There is perhaps no greater tale of intrigue in film than that of Nosferatu, which returns to cinemas for its third remake. Originally directed by FW Murnau, the 1922 German Expressionist classic is itself, an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, with each copy meant to be destroyed due to copyright infringement. However, the original Nosferatu still survives. This version is directed by Robert Eggers, in his fourth film after The Witch, The Lighthouse and The Northman. In his brief career, Eggers has established himself as one of the best of a new generation of auteurs, with a distinct Folk and Gothic Horror style.
Like Murnau’s Nosferatu, Eggers's film follows Thomas Hutter, an estate agent sent to Transylvania to meet Orlok, a potential client. His wife, Ellen, who has suffered in the past from premonitions of a demon creature, is left in the care of friends Friedrich and Anna in his absence. As Thomas leaves, Ellen fears for his safety, having increasingly traumatic episodes, in fear that an evil force is heading her way, one which she cannot resist. In a film about the allure of evil, madness and neglect from the fear of danger.
Whilst for the most part, Eggers’s adaptation is narratively beat for beat, he takes liberties with an opening scene setting up his unique twist on the story, bringing in an angle of romance and intertwining connection. Ellen, played captivatingly by Lily-Rose Depp yearns for Orlok, hailing “Come to me, guardian angel, spirit of comfort”. Her voice, a whisper of sin, like she is about to open Pandora’s box. This is just one way Eggers separates himself from Murnau. It is a much more atmospheric film. The town of Wisborg is a frosty and icy town which feels ripped out of a Dickens novel. Whilst it is narratively almost identical, visually it is unique in its portrayal of this story of gothic legend.It is a film is full of great performances, but Lily-Rose Depp’s interpretation of Ellen is the clear highlight. A melancholic character with great agency. She feels so separated from the rest of the characters, in her own world. Quiet, yet open, fearful and sad, but still haunted by the allure of her prior interaction with the Count, who she awakes from a deep slumber. There is almost a lust from Ellen, as if for some reason they were meant to be together.
Indeed there is an inevitable allure, a helpless predictability to the affair. Especially as Thomas heads to meet the count, Eggers injects into our minds the danger of the Count. There are layers of mythos to him that make him an intense danger. Especially as we are denied a visual look at him, it is our imaginations that conjure up our fear of the count.
Eggers is having fun with this film. Full of gorgeous cinematography, especially in the night scenes which almost feel like they are in black and white. There is also a goofiness to the film, early on, Thomas’s boss tells him about Orlok, that he has “One foot in the grave” and is an “agent of flesh”. These lines are tongue-in-cheek moments that sometimes feel out of place, especially towards the end, where the horror aspects are more at large. Likewise, in trying to separate himself from the source material, especially towards the back end of the film it becomes a little messy, confusing and plotty.
Nosferatu is a great remake of a silent film classic. Adding new layers and style, with a captivating performance from Lily-Rose Depp at the centre of the film. However, it always felt like something was holding it back, and as the film continues on, it struggles in its plotty layers that make the final product a little messy. But it is nevertheless, a brilliant and immensely stylistic take on gothic horror.
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