Grotesquely beautiful are fitting words that aren’t often paired together, but when it comes to the new film directed by Robert Eggers, “Nosferatu,” it wonderfully combines the two in a twisted tale of hunger, desire and death. “Nosferatu” features two rising stars as the leads, Lily-Rose Depp and Nicholas Hoult.
“Nosferatu” was released in 2024 and is based on a gothic/ horror book called “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. It has a running time of 2 hours and 12 minutes. “Nosferatu” has already been nominated for multiple awards. The most notable include the Academy Award for Best Production and Cinematography as well as makeup and hairstyling and production design. Since the film was released, it has grossed over $166 million.
“Dracula” follows a lawyer, Jonthan Harker, who travels to Transylvania to help Count Dracula finalize a purchase in London. Harker discovers that the count is a vampire and manages to escape. Dracula moves to London and targets young women and goes after Harker’s fiancé. He manages to defeat him in the end.
In 1922, a film called “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” was released and is based off “Dracula.” Due to copyright issues, the estate of the author refused to sell the rights, so they changed the name from Dracula to Nosferatu. “Nosferatu” released in 2024, is a remake of this movie.
However, it has an even darker twist than the novel.
Unlike “Dracula,” “Nosferatu” takes place in the fictional town of Wisborg, Germany in the 19th century. The film follows Ellen Hutter, played by Depp, who has been seeing the vampire in her dreams ever since she was young. She is of a higher social status but lives modestly compared to others.
In the opening scene, she makes a plea for some supernatural entity to ease her loneliness. This awakens Nosferatu, an ancient vampire, and he makes her pledge her loyalty to him for eternity.
Years later, Ellen Hutter marries Thomas Hutter, played by Nicholas Hoult, who is on the verge of a promotion at the broker he works for. His employer wants him to travel to Transylvania to find the reclusive Count Orlok, who is Nosferatu, and sell him a manner in Wisborg.
Ellen Hutter, who is plagued by dreams of marrying death and watching those around her die, pleads for him not to go on the trip, but he goes anyway. When he arrives, he sees weird occultist displays from the residents. He arrives at the castle and is greeted by Nosferatu, played by Bill Skarsgård, who drinks from him. Thomas Hutter spends several days there until he uncovers that Nosferatu is a vampire, but he has already signed the deed for the house in Wisborg.
Thomas Hutter rushes back to warn everyone, knowing that Nosferatu is after Ellen Hutter. Unbeknownst to him, Nosferatu is also on a ship heading to them. Thomas Hutter’s boss is revealed to be working for Nosferatu and brings him to the manor. A plague is unleashed through rats and it infects the town.
All the while, Ellen Hutter suffers seizures and outbursts throughout the movie while she is asleep, making it clear she is possessed. She sees Nosferatu in her dreams during the outbursts as he calls to her for the deal they made, reminding her that she belongs to him.
A doctor finds a solution to end the plague and Nosferatu. The only thing that can stop him is if he is caught in the sunlight. Now, Ellen and Thomas Hutter must race against time to destroy his coffin before the sun rises the next day.
“Nosferatu” brought the element of gothic horror to life throughout the movie. Gothic horror is categorized by dark, supernatural beings or elements that take place in old castles or mansions. The film incorporates this with the grey scale used in the movie to illustrate a hopeless and depressive state throughout the film and the gothic architecture throughout the set. The film will surely make fans of “Dracula” happy.
Depp and Hoult make the film come alive. Hoult expresses the pure terror his character experiences throughout the film through his facial expressions and mannerisms. Depp’s ability to be infatuated and repulsed by Nosferatu at the same time is truly a marvel to experience.
Even so, the movie does not shy away from the disgusting scenes that will make someone with a weak stomach have to leave the theater early. If you want a movie that will have your jaw drop the entire time and leave you unable to even eat the popcorn in front of you- then this is for you. The movie is truly revolting in every sense of the word from the sudden cultish scenes and rituals to Nosferatu himself.
If you are a fan of horror, love gothic architecture, like some mystery and have a stomach of steel, this is a must-see. For others, rent this movie at home and appreciate the beautiful cinematography, but skip Nosferatu’s face reveal and the last scene of the movie.
Andrea Roberts can be reached at arg-life@uidaho.edu