Nosferatu Is A Movie For The Goths
This past Christmas, I entered the movie theatre among people draped in layers of black clothing.
Their expressions were stern but softened once they met their aesthetically equal companions. There was a peaceful ambiance filled with a few whispers, “Have you watched the original? Do you think you’ll like this version?” until the theater lights dimmed and the screening began.
More than a century after its initial release, the fans who accompanied me were there to watch director Robert Eggers’ remake of Nosferatu, a classic Gothic horror film.
The movie takes place in 19th century Germany and introduces Ellen Hutter, a young girl pleading for a spirit to relieve her of her solitude. She promises to devote herself to whatever entity answers her call. A vampire—Count Orlok—answers her call.
Despite the encounter happening during her youth, Orlok continues to haunt Ellen in her dreams well into adulthood. Although the nightmares are filled with twisted visions of death, she finds a disturbing comfort in them. But Ellen continues with her life, eventually marrying a real estate agent, Thomas Hutter.
One morning, Thomas is assigned to travel to Transylvania to sell a property to Orlok. Knowing Ellen will not take his absence well, he brings her a bouquet of lilacs—a Victorian symbol of devotion. Before his departure, she tells him about his nightmares, begging him to stay, fearing she will not be well.
Thomas entrusts his friend Friedrich and his wife, Anna, to care for Ellen.
Her husband’s absence, combined with Orlok’s presence in her nightmares, makes Ellen go insane. Ellen’s caretakers seek help from professor Von Franz to alleviate her from the demonic episodes.
Ellen asks professor Von Franz, “Does evil come from within us or from beyond?” He concludes that she is under the spell of Nosferatu.
Before the film even hit theaters, people on the internet questioned if Lily-Rose Depp, who was cast as Ellen, landed the role due to nepotism or talent. However, Depp silenced critics and proved she had the skill needed to embody the character.
From the color grading and sound effects to makeup and cinematography, Nosferatu has many aspects to be praised.
Count Orlok’s makeup, visual effects and voice acting conjure a blood-curdling presence that solidifies the film’s horror.
The color grading brought a cold ambiance to colorless night scenes mimicking a real-life perspective of the midnight moonlight.
In an interview with Focus News, Nosferatu’s director of photography, Jarin Blaschke, states, “I had to observe how my own brain and eyes saw things in a low-light situation… What was left was mostly blue, which made everything look a certain way.”
Another scene that stood out to viewers was the crossroads sequence. Thomas stands in a snowy forest as a horse-drawn carriage awaits him. As he approaches, an unseen force compels him forward, his body practically floating into the carriage. The scene symbolizes a gateway into another world.
Although the film outdid itself visually, many felt that the plot was boring and left them wanting more. Unlike typical R-rated horror films, crowds were expecting a thriller horror not a squeamish one.
Contrary to other viewers who found it frustrating that some scenes were left open to interpretation, the different possibilities intrigued me.
Nosferatu’s ending was incredible. Ellen sacrifices herself to save Thomas, performing a ritual by letting her hair down, which is traditionally saved for a spouse, before calling Orlok. At sunrise, he takes her life and they both die.
The final scene is beautifully shot and heavy with remorse. Thomas loses his wife, while Ellen either surrenders to her innermost desire to be consumed by Orlok or chooses to protect Thomas and their city.
