Eggers' approach to using dream-like sequences in his movie were encapsulating and intriguing to watch. I was hypnotized by the atmosphere of the movie. It felt very similar to "Crimson Peak" by Guillermo Del Toro.
I wanted to grab the biggest blanket I have and snuggle up to a warm fire while watching this film. It asks you to incorporate all your senses, and I really appreciate that.
All the acting was great. I know some people don't love Depp's acting, but I thought she did a great job with what the script asked of her. I also really enjoyed Willem Dafoe as the vampire hunter; he was very entertaining.
The highlight of the film is Skarsgård as Count Orlok. This dude was terrifying every time he appeared on screen. His voice sent chills down my frozen spine, and his size made him an imposing figure.
Although he's mostly cast in shadow, the directing makes Skarsgård's character work. He feels like a nightmare come to life, and I thought what they did with him was very impressive.
The movie itself is beautiful. The color palette was a nice cozy grey, using a lot of dark blue and deep colors, which kept my eyes glued to the screen. I adored the costumes, especially Ellen's night gown; it was a beautiful piece of clothing.
I loved the sets and the real rats, all of which were great.
I have very few negative comments, but I will say that this movie is more of a gothic romance than a horror movie. It has horror elements but really focuses on the bizarre relationship between The Count and Ellen, which I found very intriguing for its grotesque view on sex and sexual awakening. Orlok was more of a metaphor for sexual release than an actual vampire, but I thought it worked very well.
The only true negative I had is that the movie feels too long. For a remake of a silent movie that's only 88 minutes, they really padded it with some oddball adult content and a bit too much lead up to the realization that Count Orlok is actually the legendary Nosferatu.
That being said, I absolutely fell head over heels for this film and I think it is still worth checking out, as long as you go in with a certain mindset. I think "Nosferatu" is a solid 9/10, and I will be buying it as soon as it's available.
Reviewer Carter Salley is a junior majoring in Media Arts. He is the co-host of Central Michigan Life's pop culture podcast "Raving Geeks."
