Nosferatu
Release Date: December 25, 2024
Directed By: Robert Eggers
Written By: Robert Eggers
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe
Rating: R for bloody violence, graphic nudity, and some sexual content
Runtime: 132 minutes
Nosferatu: Release Date, Cast And Other Details About The Remake
What distinguishes the 2024 version of Nosferatu is the involvement of Robert Eggers. Within a decade, he has emerged as one of the most captivating filmmakers proactively shaping cinema today, characterized by an unwavering commitment to historical accuracy and an extraordinary talent for creating visually stunning and shocking imagery. His distinctive artistic vision aligns seamlessly with the material, and his latest effort is infused with both passion and visceral horror.
Demonstrating the writer/director’s reverence for the original, Nosferatu is a sincere reimagining. Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) is a real estate agent dispatched by his employer Herr Knock (Simon McBurney) to finalize a transaction with the enigmatic Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) – completely oblivious to Knock’s sinister intentions of unleashing despair onto the small town of Wisborg, Germany.
The narrative will feel familiar to anyone acquainted with the original or Bram Stoker’s Dracula, yet (with irony acknowledged) Robert Eggers revitalizes the story. Count Orlok’s voyage across the sea is a gruesome spectacle of escalating carnage, and Herr Knock’s spiral into madness is particularly graphic – featuring candle-lit prayers and animal sacrifices as he awaits his master’s arrival. However, most striking is the erotic undertone in the psychic connection between Orlok and Ellen, intertwining themes of sensuality and mortality in a way that is both alluring and grotesque.
While Nosferatu features an excellent ensemble cast, it’s Bill Skarsgård who emerges as the standout performer.
Lily-Rose Depp may not deliver the gravitas and commanding presence that could elevate Nosferatu even further (a contrast evident when considering Anya Taylor-Joy’s captivating performance in The Witch), yet her emotionally raw performance is solid, and she is well-matched with an impressive cast. Nicholas Hoult shines as the brave yet naïve Thomas, slowly succumbing to terror upon witnessing the titular figure, and Willem Dafoe captivates as the quirky Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz, an eccentric scientist whose unusual demeanor aligns with his belief in alchemy and monsters.
In the end, it is Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of Count Orlok that stands out as the film’s remarkable achievement. Absent the knowledge of his casting, it would be difficult to recognize him in the role, as he embodies a complete transformation. Unlike his co-stars, who forgo region-specific accents, he enchants with a deep Romanian accent, his words escaping from rotting lips behind a long, dark mustache. He commands the space with an authoritative presence while maintaining the essence of a reanimated corpse.
Robert Eggers, along with designer David White and the makeup team, faced the challenge of reimagining one of cinema’s most iconic characters, and they have instead created a fresh incarnation that embodies the essence of a nightmare. Orlok’s visage is mostly concealed in shadow throughout Nosferatu, but the tantalizing glimpses are both horrifying and ultimately rewarding when his full form is revealed.
For Robert Eggers, this film has been a passion project, and its success solidifies his status as one of modern cinema’s most intriguing voices. From its eerie, dream-like opening sequence to its gripping finale, Nosferatu maintains an icy grip on its audience, making it a counterpoint to the traditional holiday fare, and it easily ranks among the finest films set for release at the end of 2024.
