All is calm, all is fright: Anticipation for the Film “Nosferatu”

By Emilia Vieira

Newly in theaters, Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a chilling remake of a horror classic. This unique holiday film, released on Christmas Day, has received high praise from critics, bringing new life to the gothic tale while remaining faithful to its source material. Nosferatu, set in 1838 Germany, follows haunted young woman Ellen Hutter and Count Orlok, the ancient vampire stalking her.

The original Nosferatu, a German film released in 1922, was an illegal adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, though details were changed to escape copyright. Bram Stoker's heirs sued over the adaptation, with the court's ruling to destroy all existing copies. Luckily, a few prints of Nosferatu survived, and the film is now regarded as a template for the horror genre. 

Vampires are a staple of folklore, historically used to explain death’s mysteries, giving Eggers heaps of source material. Nosferatu is a modern example of gothic horror, a genre revolving around the aesthetic of haunting and fear which notably includes Bram Stoker's Dracula. The genre’s name originates from the Gothic architecture of the European Middle Ages, a prominent feature in the settings of early Gothic fiction. The genre’s distinctive traits include the threat of supernatural events, an environment of fear, and the past interfering with present events, serving as metaphors for social and psychological conflicts.

Nosferatu’s director, American filmmaker and production designer Robert Eggers, is known for his special effects and storytelling style, particularly in the horror genre. His unique storytelling style is achieved through his development of the history and folklore that makes up the horrifying tales he showcases. Nosferatu also boasts an impressive cast, including Bill Skarsgård, Pennywise in 2019’s IT, as Count Orlok and Lily Rose Depp as Ellen Hunter, whose performance critics describe as transfixing. 

Though the holiday season has passed, consider biting into this film to explore all the chilling aspects Nosferatu has to offer.