NOSFERATU

US, 2024, 133 minutes, Colour.

Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgaard, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney.

Directed by Robert Eggers.

Nosferatu was the title of the early film version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, 1922, Germany, vivid black-and-white photography, angles, framing, Expressionist. The title was also used in 1979 for Werner Hertzog’s version of the story and tribute to the 1922 film. Now, a 2024 version, once again the tribute to the 1922 film, not only tribute but incorporating many of its visual aspects, and directed by Robert Eggers, only a few films so far in his career, but atmospheric, the Witch, The Lighthouse, The Northman.

Since the 1920s, there have been Dracula and vampire films every decade, some serious, many British, some parodies, even the recent Renfield with Nicolas Cage’s Dracula, also featuring Nosferatus, Nicholas Hoult.

We are in Germany, 1838, wonderful recreation of the town, the streets and ambience, the homes, elegance. There is a very strong supporting British cast including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph ineson, Simon McBurney. There is also a lot of strong dialogue throughout, the point of view of the rationalist who does not believe in the supernatural contrasting with those who do believe and those who are pragmatic faced with unexplained phenomena.

The question can be raised, why another Dracula film in 2024. And will it contribute to an appreciation of the Dracula and vampire legends?

The first attempt at an answer is to consider this film as a drama apart from the horror. The focus is on a young woman, Ellen, Lily-Rose Depp in a striking and physically and emotionally demanding performance. She dreams, has mystical experiences, is in love, makes a pact – which, in fact, will be a diabolical pact. But, she has the possibility of living a normal life, marrying Thomas (Nicholas Holut), hope that he will support and save her. But, he is commissioned by his manager to travel to Romania to negotiate with a mysterious Count Orloc who wants to buy a Castle in the German town. Ellen is fearful as Thomas leaves, and rightly so…

There is mysterious drama, Thomas finding himself in a strange village, superstitious villagers, and then his encounter with the Count.

And the second attempt at and some is to consider the film as horror. The atmosphere at the castle is more than eerie, the suggestions of the malevolent presence of the Count, his face, his behaviour and cruelty, his threats, diabolical consequences. Is played by Bill Skarsgaard as monstrous Some direct horror scenes but always the sense of horror menace. And, when Thomas returns home, the psychological disturbances in Ellen and her erratic behaviour, the count killing his friend’s wife and child, the discussions with an expert (Willem Dafoe) and the explanations of vampire behaviour. And, as well, the town is besieged by a plague of rats. And, Ellen’s disturbed dreams, erotic menace and horror, the unmasking of the Count.

And so, we can ask what are the comparisons with other versions of the story, how well these variations work as drama and horror, and how we are immersed in a world of evil destroying hope and love.

1. The literary tradition of Dracula and Nosferatu, the late 19^th century, Bram Stoker’s novel? The cinema tradition, the 1922 version, the English language tradition of Dracula, serious films, horror films, comedy and parodies? Werner Hertzog and Nosferatu 1979, homage to the 1922 version? This 2024 version, homage, reworking the particular perspectives of the writer-director?
2. Audience familiarity with the story, the traditions, the variations? This version changing the names of the characters, the German city? Drawing on the basic ideas and themes from Bram Stoker and the Nosferatu films?
3. The style of filmmaking? The importance of colour, colour grading, black-and-white, vivid colour, scenes tinted, unsaturated colour, but sometimes with bright highlights? The overall impact of this colour experience? The framing of the film, the angles, the homage to the 1922 version, using its styles? The style of the dialogue, old classical style, all, sometimes arch and artificial, placing the audience in the period, Germany, 1838? The film presented as a modern interpretation of old filmmaking styles?
4. The framework, Ellen, young, the focus on her face, her calling out to the vampire to come to her? Her age, her commitment, her dreams, her melancholy, psychological states? The years passing, her marriage to Thomas, happiness, yet her melancholy, fears, love, his going away, her anxieties? Staying with Richard and Anna? Her dreams, her moods, their concern, a sense of what was happening to Thomas while away, the coming of the mysterious lover? The doctor, his concern, treatment, seeking out of Professor von Frantz, his diagnosis, treatment? Further dreams, the return of Thomas, the sexual encounter and her wanting love, the continuing menace of the mysterious shadow, the shadow coming to the house, overcoming her, the sexual encounter, the sun rising, her commitment, his sacrificing himself for her love?
5. The title, the focus on the vampire, the estate agent, Knock and his eagerness, Count Orloc wanting the house, sending Thomas, the buildup of financial advantage, for his marriage? Knock, his madness, in servitude to Nosferatu, his madness, in the cell, confrontations, killing the guard, the interview with the professor and the doctor? Death? The plague?
6. Count Orloc, in Ellen’s visions, the Shadow, skeletal, the long fingers and nails, Thomas arriving at the village, the village people and their fears, the atmosphere, singing and dancing, yet warnings, was going to the Castle, walking in the snow, the carriage, his experience in the Castle, overwhelmed by the count, violence, blood, his debilitation, escape, taken by the nuns, the Orthodox religious ceremonies, his leaving, out of the power of the Count, his return, debilitated, with the doctor, the professor, Richard, Anna’s death, the plague?
7. The Count, the voyage, in the container, the sailors, the Captain, the rats, the plague, the deaths, the ship arriving in the Port, the dispersion of the rats, the plague and deaths, deaths in the street? The Count, visiting Anna, her being pregnant, the blood? His attack on the two daughters, the deaths, Richard and the burials? The mausoleum and his visits?
8. The doctor, his concern, medical help, friendship with Richard, the reputation of the professor, going to visit him, persuading him to join in? The professor, his personality, reputation, researchers, the occult? The visits to Anna? The visits to Ellen? Thomas’ return? Richard and his scepticism?
9. Richard, friendship with Thomas, lending the money, Richard and his wife, the family, the boisterous two daughters, in the shipping business? His scepticism about the professor, the support of the doctor, his narrations, the death of the family, the burials?
10. The buildup to confronting the Count, the three nights, his approaching the town, coming to Ellen, her trying to resist? The scenes of his possession of her, her not being herself, her face, the town, Thomas and his shock?
11. Thomas and his determination, hurrying to the mausoleum, expecting the vampire, discovering Knock, his madness and death, through the heart?
12. The hurrying back, the encounter with Ellen, the sun rising, remains of the creature, Thomas and his grief, in the final image of Ellen and the remains of Nosferatu?