Hey folks! Some of y'all have pointed out that there's a "media offline" screen blipping up during some of the clips. Something got messed up due to using different technology while travelling for the holidays, and I wasn't able to catch it before uploading. It doesn't look like I'll be able to fix that, but I hope you all enjoy the video in spite of it!
Its perfectly fine.. P.S: Would you please make videos on Locked Tomb (Gideon the Ninth) series by Tamsyn Muir? Have you read it? If not, I highly recommend iit
@@dailydoseofsunshine2319Depends on what you mean. Appearance wise, in their of source, both looked very different form each other. With powers, Dracula is more terrifying. But Nosferatu reminds us more of an animal, a predator, making his vibe more scary. Funnily enough, Nosferatu was the rip off of Dracula, the of source was an unauthorized adaptation of Dracula
@@dailydoseofsunshine2319 no its an interpretation of the original story and both have molded the lore of all vampires to come and are responsible for the two main archetypes of vampire you see today. one is a charismatic charming upper class person who is hiding a dark secret and manipulates their prey, the other an inhuman monster lost to a curse that preys on the weak. Popular culture didn't make the sexy hot vampire, it was the original.
@@zildjianabuser nah, I just don't love the drastic redesign. I'd prefer they keep it closer to the original look. Out of place wasn't the right phrase.
@joeyhoy1995 fair enough. I was taken aback when I first saw him too because I was expecting the more murine look, but I personally appreciate what I took as a nod to the original Dracula.
Eggers' movie is probably my favorite adaptation so far. I always like the idea of a vampire being a monster that is pretending to be human, and his Orlock can barely do that. Its also really striking how Orlock is just absolutely irredeemable especially in an era where pop culture favors vampires that are sympathetic
I thought that the mind-blows would be limited to explaining that 1922 Ellen's sacrifice was for a society that never cared for her and that she had little reason to care for, but then the revelation about humans carrying the fleas that spread The Plague and the underlying reasons why we gave rats the blame comes in and eradicates what was left of my mind from the first reveal! FASCINATING video about a fascinating movie! At the risk of saying the wrong thing, I think Eggers' Nosferatu might be my favorite despite someone chatting in my ear the entire time I saw it. Although Ellen is still a loner who finds herself self- sacrificing for a society that neglected and constantly tried to control her, I do like that Thomas actually cares about her and that he and the other people in Ellen's life have credible reasons for not believing Ellen; they're still wrong didn't give her the chance she deserved, but I think it makes them more interesting (and depicts the plight of outcasts more honestly) when they aren't written as just being completely dismissive of her and their denial is less ostrich-in-sand levels. It might sound blasphemous, but I like that Orlok talks a lot in 2024, since all of his talk is just about having base desires and treating everyone (even Ellen) as just things to exploit so he can pursue those desires; he still feels like the barely-human Orlok of 1922, just much crueler and it really hurts that the one person who took Ellen's gift seriously berated her the entire time and ransomed her into killing herself just so he could sate his appetite.
Don’t forget about “Shadow of the Vampire,” one of the more innovative vampire films in the canon. Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck, and John Malkovich as FW Murnau.
I freaking loved that movie! Max Schreck's speech with the cast at some point, describing the vampire's solitude and his awareness of everything lost to him, is brilliant.
i saw it for the 100th anniversary with a live band called invisible czars. they tour!they’re incredible. they sell a dvd of the film with their score too, if you can’t catch them live it’s still worth a view.
For me, I see Nosferatu as a rejection of humanity and giving in to the most primal urges, while Dracula aspires to reach the highest of our cultural ideals and lays bare the kind of morality needed to attain them. The nosferatu is empowered by abandoning society and reverting to an animalistic state, and Dracula finds the same kind of empowerment by fully embracing society's idea of the supremacy of the individual. I always enjoy these gothic excursions, and I do wonder if certain small furry friends decided to "give a hand" with the script starting around 25:38. Not that I dispute the facts at all, but it does suspiciously sound exactly like what they would say...
@@Jess_of_the_Shire Overly Sarcastic Productions have a wonderful video titled 'Trope Talk: Small Mammal on a Big Adventure' that I think you would greatly enjoy! Have you considered covering rodent based fantasy such as The Tale of Despereaux on this channel?
My take: in the current Nosferatu, you take the vampire out and you're left with a story about a couple in a toxic relationship; jealousy and hidden traumas bring them together but also ruin them both, each in the most lonely way possible.
There's a lot of juice here, I love the telling of an aggressively modern story using the language of the romantic era. Eggars is so fucking good at this. You think he ever gets money for a historical epic? Eggar's "Hannibal" or "Sparticus" would be awesome.
Yes but then for me the most interesting part is that Orlock himself works amazingly as a metaphor for an abusive ex/former S** predator As if they’re two lovers doomed in the looming shadow of her former abuser
I have to say, it was enlightening and refreshing to listen to a review about Nosferatu from a female point of view. And i'm not joking when i say that i now have a deeper understanding of the meaning of Ellen, respectively Lucy. Thank you for expanding my horizon.
It's been ages since I've read the novel, so I'm probably wrong, but I'm going to counter your take on Mina anyway: From what I can recall, Mina is a proficient in a couple of advanced Victorian technology, such as shorthand and typing (and she stumps Van Helsing with her shorthand skills); she's one of the voices that give us the narrative in the novel, and we get a nice sense of her humor and the directness of her tone, which I remember liking a great deal. If I remember correctly, she's an active GPS, not simply an instrument for guiding and saving - she uses her intelligence to help put two and two together, and is, in fact, an active factor in her own saving. This, at least, is my recollection. I want to add that there's a perhaps unconscious bit of symbolism for Ellen in "Nosferatu": she's first seen playing with a kitten. Orlock is associated with rats. So the kitten will trap and kill the rat.
Her intelligence and courage were on full display in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (the comic book series, not the mediocre movie) and I would highly recommend checking it out if you haven't!
Mina is quite competent and proficient in the book, and I like her character. However, I would still assert that Dracula is a masculine driven, male-centric narrative. Mina is important and involved, but she always defers to the judgements of male characters (sometimes to her detriment) and she is occasionally steamrolled and used in a way that is ultimately vindicated by the novel's conclusion. I wouldn't call it sexist by any means, but the female characters are definitely a product of their time, especially compared to the narrative presented by Nosferatu.
Harker in Herzog's film was played by the late Bruno Ganz, who, in his portrayal of Hitler in Oliver Hirschbiegel's "Downfall," attained a form of immortality as an internet meme.
Really...odd take on Ellen and Orlock's relationship in the 2024 film. They make it pretty clear the Orlock cares nothing for Ellen "I am an appetite" and that the film is an allegory for older men taking advantage of young women when they are vulnerable creating life long sexual and romantic trauma. That is the entire reason the first scene of the film exists. Why when Thomas is near Ellen feels better and recovers. When she is with him she can overcome the sexual tramus of her youth. Only be facing it head on though can she save the man she loves and the town.
@@zerohikari2685 doesn't she get nakey with the vampire? Oh yeah true love for her husband right there. Your description fits the original film not this one 🤣
Something I think the film struggles with, because it's difficult territory to talk about IRL, is conveying that Ellen and Thomas each went willingly to Orlock. They wanted something from him, and they got it. To blame them as victims is to let Orlock off the hook. But nevertheless part of the human condition is getting hurt by the very things you go to for comfort.
@@lennydale92 i'm not really sure how you missed the fact that he was killing everyone she cared about and her husband was going to be next which is why she chose to sacrifice herself
I saw the old silent movie and it was amazing! It started of as a meme and you were like o god this is what people are afraid of and then BAM things turn around out of nowhere and it went from funny as hell to entirely horror.
Cool video. I've enjoyed your recent topical departures lately!! And while I always like your cosplay looks, this one is particularly on-point!! Well done.
