(https://i.imgur.com/CLi7Enj.png)
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: 2/18/2025
Rating: R
Film Grade: B+
The Story: A melancholic young woman achingly cries out in desperation for relief of her malady and an end to her lowliness, first to her guardian angel and then to anything from the spirit realm. Her pleas are answered, if perhaps only in a dark and disturbing dream.
Years pass, and Ellen has found her ideal husband, Thomas. His career is about to take off, as he’s given the task to complete an odd, but lucrative real estate contract with ani infirm and elderly count from the far-off land of Transylvania.
My Take: This is yet another take on the age-old legends of vampirism in Europe, based on Brahm Stoker’s Dracula, and the 1922 Nosferatu, which was also heavily adapted from Stoker’s story. While director Robert Eggers is clearly inspired by those tales, he isn’t bound to either, adding and removing elements to create his own vision of the story.
Like his other works, what Eggers brings here is a look and feel that is atmospheric and authentic, with remarkable attention to detail, painterly-like framing, and a script that is true to itself, all transporting the viewer to that time and place. Nosferatu may be Eggers’ most accessible film to date, both narratively and thematically. The straightforward plot is augmented by nightmarish dreams and visions, giving extra freedom to the distinctive look of different scenes. The movie excels at conveying the overall moods of dread and despair, with a palpable threat hanging over the abundant nighttime scenes.
The performances that Eggers gets out of the cast are fantastic, with not a single one feeling off in any way. Ellen is portrayed by Lily-Rose Depp, and she throws herself completely into the character, both physically and emotionally, encapsulating a woman who must confront a fate that she’s brought upon herself and others. Nicholas Hoult plays the naïve Thomas as a man caught up in a situation beyond his imagination or control but driven by his love for Ellen and their future. Bill Skarsgård rounds out the three main characters, giving Count Orlok a presence not typical for this kind of movie, with a slow, gravelly voice and deliberate movements, his presence is unearthly and ancient. The supporting actors are all as distinct, adding depth and sobriety to the film, all true to the director’s vision.
One disconcerting element, especially considering Eggers’ devotion to period pieces, are the accents. While the movie is set in Germany, the main actors all speak with English accents, adding a sense of incongruity from an otherwise immersive experience. It turns out this was a nod to another influence, the Hammer horror films of the 60s and 70s, that also carries over into some of the music and set design. It’s not long before the accents are forgotten, as one becomes absorbed by the story.
A lot of care was put into the script, with an abundance of symbolism, and attention to detail. There was one sequence in particular, where I was thinking it would be incredibly interesting for a specific prop to be used in a certain way, only to be rewarded with that exact thing happening on screen. Those types of flourishes aren’t present in most movies.
Beyond the horror elements, the movie offers themes of love and passion, care and sacrifice, temptation and unyielding desire, and the conflict between science and superstition. All of them are revealed in characters’ dialog, conflict, and action, not overwhelming the story, but supplementing it and adding unusual depth for a horror film.
If there’s one drawback to the film, it’s that it goes on a bit too long. While the slower pace fits the time and setting, there are some segments that feel stretched beyond their limits, adding more time than texture. Just a bit of trimming could help tighten up the entire storyline without sacrificing much in the way of mood.
Visuals: Shot on 35mm film, Jarin Blaschke’s cinematography is well-worthy of its Oscar nomination. The use of framing, muted colors, deep, shadowy blacks, and overall hazy nature add to the foreboding feel of the film. There are nods to the monochromatic look and famous use of shadows found in the original production, but the movie goes beyond that to offer its own distinct flavor to the time it represents. While the camera conveys the detail of the costumes, props, and set design, it also represents a dreamlike ethereal feel to the evening scenes, akin to a painted picture book. The movie simply looks fitting and fantastic.
Audio: The Atmos soundtrack passes the bird test early in the film, with screeching gulls flying above a busy street. Supernatural dialog is present in both the top speakers and the wides, adding to the dream-like atmosphere of those scenes. The movie does not shy away from bass, either, with my subs activating some room rattles that I really need to address some day. The musical score features a foreboding mixture of instruments, reminiscent of those Hammer films mentioned earlier. One might think that Skarsgård’s voice has been enhanced, but the extras talk about how he worked with an opera coach to lower his voice by an octave and studied throat singing to give Orlok his distinctive voice.
Special Features: The extras offer lots of detail behind the making of the film that offer insight into just how elaborate this production was. From the street and village construction to the makeup and interior set design, we see what a lovingly crafted movie this is. In the audio commentary, Eggers is remarkably frank in discussing the decisions that were made, including what he considers some mistakes in retrospect. Highly recommended to anyone that enjoys seeing work that goes into these kinds of films.
- Deleted Scenes
- Nosferatu: A Modern Masterpiece
- Feature Commentary with Robert Eggers
Final Verdict: The gothic horror film genre has become a rare creature, as filmmakers opt to bring older tales into the modern era, so this is a welcome throwback to those older times. The film’s design and the actor performances are the real standout here, wholeheartedly transporting the audience to a distant time and place, lost in history.
This is an easy recommendation to horror fans, as well as lovers of classical romantism, albeit dominated by dark elements. Unlike those classic works, the movie does include some nudity and sexual elements, which can be argued works against the period feel. Given that it’s an Eggers movie, one can expect it in his work.
I’ve always admired and appreciated Eggers’ other movies on a technical basis, but this is the first film of his that I’ve felt any kind of connection with. My wife enjoyed it almost as much as I did, and we will be buying the 4K version for our personal collection, as there will be additional rewards from rewatching it.
Nosferatu is now on digital and arriving on 4K UHD, Blu-ray™ and DVD on February 18 from Universal!
Fun Quote: “How I look forward to retiring to your city of a modern mind. . . who knows nothing of nor believes any such morbid fairy tales.”
https://youtu.be/b59rxDB_JRg
My Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup