Initial Reaction

I am still haunted by the ending scene of this film. Bill Skarsgård aimed for creepy and sexy in his portrayal of Count Orlok in Robert Egger’s Nosferatu and he nailed it.

Performance Reviews

Skarsgard was meant for this role and put his all into it. To get the part right, he wanted the makeup to be authentic, but also his voice. He trained with a vocal coach in Mongolian throat singing to lower his voice by a whole octave so that producers did not have to digitally alter his voice.

Lily-Rose Depp gives a stunning performance as Ellen Hutter, the target of Count Orlok’s desire. While I’ve not seen any previous performances before, I was impressed with this being my first. I look forward to seeing where her career goes following this. Playing a tortured woman by an all consuming vampire is no easy feat, but she was mesmerizing and disturbing all at once.

Nicholas Holt, Aaron-Taylor Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe were chilling and moving in their performances as Ellen Hutter’s close friends and family. I’ve adored Nicholas Holt since I saw him in Warm Bodies and later in Renfield.

Nosferatu is a German adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and in my opinion, Egger’s production is the best version of the story that I have seen to date.

Unlike the earlier film adaptations of Stoker’s story, Egger’s production of Nosferatu flowed very well. While the movie was nearly three hours long, not one moment did I feel that it dragged or was boring. I loved the way the camera work showed how Orlok moves through the shadows. Through expert lighting and Egger’s direction and writing, it was captured more creatively than older technology allowed.

Stoker’s Count Dracula was based on Vlad the Impaler, a Transylvanian Prince seeking revenge on his scorned love who sacrificed herself for him while at war for his country. Count Orlok is more based on Eastern European folklore while incorporating Stoker’s story. Count Orlok was the physical embodiment of power and desire rather than revenge. He had no desires, nor a heart to love. Just a consuming hunger that can not be left to starve.

Eggers and Skarsgard wanted to show that.

A Christmas Eve Horror

Seeing Nosferatu on Christmas Eve was a great way to spend the holiday as it was my first completely without family. But in adulthood, you have the freedom to choose. Create new traditions. Besides what says Christmas/Hanukkah more than going to see a horror movie?