Editor’s note: This is a reoccurring column by Madison Sharrock, ME/Content, a film and production minor who reviews and critiques films.
Robert Eggers understood that vampire fans can only watch the “Twilight” saga so many times.
Egger’s retelling of “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror,” which originally premiered in 1922, accomplishes much more than the original film and “Dracula” by Bram Stoker ever could.
The suspenseful, gothic story of “Nosferatu” follows a pair of newlyweds, Ellen and Thomas Hutter, and how their relationship is slowly torn apart by Count Orlok, one of the oldest and most powerful vampires in the folklore realm.
Whether a certain retelling focuses on Count Dracula or Count Orlok, most stories follow a similar plot where Thomas, a real estate agent, encounters the Count when he shows interest in purchasing an ancient castle near Transylvania.
Once Thomas steps foot into the castle, the Count plots to prey on a familiar individual– Ellen Hutter.
It was thrilling to see some familiar faces such as Willem Dafoe portraying Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz; yet terrifying to not recognize Bill Skarsgård, known for his disguised horror villain roles, as Count Orlok.
Lily-Rose Depp, who plays Ellen, proved herself to be a concrete actress to expect in future blockbusters for her performance in the 2024 film.
As I watched the film, I couldn’t help but think of a course I took called ENGL 231: Film, New Media and Culture with Jessica Hylton, Ph.D., back in the spring of 2023. In that course we looked at how media changed with the development of technology. Additionally, we explored why gothic themes and monsters emerge at specific points in society, such as Frankenstein’s monster, zombies and of course, vampires.
First, we read the original “Dracula” novel by Bram Stoker. We then viewed the ‘90s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” film featuring Winona Ryder.
For comparison purposes, Ellen best resembles Lucy from the original novel, and Anna mirrors Mina. I particularly was interested in how Brom Stoker, who was mostly likely a queer man, portrayed women in the Dracula novel; Stoker undoubtedly channeled misogyny.
Lucy’s voice and lips are described as “voluptuous” throughout the first chapters of the novel whereas Mina is “poor,” “pure” and “dear” for the rest. Although both women went through similar encounters with Count Dracula and are both married, Lucy is deemed as the “woman in red” whereas Mina is the “woman in white.”
Vampires appeal to everyone’s deep, sinful desires, but an ethical question arose in the novel if either woman wanted the Count’s mind-controlling romance; Robert Eggers, the director of the 2024 film, dismissed this and made it obvious that Ellen called out to Orlok.
I would argue that Eggers empowered Ellen through her affair with the Count,which would make Stoker turn in his grave.
There is a direct line drawn between the two female characters and “the men,” a repetitive phrase throughout the novel, in both the novel and 2024 remake. “The men” were depicted as the saviors and heroes for these “damned” and “unclean” women. Through this, Stoker pushes the religious narrative farther in order to align with the values during this time.
I enjoyed how Eggers crossed the line of blatantly depicting a vampire’s sexual nature, as in the novel, it was hard to avoid the constant, subtle innuendo of fang marks.
Today’s remake and the ‘90s Dracula film depict the sexual nature of the monster that the novel’s subtleness couldn’t– and it’s unavoidable, right in front of you on the big screen.
The gothic theme was depicted beautifully in “Nosferatu” from the engraved details on Orlok’s tomb to the rats running around the city, which symbolize Orlok’s off-putting, disease-like presence.
Currently, “Nosferatu” has secured an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 3.9 average star rating on Letterboxd, an app I consider to be full of the most insufferable film buffs you will ever encounter; however, they will not lead you astray with their reviews.
Eggers has set a high bar to surpass, and I hope to see his next film do so.
