Nosferatu (2024): A Masterful Blend of Tradition and Terror

By Evan Swierczek, Contributor

By my own admission, I’m a lifelong lover of horror films. Among the first movies I remember watching on repeat as a child is the 1948 classic Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, a pioneer in the horror-comedy genre. Since my very first introduction to Bela Lugosi as the enigmatic (and sometimes cartoony) Count Dracula, I have been equally fascinated by vampires and their lore. The dark, haunting tones of the films often associated with early vampires is almost as iconic as the stories themselves.  

My adoration of the bloodthirsty creatures of the night coupled with my great love of classic film tropes are what drew me to the newest movie in the vampiric pantheon –  Nosferatu – written and directed by Robert Eggers. This movie is a remake/retelling of the 1922 silent film of the same name. Both the 1922 and the 2024 films are adaptations of  Bram Stoker’s landmark 1897 novel Dracula. In fact, the 1922 version of Nosferatu was made without the consent of Stoker’s widow, Florence Balcombe. She demanded all copies of the film be destroyed. Thankfully, a few copies of the film have survived. (It’s in the public domain; go check it out!)

For those who have read the original novel of Dracula (or at least seen some of the  films), the story is basically the same. Emulating the 1922 version’s “Germanization” of the tale, both the name of the characters and the time and location of the story is changed. While much of Dracula takes place in London in the 1890s, Nosferatu takes place in 1838 in the fictional German city of Wisborg, with both stories placing the vampire’s castle in Transylvania. Additionally, the character of John Harker is changed to Thomas Hutter, Professor Van Helsing is changed to Professor Von Franz, and so on. Nosferatu’s Count Orlok operates in a similar way as Dracula, but with a pointed obsession towards Ellen Hutter. Additionally, Orlok uses rats and the plague, poisoning the village of Wisborg as he stalks his prey.  

Eggers’ directorial style is consistent with the historical circumstance in which his stories take place. For example, his 2015 breakout hit, The Witch, was lauded by critics for being true to the context of early 1600s New England. Similarly, I found Nosferatu to be as true to the time period as his past works. The set pieces and buildings used for filming are particularly well-chosen. Corvin Castle – an actual Transylvanian stronghold – was used as Orlok Castle.

The cinematography was another highlight in the film. Eggers’ use of tight, narrow shots in the streets of Wisborg, coupled with the equally claustrophobic shots of Orlok’s castle hallways and the Transylvanian forests make for an excellent pairing. Additionally, I was amazed by a notable long take at the beginning of the film in which Hutter, played exceptionally by Nicholas Hoult, walks from his home to Knock’s real estate brokerage through the winding streets of Wisborg. You hear street vendors calling, horses neighing and clopping on the cobblestone and people milling about. Shots like these reiterate Eggers’ attention to historical detail and continuity. 

From what I can recall of the script, it is well-written for being contemporaneous. The dialect used is consistent with the type of English spoken in the 1830s. It is flowy, but without too much prose. Eggers has a distinct skill for writing dialogue that establishes background and plot without sounding too technical or expositional. I found it fitting that in several scenes, Count Orlok speaks in a regional dialect consistent with early 19th century Romania. 

As far as the cast goes, I feel that Eggers and his team chose well. As previously mentioned, Nicholas Hoult is brilliant as the persistently terrified Thomas Hutter. Willem Dafoe is a worthwhile addition to any project, and he plays Professor Von Franz with faultless eccentricity. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson and Simon McBurney round out the supporting cast, with Bill Skarsgård playing the titular vampire. Aaron Taylor-Johnson gives the most emotionless performance and delivers a lackluster character in an otherwise exceptional cast. I think the most notable member of the principal cast is Lily-Rose Depp, who plays Ellen Hutter. Her portrayal is flawless. She conveys the perfect attitude of a woman on the verge of madness, knowing the plagued danger that approaches her home. In one notable scene, Ellen goes through convulsions in a possession scene akin to Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist. Depp’s acting in this scene is phenomenal. I give kudos to her and to Janina Picard, the acting coach for this film.  

Overall, I thought that this movie was a faithful adaptation of a story more than 100 years old and is unique in its own right. Skarsgård delivered another slam-dunk “creature” role; I’d compare him to the iconic Lon Chaney Jr. with the capability he has shown with his roles thus far. Depp is another phenomenal performer; clearly, she has the acting prowess of her father, Johnny. I’d give it four stars out of five, and an overall score of 8.7 out of 10. I highly recommend seeing it before it leaves theaters! Although fair warning – there is a fair amount of blood, gore, assorted male and female nudity and more than its fair share of jumpscares. Happy viewing!