Wouldst thou like to live immortally?
Robert Eggers is back in theaters with his latest vision, NOSFERATU, a remake of the 1922 film of the same name, which was itself an unlicensed retelling of Bram Stoker's DRACULA. For those who don't know, Eggers is the visionary behind such standout films as THE VVITCH, THE LIGHTHOUSE, and THE NORTHMAN. His films have earned him a fiercely dedicated fanbase and heavy auteur status in Hollywood, essentially giving him carte blanche when it comes to making his films. NOSFERATU is the culmination of that legacy and that power, for better or worse.
I saw NOSFERATU last night in a packed theater, my second choice theater as the first had already sold out by the time I arrived. It was preceded by trailers for THE WOLF MAN and THE MONKEY, tailored to its audience of artistic horror hounds. The movie begins with simple white text over black backgrounds, and the first thing the audience hears is a woman crying the darkness. From there, the film is two plus hours of atmosphere and mood, stretched to its near breaking point before the final fade out. Eggers is a master of tone, an Edgar Allan Poe of the visual form, and his legacy as a visual storyteller receives no tarnish with this entry into his oeuvre. So much is explored with a muted color palette and expert use of light and shadow. The camera pulls into darkness, pulls the bodies onscreen into rooms into which they cannot see, and even treats us to an occasional jump scare. This is definitely a film that is enhanced by watching with an audience but one who is particularly attracted to Eggers's fascination with patience and solitude will have enough to explore viewing this film in the darkness of their own home.
Long story short, I think NOSFERATU is excellent in its execution of the moody atmosphere it demands, and the acting is phenomenal. That said, I don't know if I actually liked the film, itself. It was gorgeous and executed masterfully but I don't know that it entertained me, that I felt a full and worthwhile story was told, or that I'd want to watch it again. I think the fault of a lot of this is viewing the film through the lens of 1922's NOSFERATU: A SYMPHONY OF HORROR and 1992's Francis Ford Coppola's BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA. I even found my mind frequently returning to 2000's SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE, also starring Willem DaFoe. Because I felt like I knew where this film was going with each frame, it made it seem interminably longer. Which is to say, it never really surprised me. Granted, as a technical achievement and in terms of its execution of tone, it was surprisingly good, but it never took any of the narrative risks that I expected from a filmmaker like Robert Eggers.
The casting is... unorthodox, to say the least. Nicholas Hoult is our "protagonist" for the run of the film, and while I think he is a great presence on screen, I don't know that he fully sells the torment of his character, Thomas Hutter. To my former point, his casting actually makes more sense to me if I view it through the lens of Keanu Reeves in the 1992 film. Aaron Taylor Johnson is excellent in the film as Friedrich Harding, Hutter's best friend. Normally relegated to action roles, Taylor acts his ass off here and is a standout among many. Willem DaFoe as Professor Abin Eberhart Von Franz (this film's Van Helsing) is a show-stopper, literally. When he enters the film its taken away almost completely by his Von frenzy and delivery. The real standouts were Emma Corrin and Lily-Rose Depp, especially the latter. As the focus of the entire film, Depp's Ellen Hutter has a lot of weight on her small shoulders, and she delivers with aplomb. Whether she's terrified, forlorn, lost, or drunk with power, Lily-Rose Depp turns in an Oscar-worthy performance of staggering range and surprising depth. To be entirely honest, I hadn't seen a single performance from her before this film and I didn't know she was the lead going in; I left the theater to Google "Who the heck was that who just ran away with NOSFERATU?" and when I saw her name I didn't know what to think. I suppose I had some preconception that she'd be a fairly passable nepo-baby "actress" and I am so grateful to be wrong.
Now, let's talk about Bill Skarsgård’s Count Orlok. His presence on screen is so masterfully shot and edited to broadcast pure evil, and the voice sends chills down the spine. The character design is so original throughout, taking cues from the 1922 and the 1992 incarnations of the Prince of Evil... then they gave him a mustache. I'm staring at the screen and he's decrepit and lurking and scary... but I can't take my eyes off the goddamn mustache. He looked more like Peter Stormare than an undead Count of ancient nobility. I couldn't get past it.
Storywise, the film is much as you'd expect: Count Orlok is an eternal evil lusting after a young married woman and he travels from Transylvania to Germany to be with her, right around the time of Cholera, so when people start dropping dead no one really thinks anything of it until they consult a madman who thinks outside the box and grins like Willem DaFoe. Armed with knowledge and a personal stake (ha!) in the proceedings, a plucky group of heroes band together to end the evil once and for all. That's it. Everything that you think will happen happens, and everyone you think will die dies. After its swift resolution the credits roll. It's all terrifically self-contained. There's nothing to speak ill of in the film, as the shots are immaculate, almost all the acting is top notch, the effects are splendid, and the tension and gore are impeccable. I guess I just expected more, having seen this film top so many top ten lists this year. Call it recency bias or directorial attachment but I thought this movie was just good.
I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Have a safe and happy New Year!
-McEric, aka Eric McClanahan-
