Nosferatu is a dark horror movie depicting the haunting tale of a twisted vampire. It is a remake of the original film and just came out in Dec. 2024. Running at two hours and 12 minutes, it makes for a detailed and intricate horror story.
The German 1922 original was “Nosferatu: A symphony of horror.” Its name is centered around the fact that the feature was silent and without color, accompanied only by a chilling music score. Interestingly, the film was sued for being a copy of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” This caused an order for all copies to be destroyed. They were then later recovered in America and made public domain. It quickly became famous for its mysticism which led to the remake.
The plot of the remake closely follows the original. The story is centered around Ellen, a newlywed to Thomas, and her struggle against Count Orlok’s powers. They live in a fictional 19th-century town in Germany that is rather peaceful. Thomas, Ellen’s husband, desperate to find work travels to help an unknown buyer find a house. This leads down a twisted road of fright and panic as he soon realizes the buyer is much more malicious and very much not human. The vampire’s powers are unlike anything else as he sets a curse over Thomas’s wife and hometown back in Germany. They battle against Count Orlok’s horrific powers overtaking Ellen as they try to restore order.
The movie includes many critically acclaimed actors. The main characters are Lily Rose-Depp as Ellen, along with Bill Skarsgard as Count Orlock. Willem Defoe and Nicholas Hoult are also both known actors with roles. Filmmaker Robert Eggers was the head director and one of the writers for the film. His previous films include “The Witch”, “The Lighthouse”, and “The Northman”. He is known for creating dark historical fiction stories and bringing them to life.
Nosferatu is already in the running for over 150 awards within its short time on air. The high quality cinematography, directing, score, makeup, costuming and much more has been applauded. It was nominated for four academy awards: best makeup, hairstyling, production design, and cinematography. The movie holds an 85% rating on rotten tomatoes.
Overall, the cinematography of the movie really goes above and beyond. The dedication towards the 19th century era is some of the best I’ve seen. From the vintage costuming, makeup and hair to the brick roads with horse and buggy, no stone is left unturned. Usually, for movies taking place in an earlier time or with fantastical aspects, they struggle to keep everything looking realistic. “Nosferatu” had no problem with this. A major part of this is the extreme attention to detail and intricacy. Every background and setting was thoughtfully planned out and brought to life.
The makeup for Count Orlok is also extremely impressive. According to an interview Variety held with the prosthetic effects designer, his makeup took a year of planning. By practicing on a sculpted guide and six hours of makeup, Count Orlok’s horrific look was brought to life.
The film is recommended to people who can enjoy a dark story. The movie is very foreboding leaving a weary feeling throughout the entire film. It is a great watch for those that enjoy a pretty dreadful horror story. It is not recommended for people that don’t enjoy a story with slow aspects that may not be very action packed. The gothic tones of the movie really set in a sense of impending doom.
Overall, this film is a great watch. The slow aspects of the movie are the only critique, but it really allows for more attention to detail. Every aspect is accounted for and it is clear just from watching that there is a great amount of work that went into it. That is why it earned the rating of 9.5/10.