@@Jess_of_the_Shire That makes perfect sense and I definitely hope to see a whole array of topics in 2025. Have you considered doing a video on The New Wave of Science Fiction? Here's a great quote from J. Michael Straczynski on what made it work and why it's still important: “There has been a lot of hard-edged, socially challenging writing in other forms and genres. Alan Ginsberg’s Howl, Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, the raw emotionalism of Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s A Coney Island of the Mind, JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye…all of them pushed the frontiers of writing, and many of them got banned or ended up in court on obscenity charges. But they kept on writing, because it was necessary to take a stand for literary freedom. The SF genre was (and to a degree still is) fairly conservative and, seeing what happened to the writers noted above, tended to steer clear of controversy. This persisted up until the time of [Harlan Ellison's] first Dangerous Visions anthology and the slow birth of New Wave Science Fiction (with writers like Michael Moorcock, Ursula K. Le Guin, Samuel R. Delany and others poking at the walls of conservatism) which DV codified from individual efforts into a movement. What makes a story dangerous in speculative fiction? Anyone who is willing to risk controversy, to speak to the flaws of society, to sexual and political issues even though they might get in trouble as a result. Harlan once wrote that ‘the chief commodity a writer has to sell is their courage,’ and for me, that’s what a dangerous vision is all about: a story that requires a modicum of courage to tell it. At its best, science fiction points to a spot on the horizon that illuminates the human condition and where we may be going, and asks, ‘Are you really sure you want to continue going in this direction?’ It illuminates what Faulkner called ‘the human heart in conflict with itself.’ SF, by definition, is rooted in the effect of change and technology on human beings. (By this logic, Singing in the Rain is a science fiction movie.) We are in a time of rapid technological and social change, and science fiction can be one of the ways we can interrogate and better grasp the changes going on around us. But institutionalized SF, which retreated from the New Wave a while back, is still dragging its feet, leaving the work to be done by upcoming writers willing to talk about racism, misogyny, brutality…but also the great potential of the human heart to overcome adversity and effect positive change. “Dangerous Visions helped get the ball rolling, but very few of the upcoming writers tackling Grimdark, or Afro-Futurism, or writers in the LGBTQIA community telling their own stories, were/are aware of the first DV anthology. Which is understandable because the book has been out of the public eye for many years, in some cases before they were even born. When I co-created/wrote/produced Sense8 for Netflix, I heard from so many in the queer community who were moved and happy to have a story that dealt respectfully with their lives, interests and concerns. For some creators who emerged from that fandom, Sense8 may have had a more current influence, but now that the DV books are returning to the outside world, that may change. I don’t think we will ever reach the point where nobody objects to anything. There will always be the outraged, the inflamed, the censorious. If anything, given the massive emphasis on banning books of alleged controversy, especially those that deal in any way with the simple existence of people in the queer community, the stakes and risks have gotten higher. But that makes it even more essential to keep pushing for freedom of speech. In a strange way, we’ve come full circle to where the first Dangerous Visions was published. In the 50s and 60s books were routinely banned, burned, and censored, and its authors pilloried and persecute. Now, in many ways, after a honeymoon period where this subsided for a bit, we have come full circle, and the banners and burners are flexing their muscles once again. Playing and self-censoring cedes the battlefield to the forces of oppression. It’s worth noting that when people say ‘keep your head down’ that’s pretty much the exact position you have to assume when you’re about to be guillotined. I’d rather go down fighting.”
I watched the original flick a few minths ago that had original color grading added back to it. Yellow during the day and by fire, blue at night and in darkness and pink at dawn and dusk. I really like How Eggers used similar lighting in his film, though I wish pink had gotten more screen time. Also, the costume department was cooking so hard for this new Nosferatu, hot damn
There is a fourth version, made some years ago starring Doug Jones (THE SHAPE OF WATER), available now on AppleTV. Personally I think the film portrays Thomas as genuinely loving Ellen, but at first not fully understanding her. As the story progresses, their love grows and grows ever more deep roots. Hence the tragedy is even greater. Also, the film makes a good point that Ellen is an unusually powerful, intuitive soul. This is what attracts Orlock--possibly because she is herself so alive her presence quickens him. BTW this might well be my favorite review of Eggers' film. Brava! This one is indeed my favorite version, even of DRACULA.
@@stargazerbird Has a very high body count, with Orlock drinking lots of people's blood (albeit mostly off screen). I honestly don't see how you can say this about NOSFERATU: SYMPHONY OF HORRORS (2024).
My favorite aside from the original is the movie Shadow of the Vampire (dramatization of the making of Nosferatu.) Amazing cast with Willem Dafoe as Max Shrek and John Malkovich as Murnau
Your description of Ellen’s character in the new film made me think of both Laura Palmer’s character arc in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and Babydoll’s arc in SuckerPunch.
I had the pleasure of watching this in high school as a junior; my teacher was in NYU FILM SCHOOL part-time. The silence throughout the film was chilling. I'm now 61, and am still impressed with this film. Great review. Have a HOBBITY DAY. Bx❤😎
Hello, I also was a crazy rat lady, but I subcome to allergies and couldn't have them anymore. We had so many wonderful rattie friends! I liked your take on Nosferatu! I love that you did all three movies! I love that Ellen, fully and through her own plan sacrificed her self, for the town, and for her well, adorably dim, husband. I also was very glad that they did not harm any of the cats.
I just watched the Eggers version so it’s hard to say. However I have the FW Murnau a few times and I love it. I didn’t even know there WAS a Herzog version. However. Willem Defoe and John Malkovich play Max Schreck and Murnau in a movie called The Shadow of the Vampire which imagines Sxhreck was actually a vampire. It’s actually surprisingly good.
The mention of Stoker and his characters in the end credits of the film weren't added until years later, when the film was reevaluated and popularized. The 1921 version did not have those credits. They were most likely added in 1929, which was when the film first screened in America.
I'm so excited to see Eggers' Nosferatu! I absolutely adore vampire stories and I've loved his previous works so I'm stoked 🧛🏽♀️ Really enjoyed this video, I found you through your vampire Halloween video and I'm watching some of your other videos now. Going through a bit of a LOTR phase right now (going to see The Two Towers in my local cinema tomorrow!) so your channel is perfect! 💖 Keep up the great work, and a very happy, hobbit-y new year ✨
It's surprising to me that Polidori's "The Vampyre" is hardly ever brought up, despite being published in 1819. It really set the groundwork for both Dracula and Orlock. I think Lord Ruthven is a nice in-between of the two, though leaning closer towards Dracula.
I just got back from Nosferatu! An unnerving film, and I’m also proud of saying my earliest memory of Nosferatu was his cameo appearance in o.g. SpongeBob
Jess, if u have seen the original "Ghosts" TV show no doubt you recall that in one episode the cause of the exposure to the plague that killed the ghost in what was an actual plague pit, but for most of the show is seen as Samantha's house's basement were killed by one of the ghosts and said pit who brought back the fleas from a trading venture. There's no mention of any creatures smaller than homo sapien. Come to think of it, any animal could easily have carried the fleas I would think. Heaven knows cats and dogs have enough fleas, if not treated
Your eye make-up is mesmerizing, they have an amazing effect on your eyes! o_O I haven't seen the new Nosferatu yet, but I don't think it can defeat Werner Herzog's Nosferatu, since I think it is the best vampire movie out there. However, I will give Robert Eggers' version a shot, because with this TH-cam video you have piqued my interest and I am curious now. Thank you for all the wonderful videos you have created this year, I wish you happy hobbitty holidays for the rest of 12024, and a healthy new year. :)
I love Herzog's version, its very fun. I can't guarantee that Eggers will displace Herzog's for you, but it's definitely worth a watch. Hope you enjoy!
@@Jess_of_the_Shire Perfect! Just about any of the topics that were left out of your Halloween video for the sake of time could be made into their own videos, so the basic research has already been dealt with when you think about it. I particularly enjoyed the section on 'Salem's Lot and feel that you could explore it further, especially given how Father Callahan was a supporting character in books 5-7 of The Dark Tower series. You mentioned in the comments under that video how the queer themes and subtext of a lot of vampire media was too big of a topic to cover in an already lengthy video, so maybe that could potentially get covered down the line.
@Jess_of_the_Shire you should watch the anime movie "vampire hunter D" and sequel "Vampire hunter D: bloodlust." Pretty cool post-apocalyptic take on vampires, and the sequel is absolutely beautiful in terms of animation.
Ellen's submission to Orlok is actually a false empowerment. Like you say she was pressed into that situation, but she also had the option to defy the terms of his contract. Her sacrifice is actually an appeasement to the malevolence which mass murders the people of Wisborg to force her compliance. They never really ask the question of what the terms of contract could be because they depend too much on Alvin's occult expertise. He makes a lot of bad assumptions which guarantee the tragedy at the end, but he's convinced in his own mind that this was a job well done. If you pay close attention you can notice the contradictions in Alvin's beliefs because they're contrasted by what's depicted on the screen.
I just realized this, but of all the countless reviews I've watched on this movie, this is the only one I've seen from a woman's perspective. I feel so incredibly sad for Ellen. She didn't have a friend in the world. Your review gave me a lot to think about. Excellent job Jess of the Shire.
That interpretation is so bizarre to me. She has more than most people do. A husband who wants to provide, and friends who stick with her despite her literally being a psychotic mess 24/7. I really dislike this "woah is her" attitude for this review. Especially when she lied about her intentions to her husband. She never loved him and was instead using him to stave off the demon that she summoned. And then allowed that demon to murder the friends who tried to help her before finally facing the truth that shes corrupted and letting herself be the one to die instead of more innocents. She was holding back what she knew and really felt from the beginning because she was ashamed to face it in herself. If she had been honest, he probably would never have been with her. She knew from the beginning what she had unleashed on the world, but was too afraid to face that truth until the end. And its not "society's" fault that she felt that way. She was ashamed because what she did was shameful... The things that Jesse is saying are her friends and husband "dehumanizing" her are absolutely ridiculous and overstated. "He didn't know her opinion of picking flowers", "they didn't listen to cryptic warnings where she wasn't being fully honest", "they didn't immediately trust her cryptic dreams and intuitions (as if anyone's intuition is worthy of blind obedience)", "they tied her up" yeah when she was literally thrashing around like a fucking maniac 😅 These are her being "dehumanized"? Ridiculous. Id argue she dehumanizes her husband and friends FAR more than they supposedly do to her. Whats more dehumanizing? Leaving someone's side to try and earn a living (healthy) and not reading her mind and knowing her opinion about flowers? Or marrying someone knowing damn well that you literally have a demon hunting you down and using that person to run from that truth and then not telling them until it has literally murdered everyone he and you care about? L take from Jesse. Still love her channel but this feminist take is painfully shallow and un-self aware
@@Paradox-dy3vewhile i didn’t entirely agree with her take i can tell you’re either a man or old as hell because how did you watch the 2024 nosferatu and interpret misogynistic themes from it 💀 she wasn’t crazy. she was right. willem dafoe gets it idk why you don’t
@@stellaluna5064implying that I am a misogynist seems like something you say when you have no actual argument. I never said she wasn't right that the monster exists. I said she was thrashing around like a psychopath. Which she was. You supposedly read my comment, how do you answer for what I said substantively? Apart from insinuating that I am a misogynist, and making reference to what year it is, that is. How was she "dehumanized"? How is her marrying a man to run away from a demon she summoned to the world and then not being fully honest when he's about to walk into it's arms because of her, not dehumanizing? Also, how is having this interpretation misogynistic? Just because the people I'm disagreeing with are feminists? Feminists and feminism aren't above disagreement. I'm Jewish, is disagreeing with me anti-Semitism? Perhaps we just have different interpretations of art. I never insulted the person who I disagree with, but you imply I am something terrible for not agreeing with you. I think that shows a bit of immaturity. The theme of story, at least in Egger's adaptation, is "Does evil come from within or from beyond?" You're meant to interpret which one you believe. I believe it comes from within, and the story is made to fit both interpretations. But even if you believe evil comes from "Beyond" I still think it is a shallow interpretation to say that the "beyond" where evil comes from is "society" or "gender roles". I think it could be a deeper spiritual source or perhaps the laws of nature if you're not a particularly spiritual person. Laying evil and the craving for evil at the feet of "gender roles" is not a particularly meaningful or, I think, warranted interpretation. Tell me how I'm wrong if you believe that to be the case. Don't just say "it's current year, and you're probably a misogynist" because that's just a lazy way to avoid having to actually be correct and just write off what I say. And yes, I am a man. With just as valid a perspective on the world as any other kind of person. I don't judge people based on their identity. I listen to them based on the merits of their perspective.
@@Paradox-dy3ve I found Eggers' version of Ellen to be truly unlikeable for many of the reasons you stated above, and as a result, couldn't bring myself to enjoy this movie very much.
HURRAY THE RETURN OF GOTH JESS AKA THE BEST JESS (in my opinion at least) 🥳🎉🧛♀🦇!!! I’ve definitely been wanting to check out the new Nosferatu along with Shadow of the Vampire despite not having seen the previous versions of the story, but I didn’t really feel like going out to see it on Christmas day because (1) I was in a very chill mood, and (2) I had just watched the new Doctor Who special and didn’t want to experience tonal whiplash haha. Hopefully the film will still be in theaters by the time I see it because I’m sick of movies coming and going in the blink of an eye! It’s the reason why I had to stream The First Omen despite the fact that a film that is as amazing as that one deserves to be experienced on a larger screen (Amanda Lepre has an amazing cover of ‘Ave Satani’ BTW). Maven of the Eventide has a really good review of the original Nosferatu and Ryan Hollinger just put out a video titled 'The Deadly Shadow of NOSFERATU' if you’re at all interested, and if you’re in need of a neat Dracula related film then I would definitely recommend The Last Voyage of the Demeter because it nicely fleshed out a part of the original book that always had the potential to work as its own story (it also deserved way better at the box office).
I hope you're able to see it on the big screen! Honestly, it would still be a blast to watch on streaming though, I think it's kind of an instant classic
Another grear video, Jess! I didn't know that much about Nosferatu, only having read Bram Stoker's original book. I always saw the character of Mina as a type of the Church which in Scripture is depicted as a woman. Dracula is essentially the opposite of Christ, taking the blood of others to extend his own life, while Christ gives His own blood to save others. This is why the Eucharist in Stoker's book is so deadly to Dracula. The women in the book aren't poor leads because they're women, but because they are representative of the state of humans in general. Anyway, that's how I've always seen Stoker's story.
As someone who has seen pretty much every vampire flick ever made, the 1922 version is the only one that ever managed to actually scare me. All the others make me smile. The Herzog one I found unbearably boring - yes, it has fascinating themes and ideas, but as a film, it's got way too many pacing issues. And Kinski is so ridiculously melodramatic; I can't take that guy seriously in anything. Maybe the English dub is better (never seen it)? But Kinski in German, with his actual voice and diction? Ooooof. Plus, fun fact of the day: The rats they ordered for the 1979 film turned out to be white lab rats on arrival and they had to dye them grey. I am, however, a big fan of the pastiche "Shadow of the Vampire" and I'm definitely stoked for the remake! Haven't seen it yet, but I definitely will! It looks awesome.
I loved the little tiny detail tht Egger's version is, as far as I'm aware on, the only live action take on Dracula that actually respects the original slavic moustache the character had in the novel. Also, loved how almost every key character of the novel is represented in the movie to some degree, from Van Helsing to Renfield. I just watched this film yesterday, and I fell in love with it. Having watched all three versions, and feeling a deep respect for the original film, I think Eggers' version is by far the most unique and creepy of them all, in the best way possible. In many ways, the 'normal' society painted in Eggers' film is way more terrifying than the monster who predates on it. Thomas Hutter's boss consciously sends the young promising lad to his doom, in exchange of promises of power, in what feels to me like a twisted reflection on corporations' glutton greed consuming their own employees. Ellen's constantly gaslighted, and even when the other characters can feel something's definitely *not* right, they choose to ignore it over and over again. Even after accepting the existence of the vampire, Friedrich chooses death and solitude, letting his pain to consume him instead of using it for a much productive goal. In many ways, Orlock feels like a symptom of an already deeply rotten society. Another aspect I loved from this movie is how we barely see Orlock during the story. He's always shrouded in darkness, being empowered by fear, superstition, ignorance and primal desires. We barely see him, which gives him way more power over our fragile mortal minds. Only when the sunlight finally bathes him, is when we see Orlock for what he truly is: a pitiful wrecked creature, whose legs can barely hold him. It is when the monster's revealed when he loses all of his power and stops being terrifying. It reminded me of my favourite Goya's engraving work, titled as its inner quote: "The dream of reason produces monsters". So yeah, definitely Eggers' film is my personal favourite, easily the best movie I've seen this year by far. I wish you a happy new year, Jess!
Lovely video, I haven't seen any of the Nosferatu films, so it was nice to hear about them. However, I strongly disagree about Mina's role in Bram Stoker's Dracula. Although she puts up with multiple instances of being talked down to because she's a woman, she frequently demonstrates herself as having more insight than even Van Helsing on many instances, through her reasoning and wisdom. I'll also note that the reason she becomes victimized by Dracula is because the men didn't include her in on the plans. Throughout the story, Stoker emphasizes how the group is stronger when everyone, including Mina, is working together to stop Dracula. Moreover, although the themes of masculinity and sex in Dracula are two you can definitely note, I strongly believe they are not the primary axis of the story. The primary depiction of vampires in Stoker's Dracula is that they are a "Devilish mockery" of good and Godly things. Sure, the role of man or sex is one of those things that is "devilishly mocked" but it's far from the only thing. Dracula himself contrasts in many ways with Jesus; Jesus walks on water, Dracula cannot cross it. Jesus gives immortal salvation when drinking his blood, Dracula damns those who drink his to immortal vampirism (his "baptism of blood"). Lucy, in vampire form is also a devilish mockery of a mother, sustaining herself on the life of children, instead of the other way around. Once you read the book from this angle, it makes the sex angle feel shallow. Oh, and I guess the other major theme of the book would be keeping an open mind in an age of science, which ties in with the godliness angle.
Great video! I am sharing this with people before going to see the movie 😅 I grew up watching Nosferatu, I always knew about it since I was very small, but I only watched the 1922 version at the age of 12/13. I've seen the Herzog's version recently, like a few years ago, not a big fan of it. I am 100% a big Murnau's version fan, I think it still works to this day 100 years later, and I can't wait to see Eggers movie, since I loved all his other works. He's really good at nailing the historical accuracy of things and I can only imagine what he did, a great mix of Horror, Fantasy and History is what I am expecting.
Loved Eggers’ version and can’t wait to see it again but it doesn’t quite top Murnau’s original, for me. Wild to think that makes Herzog’s third when it is immaculate in its own right. Regardless, if someone says, “Wanna watch Nosferatu?” the answer will be an emphatic “Yes!”
Eggers' Orlok is not urging Ellen to "weaponize" anything or claim power. Nor does he care about her "passion". He describes himself as pure consumption, and he is going to consume her, threatening to kill everyone she loves if she does not give into him. And so she doesn't until she perceives that she has no other choice (after Orlok has killed Anna and her children, despite Ellen warning Friedrich). The Witch is the Eggers film where the female protagonist claims power at the end. I don't think of Ellen as an "outsider" comparable to Orlok in any previous Nosferatu. Unfortunate? Sure. But the rest of her community would regard her as just another member of her society (which is entirely compatible with having your warnings ignored). You say "Maybe we should look at what drove her into his arms in the first place". But you never mention her recalling how she (unknowingly) reached out to Orlok as a child! That's something new introduced by Eggers. Perhaps being a lonely child is less thematically interesting than repression, but that's the text of the film.
can we really call the vvitch empowerment??? as far as I remember the whole family is killed and deiven mad. She was deiven to the coven my a external force in a vunerable moment, its more gaslighting than empowerment
When this video started I thought, ‘how is this going to turn into an empathetic defense of the female character and rats?’ You’re one in a million, Jess. Keep being you.
Mina Harker was about as empowered as a female character written by a man could be. Remember that it was her trancription and collation of the audio and epistellary sources that cracked the mystery wide open. Of course she specifically learned these secretarial skills so that she could be useful to her husband so it is far from a perfect feminist work. I want to see an adaptation that makes her a hacker.
Don't forget 'Shadow of the Vampire', which is a fictional account of the making of the original "Nosferatu". F. W. Murnau enlisted an authentic vampire (Willem Dafoe) and comedy ensues.
Loved this video, your analysis of all three films tying the adaptations together was just excellent. As a man, my interpretation was different and most likely incorrect but I guess all interpretations are valid from the perspective of the viewer. I too think the movie celebrates women's spiritual power but my feeling was that in embracing "death", Ellen is embracing the (at that time) very real possibility of death from childbirth. Or in other words, in throwing off childhood and having a sex life, Ellen is accepting that death will inevitably follow. I found it striking that the character of Harding keeps his wife in a child-like state - even having her dressed exactly the same as their daughters. I wondered if this was his futile attempt to deny her womanhood and, in a sense "protect" her from death. Having heard your thoughts, I can see now why scenes of Ellen being isolated and dismissed by the other characters is so important. However, I'm still a little unsure why Enlightenment era science is portrayed negatively while medieval superstition is portrayed positively (given that superstition tends to misogyny). Is Eggers saying that science is more "male", ignoring the spiritual power of women? I very much enjoyed your essay and this has prompted me to become a Proudfoot! I look forward to more gothic and horror inspired pieces from you as these are my favourites.
Im a sucker for eggers work, his attention to detail is astounding! Especially for a vampire nerd like myself. Like for instance his orlock has this raspy strained breathing. Lots found it odd or off putting, but one of the old "signs" that a body was a vampire was that it "moaned", gas build up from decomp going against the vocal chords was the reason, but they didnt know that. So orlock having this wheezing moaning breath before ge speaks is like the inverse of that. This is a dead body taking in air it doesnt need to speak, which it seldom does.
Loved the crows in the background! The Goth make-up is beautiful! Have you ever read the novel, "I, Vampire" by Michael Romkey? Excellent work over the year! I think I have viewed the majority of your vids this year. Looking forward to where you will go from here. Loved the Vampire thread of vids. Have a great New Year, and thanks for all you do!
The third remake is actually "Nosferatu; Symphony of horror" (2023) - Its virtually a shot for shot copy but with dialogue -Really beautiful Black and White/sepia imagery. BTW The name Nosferatu doesn't appear in Dracula, it's a made up name which the film makers created with a backstory, as well as a mystery surrounding the identity and background of the actor who played Orlof - Kind like what the producers of Blair Witch did for their pre-release marketing. Now that's ahead of its time.
I actually read up on the word “Nosferatu” and it predates the film. Like with most slang, it’s hard to track the origins, especially back in the day but the word was popularized in 1885 in an English article about vampires, claiming it was a Romanian term, which apparently was inaccurate. Apparently, the author cited a German writer who wrote about “Transylvanian Superstitions” back in 1865, and the first to use the word “Nosferatu” in print (in German). It is possible the word “Nosferatu” was used around Europe in folklore or spooky stories thought the 1800’s but wasn’t never written down or questioned too much. So it may have strictly a local thing that spread until the articles started to use them in print. The closest word in Romanian would be “nesuferit” which means “offensive one” but isn’t explicitly a word for vampire. But with many words, it soon took life of its own and became a thing. It’s like how some names of cities in America originated from mispronunciations of words from local indigenous tribes. I love stuff like that.
@@davidbc5023 You are probably right. In Romanian and Slavic folk lore there is a creation Myth, God and the Devil fighting. The Devil in this story is called "Nefârtatul". Personally I think its made up by Murnau to market the film (Nosferatu sounds more Latin than Balkan) He claimed to have met a real vampire in Serbia and that Max Schreck (actor who payed Count Orlok) was indeed also a Vampire; which gave rise to the movie Shadow of the Vampire.
What a wonderful and surprising review! I love the inclusion of rats in your analysis. I've tried reading: Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants a handful of times, but I find the experience always too creepy to continue. I want to hear more. Thanks!
I feel you oversimplified male characters in Robert Eggers film. Like yes, at first, all the male characters don't take it seriously and even tie her up until Willem Defoe's character sees her and is upset at what they have chosen to do to her. And when her husband returns he admits he made a mistake and should have listened and wants to make things right as he sees it. Now at the end of the day he still misses the fact that Ellen has to die because of his mistake. And don't forget that Willem Defoe's character was backing her
Very interesting and detailed review of dracula and nosferatu . Ive always had a soft spot for vampire movies , huge fan of coppolas bram stokers dracula and read bram stokers dracula as well . Eggers is without doubt an upcoming star as a hollywood great , have watched the witch or vvitch and the northman which is my favorite of all his movies . So looking to see his version of nosferatu, lilly rose depp apparently being the star of the show with her performance.
You might also want to check out "Shadow of the Vampire", if you haven't yet. It is a movie about the filming of Nosferatu with a twist. The twist is that Max Schreck is, in fact, Nosferatu. So it isn't directly a remake of the film, it is very interesting. John Malkovich is FW Murnau and Willem Defoe is Max Schreck.
Eggers’ Nosferatu is terrific - I can hardly imagine a better movie from the source material, but somewhere around the castle Orlock scenes, I REALLY wanted a 3 part miniseries on Max or Netflix. I really think a 3-4 hour mini series would be the sweet spot. For example, Ellen and Thomas really do love each other… her personal turmoil (referred to “melancholy” to mask the haunting reality of that turmoil) was quieted by his love, and he wanted to better himself economically for her. Thomas obviously needed to listen to Ellen about his job/career - his personal ambition was a tremendous flaw, but that’s what I wanted to see fleshed out in more detail, in part because there was genuine love between them. Imagine another scene or two with them, perhaps how they met, perhaps a scene showing how they had different priorities in life. Maybe Thomas loves her more because of this particular priority that she has… We did technically get some context for this dynamic, especially with the scene where she cannot convince him to stay, but having some “show don’t tell” scene(s) where Thomas must prove himself as socio-economically worthy enough would have been powerful, especially because the (phenomenal) ending would have been a little bit more powerful that way… Does Eggers’ Thomas really understand what Ellen did - and then perhaps he ends up becoming the next Orlock to tragically continue the cycle of tragedy and death? Or is there too much anger, trauma, sadness in him to move forward in any meaningful capacity? Where does his ambition and lost love leave him, as a character? Again, the movie is terrific - highly recommended - the very first scene of the movie is where we see their relationship dynamic, but I suppose I’m saying that Thomas was a little bit too “one note” (due to the theatrical run time, maybe?). I also wanted to get more scenes with Ellen - how did her character evolve to the point where she falls in love with Thomas - what other things did she try to quiet the demon that was (literally and/or metaphorically) looking to take advantage of her power as a character? There is mention of her premonitions - what did other people in her life make of this, and how did she manage these moments in her development? The fact that she was able to do what she did to defeat this powerful demon of death is remarkable - making her character worthy of deeper examination. The same is true of Willem Dafoe’s character. How did he turn to mysticism, away from the natural science of Newton? A scene or two there would be awesome. Again, 3-4 hours seems like the sweet spot…
It's a movie about sexual violence, explicitly so. Ellen is abused, Thomas is taken advantage of. The men are constantly constraining, probing, or drugging Ellen. Anna's husband is "hungry" for her and forces children upon her, she is controlled, too. Excellent review and analysis of the source material.
Maybe I've been ruined by Mel Brooks, but a number of times you said Nosferatu, I keep hearing it in my head, "She's Italian?" Or "Do you have Nosferatu?" "Yes, yes.. we have Nosferatu.. we have Nosferatu today, it just came in the post." Yup... Dead and Loving it has ruined part of me....
It’s interesting how many adaptations of Dracula are clearly influenced by Nosferatu- both of course in the added element of lethal vulnerability to sunlight that became a staple of the mythology post-Nosferatu, but also in how many versions create a deep significance in an added obsession of Dracula in Mina Harker, such as in the 1992 film.
I love both of the previous Nosferatu movies (shadow of the vampire is also a clever take on the original Nosferatu). Robert's movie comes out January 1st in the UK so looking forward to it. I think Nosferatu works better in movies than Dracula because there is less movement. It is Transylvania or Wisborg. Therefore themes and characters can be explored. It can be more visual. The original Stoker story moves back and forth through multiple locations, and there is a lot of action. It is more adventure, whereas Nosferatu is always Gothic Romance on film.
Never read Dracula or watched the first Nosferato or any horror goth movie but I´m definitely gonna watch Nosferatu 2024. Now I want a book accurate Dracula adaptation. And Frankenstein
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the original Nosferatu was in no uncertain terms a horrible piece of anti semitic and conservative post WW1 German nationalist propaganda. It was originally an allegory for how Jewish settlers from Eastern Europe were spreading “like a plague of rats” across Germany. Nosferatu is never humanized because he’s meant to portray the caricature of Jewish stereotypes prevalent in 1920’s Germany. The role of Ellen in the original film wasn’t a feminist icon but a piece of fear mongering about the dangers of female autonomy in an era of prevailing women’s suffrage and the importance of preserving the German identity by not letting German women lay with these “rats” in order to prevent them from breeding. While I can appreciate the serendipitous feminist reading by today’s standards, a reading of this film in its time and place is a much more honest representation of what Nosferatu is really about and I think it’s important we not try to color something as progressive and ahead of its time as a way to improve its palatability to modern audiences. It was dangerous then and contributed to the rise of German nationalism in the Nazi party and its historical message is now dangerous once again in a new modern era of rising anti semitism, fascism, and nationalism . I respect Eggerts for not making Nosferatu another rehash of Jewish stereotypes the way Herzog did but I think his representation of him as a backward Eastern European menace strikes another cord of western xenophobia with his fur pillbox hat and his Romani mustache. Let’s try to be more careful with our historical contexts around the significance of media.
Hey folks! Some of y'all have pointed out that there's a "media offline" screen blipping up during some of the clips. Something got messed up due to using different technology while travelling for the holidays, and I wasn't able to catch it before uploading. It doesn't look like I'll be able to fix that, but I hope you all enjoy the video in spite of it!
Hope you had a good holiday at least! It's a minor error, so don't worry too much, Jess, the overall video turned out great and you should feel proud.
Its perfectly fine.. P.S: Would you please make videos on Locked Tomb (Gideon the Ninth) series by Tamsyn Muir? Have you read it? If not, I highly recommend iit
@Jess_of_the_Shire these BLIPS were miniscule and gone as fast as they appeared
No problems. To be honest, I was thinking it might be a new way to confuse the copyright algorithm. Happy Hobbity Holidays!
That is precisely what I thought, I wouldnt have even paid attention to it at all if I hadnt seen the comment @noscwoh1
Roger Ebert wrote that when you say the name "Dracula" you smile, when you say "Nosferatu" you frown.
That is a great way to put it. Dracula has become an icon, Orlok, and nosferatu as a whole, remain a symbol of true terror.
So Nosferatu is what Dracula was before pop-culture diluted it?
@@carsonsmith7314 Also your mouth literally smiles when saying the former and frowns saying the latter!
@@dailydoseofsunshine2319Depends on what you mean. Appearance wise, in their of source, both looked very different form each other. With powers, Dracula is more terrifying. But Nosferatu reminds us more of an animal, a predator, making his vibe more scary. Funnily enough, Nosferatu was the rip off of Dracula, the of source was an unauthorized adaptation of Dracula
@@dailydoseofsunshine2319 no its an interpretation of the original story and both have molded the lore of all vampires to come and are responsible for the two main archetypes of vampire you see today. one is a charismatic charming upper class person who is hiding a dark secret and manipulates their prey, the other an inhuman monster lost to a curse that preys on the weak. Popular culture didn't make the sexy hot vampire, it was the original.
This is one of my favorite channels in all of TH-cam. Reign from your dark castle, queen.
I love how Eggers’ version of Orlock looks very much like Vlad the Impaler.
Yes! It's so delightfully unnerving.
I actually really disliked the new appearance. Felt a little out of place.
@@joeyhoy1995 you mean the Romanian guy in the German town?
@@zildjianabuser nah, I just don't love the drastic redesign. I'd prefer they keep it closer to the original look. Out of place wasn't the right phrase.
@joeyhoy1995 fair enough. I was taken aback when I first saw him too because I was expecting the more murine look, but I personally appreciate what I took as a nod to the original Dracula.
Eggers' movie is probably my favorite adaptation so far. I always like the idea of a vampire being a monster that is pretending to be human, and his Orlock can barely do that. Its also really striking how Orlock is just absolutely irredeemable especially in an era where pop culture favors vampires that are sympathetic
Yesss completely agree!
I thought that the mind-blows would be limited to explaining that 1922 Ellen's sacrifice was for a society that never cared for her and that she had little reason to care for, but then the revelation about humans carrying the fleas that spread The Plague and the underlying reasons why we gave rats the blame comes in and eradicates what was left of my mind from the first reveal! FASCINATING video about a fascinating movie!
At the risk of saying the wrong thing, I think Eggers' Nosferatu might be my favorite despite someone chatting in my ear the entire time I saw it. Although Ellen is still a loner who finds herself self- sacrificing for a society that neglected and constantly tried to control her, I do like that Thomas actually cares about her and that he and the other people in Ellen's life have credible reasons for not believing Ellen; they're still wrong didn't give her the chance she deserved, but I think it makes them more interesting (and depicts the plight of outcasts more honestly) when they aren't written as just being completely dismissive of her and their denial is less ostrich-in-sand levels. It might sound blasphemous, but I like that Orlok talks a lot in 2024, since all of his talk is just about having base desires and treating everyone (even Ellen) as just things to exploit so he can pursue those desires; he still feels like the barely-human Orlok of 1922, just much crueler and it really hurts that the one person who took Ellen's gift seriously berated her the entire time and ransomed her into killing herself just so he could sate his appetite.
Don’t forget about “Shadow of the Vampire,” one of the more innovative vampire films in the canon. Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck, and John Malkovich as FW Murnau.
Nosferatu - 'She has a beautiful bosom'.
I freaking loved that movie! Max Schreck's speech with the cast at some point, describing the vampire's solitude and his awareness of everything lost to him, is brilliant.
I saw Nosferatu in the cinema, with an organist playing the score; talk about time travel.
Me too. It's a fabulous experience.
i saw it for the 100th anniversary with a live band called invisible czars. they tour!they’re incredible. they sell a dvd of the film with their score too, if you can’t catch them live it’s still worth a view.
Same! It was a 100th anniversary showing for both the film and the theatre I saw it in; a truly lovely cinema experience.
Same! At the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington, KY a couple of years ago. Great experience.
Not really a time travel though is it with the sex degeneracy and incorrect language?
Mina as a GPS or as we would say, a trackula.
that's brutal
*SLOW CLAP*
@@Jess_of_the_Shire It's the absolute worst, I love it!
A real KnockHerOutu joke....
Puns are Dracula's humor; tell me otherwise....
For me, I see Nosferatu as a rejection of humanity and giving in to the most primal urges, while Dracula aspires to reach the highest of our cultural ideals and lays bare the kind of morality needed to attain them. The nosferatu is empowered by abandoning society and reverting to an animalistic state, and Dracula finds the same kind of empowerment by fully embracing society's idea of the supremacy of the individual. I always enjoy these gothic excursions, and I do wonder if certain small furry friends decided to "give a hand" with the script starting around 25:38. Not that I dispute the facts at all, but it does suspiciously sound exactly like what they would say...
The rats had NOTHING to do with my rodential opinions, and they are absolutely not typing this comment
@@Jess_of_the_Shire Overly Sarcastic Productions have a wonderful video titled 'Trope Talk: Small Mammal on a Big Adventure' that I think you would greatly enjoy! Have you considered covering rodent based fantasy such as The Tale of Despereaux on this channel?
Ah yes, the non-individuals like Mr Hutter, Count Orlok etc etc.
My take: in the current Nosferatu, you take the vampire out and you're left with a story about a couple in a toxic relationship; jealousy and hidden traumas bring them together but also ruin them both, each in the most lonely way possible.
There's a lot of juice here, I love the telling of an aggressively modern story using the language of the romantic era.
Eggars is so fucking good at this.
You think he ever gets money for a historical epic?
Eggar's "Hannibal" or "Sparticus" would be awesome.
Yes but then for me the most interesting part is that Orlock himself works amazingly as a metaphor for an abusive ex/former S** predator
As if they’re two lovers doomed in the looming shadow of her former abuser
"The nosferatu do not die like the bee when he stings once. He is only stronger; and being stronger, he has yet more power to work evil."
I have to say, it was enlightening and refreshing to listen to a review about Nosferatu from a female point of view.
And i'm not joking when i say that i now have a deeper understanding of the meaning of Ellen, respectively Lucy.
Thank you for expanding my horizon.
Robert Eggers remake is actually the fourth interpretation of Nosferatu if we count Shadow of the Vampire (2000).
When Jess is turned into a vampire she doesn't make a big deal out of it
Its just the contrast on your screen.
@@foxx1111😂😂😂😂😂😂
The important thing is, she will get to watch every Tolkien adaptation that will ever be made.
Don't worry about it.
@@warheadsnationpoor woman...... that must be difficult.
Crows are good omens: intelligent, shimmering dark entities against the white of the snow. How could you do better for "Nosferatu"?
Crows are good omens unless they are bill skaarsgaard movies.
It's been ages since I've read the novel, so I'm probably wrong, but I'm going to counter your take on Mina anyway: From what I can recall, Mina is a proficient in a couple of advanced Victorian technology, such as shorthand and typing (and she stumps Van Helsing with her shorthand skills); she's one of the voices that give us the narrative in the novel, and we get a nice sense of her humor and the directness of her tone, which I remember liking a great deal. If I remember correctly, she's an active GPS, not simply an instrument for guiding and saving - she uses her intelligence to help put two and two together, and is, in fact, an active factor in her own saving. This, at least, is my recollection.
I want to add that there's a perhaps unconscious bit of symbolism for Ellen in "Nosferatu": she's first seen playing with a kitten. Orlock is associated with rats. So the kitten will trap and kill the rat.
Her intelligence and courage were on full display in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (the comic book series, not the mediocre movie) and I would highly recommend checking it out if you haven't!
@@sebastianevangelista4921 I have seen the movie, and enjoyed huge chunks of the movie, though, for me, it loses plot and energy as it continues.
@@melenatorr Indeed, the comic is far superior.
@@sebastianevangelista4921 Thanks for that! I'll get a hold of it and get ready to enjoy.
Mina is quite competent and proficient in the book, and I like her character. However, I would still assert that Dracula is a masculine driven, male-centric narrative. Mina is important and involved, but she always defers to the judgements of male characters (sometimes to her detriment) and she is occasionally steamrolled and used in a way that is ultimately vindicated by the novel's conclusion. I wouldn't call it sexist by any means, but the female characters are definitely a product of their time, especially compared to the narrative presented by Nosferatu.
Harker in Herzog's film was played by the late Bruno Ganz, who, in his portrayal of Hitler in Oliver Hirschbiegel's "Downfall," attained a form of immortality as an internet meme.
Now I want to see a literal Hitler vs Dracula movie
Really...odd take on Ellen and Orlock's relationship in the 2024 film. They make it pretty clear the Orlock cares nothing for Ellen "I am an appetite" and that the film is an allegory for older men taking advantage of young women when they are vulnerable creating life long sexual and romantic trauma.
That is the entire reason the first scene of the film exists. Why when Thomas is near Ellen feels better and recovers. When she is with him she can overcome the sexual tramus of her youth. Only be facing it head on though can she save the man she loves and the town.
I didn't think of it as an allegory like that but I can see that.
@@zerohikari2685 doesn't she get nakey with the vampire? Oh yeah true love for her husband right there.
Your description fits the original film not this one 🤣
Something I think the film struggles with, because it's difficult territory to talk about IRL, is conveying that Ellen and Thomas each went willingly to Orlock. They wanted something from him, and they got it. To blame them as victims is to let Orlock off the hook. But nevertheless part of the human condition is getting hurt by the very things you go to for comfort.
@@lennydale92 i'm not really sure how you missed the fact that he was killing everyone she cared about and her husband was going to be next which is why she chose to sacrifice herself
I saw the old silent movie and it was amazing! It started of as a meme and you were like o god this is what people are afraid of and then BAM things turn around out of nowhere and it went from funny as hell to entirely horror.
Cool video. I've enjoyed your recent topical departures lately!! And while I always like your cosplay looks, this one is particularly on-point!! Well done.
Thank you so much! The fresh topics have helped to keep me sane haha
@@Jess_of_the_Shire That makes perfect sense and I definitely hope to see a whole array of topics in 2025. Have you considered doing a video on The New Wave of Science Fiction? Here's a great quote from J. Michael Straczynski on what made it work and why it's still important:
“There has been a lot of hard-edged, socially challenging writing in other forms and genres. Alan Ginsberg’s Howl, Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, the raw emotionalism of Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s A Coney Island of the Mind, JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye…all of them pushed the frontiers of writing, and many of them got banned or ended up in court on obscenity charges. But they kept on writing, because it was necessary to take a stand for literary freedom. The SF genre was (and to a degree still is) fairly conservative and, seeing what happened to the writers noted above, tended to steer clear of controversy. This persisted up until the time of [Harlan Ellison's] first Dangerous Visions anthology and the slow birth of New Wave Science Fiction (with writers like Michael Moorcock, Ursula K. Le Guin, Samuel R. Delany and others poking at the walls of conservatism) which DV codified from individual efforts into a movement. What makes a story dangerous in speculative fiction? Anyone who is willing to risk controversy, to speak to the flaws of society, to sexual and political issues even though they might get in trouble as a result. Harlan once wrote that ‘the chief commodity a writer has to sell is their courage,’ and for me, that’s what a dangerous vision is all about: a story that requires a modicum of courage to tell it. At its best, science fiction points to a spot on the horizon that illuminates the human condition and where we may be going, and asks, ‘Are you really sure you want to continue going in this direction?’ It illuminates what Faulkner called ‘the human heart in conflict with itself.’ SF, by definition, is rooted in the effect of change and technology on human beings. (By this logic, Singing in the Rain is a science fiction movie.) We are in a time of rapid technological and social change, and science fiction can be one of the ways we can interrogate and better grasp the changes going on around us. But institutionalized SF, which retreated from the New Wave a while back, is still dragging its feet, leaving the work to be done by upcoming writers willing to talk about racism, misogyny, brutality…but also the great potential of the human heart to overcome adversity and effect positive change.
“Dangerous Visions helped get the ball rolling, but very few of the upcoming writers tackling Grimdark, or Afro-Futurism, or writers in the LGBTQIA community telling their own stories, were/are aware of the first DV anthology. Which is understandable because the book has been out of the public eye for many years, in some cases before they were even born. When I co-created/wrote/produced Sense8 for Netflix, I heard from so many in the queer community who were moved and happy to have a story that dealt respectfully with their lives, interests and concerns. For some creators who emerged from that fandom, Sense8 may have had a more current influence, but now that the DV books are returning to the outside world, that may change. I don’t think we will ever reach the point where nobody objects to anything. There will always be the outraged, the inflamed, the censorious. If anything, given the massive emphasis on banning books of alleged controversy, especially those that deal in any way with the simple existence of people in the queer community, the stakes and risks have gotten higher. But that makes it even more essential to keep pushing for freedom of speech. In a strange way, we’ve come full circle to where the first Dangerous Visions was published. In the 50s and 60s books were routinely banned, burned, and censored, and its authors pilloried and persecute. Now, in many ways, after a honeymoon period where this subsided for a bit, we have come full circle, and the banners and burners are flexing their muscles once again. Playing and self-censoring cedes the battlefield to the forces of oppression. It’s worth noting that when people say ‘keep your head down’ that’s pretty much the exact position you have to assume when you’re about to be guillotined. I’d rather go down fighting.”
I watched the original flick a few minths ago that had original color grading added back to it. Yellow during the day and by fire, blue at night and in darkness and pink at dawn and dusk. I really like How Eggers used similar lighting in his film, though I wish pink had gotten more screen time. Also, the costume department was cooking so hard for this new Nosferatu, hot damn
There is a fourth version, made some years ago starring Doug Jones (THE SHAPE OF WATER), available now on AppleTV.
Personally I think the film portrays Thomas as genuinely loving Ellen, but at first not fully understanding her. As the story progresses, their love grows and grows ever more deep roots. Hence the tragedy is even greater.
Also, the film makes a good point that Ellen is an unusually powerful, intuitive soul. This is what attracts Orlock--possibly because she is herself so alive her presence quickens him.
BTW this might well be my favorite review of Eggers' film. Brava! This one is indeed my favorite version, even of DRACULA.
So far, you're the only person I've seen on TH-cam who even knows the Doug Jones one exists. Why is nobody talking about/aware of it?
It’s more a captured gentle monster theme akin to Frankenstein. I don’t see its ties to vampirism. beautiful movie
@@stargazerbird Has a very high body count, with Orlock drinking lots of people's blood (albeit mostly off screen). I honestly don't see how you can say this about NOSFERATU: SYMPHONY OF HORRORS (2024).
My favorite aside from the original is the movie Shadow of the Vampire (dramatization of the making of Nosferatu.) Amazing cast with Willem Dafoe as Max Shrek and John Malkovich as Murnau
I saw this one after writing this video, and it was a ton of fun!
@@Jess_of_the_Shire Definitely planning on watching it at some point.
Eyy my favorite theater girl posted again you guys
I was disappointed that Orlock never said "Bat!" before flying away
I need to see the new version again, I saw it on Christmas and something about it really got under my skin in a way I don’t understand.
Because it's rubbish.
Your description of Ellen’s character in the new film made me think of both Laura Palmer’s character arc in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and Babydoll’s arc in SuckerPunch.
Oh my god you just blew my mind
I had the pleasure of watching this in high school as a junior; my teacher was in NYU FILM SCHOOL part-time. The silence throughout the film was chilling.
I'm now 61, and am still impressed with this film.
Great review.
Have a HOBBITY DAY.
Bx❤😎
Hello, I also was a crazy rat lady, but I subcome to allergies and couldn't have them anymore. We had so many wonderful rattie friends! I liked your take on Nosferatu! I love that you did all three movies! I love that Ellen, fully and through her own plan sacrificed her self, for the town, and for her well, adorably dim, husband. I also was very glad that they did not harm any of the cats.
I just watched the Eggers version so it’s hard to say. However I have the FW Murnau a few times and I love it. I didn’t even know there WAS a Herzog version.
However. Willem Defoe and John Malkovich play Max Schreck and Murnau in a movie called The Shadow of the Vampire which imagines Sxhreck was actually a vampire.
It’s actually surprisingly good.
The mention of Stoker and his characters in the end credits of the film weren't added until years later, when the film was reevaluated and popularized. The 1921 version did not have those credits. They were most likely added in 1929, which was when the film first screened in America.
This is a very well written video. Keep up the good work it was very enlightening and entertaining
I'm so excited to see Eggers' Nosferatu! I absolutely adore vampire stories and I've loved his previous works so I'm stoked 🧛🏽♀️ Really enjoyed this video, I found you through your vampire Halloween video and I'm watching some of your other videos now. Going through a bit of a LOTR phase right now (going to see The Two Towers in my local cinema tomorrow!) so your channel is perfect! 💖 Keep up the great work, and a very happy, hobbit-y new year ✨
I hope you enjoy it! It's such a creepy blast. Have fun with the Two Towers as well!
Theatrical or Extended cut?
@@sebastianevangelista4921 Extended cut! It's been a while since I've seen it so I'm very excited 😄
@@CarmillaKnits Awesome!
"Using Mina as a GPS..."
See? Even back then us guys were lost, didn't know the way, and the woman had to be the one to get directions 😁
It's surprising to me that Polidori's "The Vampyre" is hardly ever brought up, despite being published in 1819. It really set the groundwork for both Dracula and Orlock. I think Lord Ruthven is a nice in-between of the two, though leaning closer towards Dracula.
New Evil Jess dropped!
I feel like Orlock was manipulative too. He's one more predator in her life.
@@rustyjones7908
One she submits to, what a great Christmas movie remake of a classic movie. (Sarcasm)
I love your video essays. So well considered and always follow a path. And your makeup, wow!
I just got back from Nosferatu! An unnerving film, and I’m also proud of saying my earliest memory of Nosferatu was his cameo appearance in o.g. SpongeBob
By far the best analysis of this film. Most of the discussions I've seen are frustratingly shallow.
Jess, if u have seen the original "Ghosts" TV show no doubt you recall that in one episode the cause of the exposure to the plague that killed the ghost in what was an actual plague pit, but for most of the show is seen as Samantha's house's basement were killed by one of the ghosts and said pit who brought back the fleas from a trading venture. There's no mention of any creatures smaller than homo sapien. Come to think of it, any animal could easily have carried the fleas I would think. Heaven knows cats and dogs have enough fleas, if not treated
From a Romanian speaker, the term Nosferatu is either some older term I'm not aware of or a misunderstanding by Stoker of some other term.
Your eye make-up is mesmerizing, they have an amazing effect on your eyes! o_O I haven't seen the new Nosferatu yet, but I don't think it can defeat Werner Herzog's Nosferatu, since I think it is the best vampire movie out there. However, I will give Robert Eggers' version a shot, because with this TH-cam video you have piqued my interest and I am curious now.
Thank you for all the wonderful videos you have created this year, I wish you happy hobbitty holidays for the rest of 12024, and a healthy new year. :)
I love Herzog's version, its very fun. I can't guarantee that Eggers will displace Herzog's for you, but it's definitely worth a watch. Hope you enjoy!
Have you thought about doing a whole series/playlist on vampires?
That's definitely the plan! Now that I have 2 videos, I'll have to make a playlist
@@Jess_of_the_Shire Perfect! Just about any of the topics that were left out of your Halloween video for the sake of time could be made into their own videos, so the basic research has already been dealt with when you think about it. I particularly enjoyed the section on 'Salem's Lot and feel that you could explore it further, especially given how Father Callahan was a supporting character in books 5-7 of The Dark Tower series. You mentioned in the comments under that video how the queer themes and subtext of a lot of vampire media was too big of a topic to cover in an already lengthy video, so maybe that could potentially get covered down the line.
@Jess_of_the_Shire you should watch the anime movie "vampire hunter D" and sequel "Vampire hunter D: bloodlust." Pretty cool post-apocalyptic take on vampires, and the sequel is absolutely beautiful in terms of animation.
@Jess_of_the_Shire you should watch "vampire hunter D" and its sequel. They're anime movies.
You are absolutely slaying that witchy look! I'm so glad I saw Nosferatu in the theatre.
Hope you had a great Christmas Jess, and I wish you a very happy new year when it comes.
Idk "he didn't know she didn't like flowers being cut" is a bit of stretch to "they don't consider her human like everyone else" lol
Ellen's submission to Orlok is actually a false empowerment. Like you say she was pressed into that situation, but she also had the option to defy the terms of his contract. Her sacrifice is actually an appeasement to the malevolence which mass murders the people of Wisborg to force her compliance. They never really ask the question of what the terms of contract could be because they depend too much on Alvin's occult expertise. He makes a lot of bad assumptions which guarantee the tragedy at the end, but he's convinced in his own mind that this was a job well done. If you pay close attention you can notice the contradictions in Alvin's beliefs because they're contrasted by what's depicted on the screen.
Can listen to you all day Jess! The way you articulate words puts me in a state of trance.
I just realized this, but of all the countless reviews I've watched on this movie, this is the only one I've seen from a woman's perspective. I feel so incredibly sad for Ellen. She didn't have a friend in the world. Your review gave me a lot to think about. Excellent job Jess of the Shire.
That interpretation is so bizarre to me. She has more than most people do.
A husband who wants to provide, and friends who stick with her despite her literally being a psychotic mess 24/7.
I really dislike this "woah is her" attitude for this review. Especially when she lied about her intentions to her husband. She never loved him and was instead using him to stave off the demon that she summoned. And then allowed that demon to murder the friends who tried to help her before finally facing the truth that shes corrupted and letting herself be the one to die instead of more innocents.
She was holding back what she knew and really felt from the beginning because she was ashamed to face it in herself. If she had been honest, he probably would never have been with her. She knew from the beginning what she had unleashed on the world, but was too afraid to face that truth until the end. And its not "society's" fault that she felt that way. She was ashamed because what she did was shameful...
The things that Jesse is saying are her friends and husband "dehumanizing" her are absolutely ridiculous and overstated.
"He didn't know her opinion of picking flowers", "they didn't listen to cryptic warnings where she wasn't being fully honest", "they didn't immediately trust her cryptic dreams and intuitions (as if anyone's intuition is worthy of blind obedience)", "they tied her up" yeah when she was literally thrashing around like a fucking maniac 😅
These are her being "dehumanized"? Ridiculous.
Id argue she dehumanizes her husband and friends FAR more than they supposedly do to her.
Whats more dehumanizing? Leaving someone's side to try and earn a living (healthy) and not reading her mind and knowing her opinion about flowers? Or marrying someone knowing damn well that you literally have a demon hunting you down and using that person to run from that truth and then not telling them until it has literally murdered everyone he and you care about?
L take from Jesse. Still love her channel but this feminist take is painfully shallow and un-self aware
@@Paradox-dy3vewhile i didn’t entirely agree with her take i can tell you’re either a man or old as hell because how did you watch the 2024 nosferatu and interpret misogynistic themes from it 💀 she wasn’t crazy. she was right. willem dafoe gets it idk why you don’t
@@stellaluna5064implying that I am a misogynist seems like something you say when you have no actual argument.
I never said she wasn't right that the monster exists. I said she was thrashing around like a psychopath. Which she was.
You supposedly read my comment, how do you answer for what I said substantively? Apart from insinuating that I am a misogynist, and making reference to what year it is, that is.
How was she "dehumanized"? How is her marrying a man to run away from a demon she summoned to the world and then not being fully honest when he's about to walk into it's arms because of her, not dehumanizing?
Also, how is having this interpretation misogynistic? Just because the people I'm disagreeing with are feminists?
Feminists and feminism aren't above disagreement.
I'm Jewish, is disagreeing with me anti-Semitism?
Perhaps we just have different interpretations of art.
I never insulted the person who I disagree with, but you imply I am something terrible for not agreeing with you. I think that shows a bit of immaturity.
The theme of story, at least in Egger's adaptation, is "Does evil come from within or from beyond?"
You're meant to interpret which one you believe. I believe it comes from within, and the story is made to fit both interpretations.
But even if you believe evil comes from "Beyond" I still think it is a shallow interpretation to say that the "beyond" where evil comes from is "society" or "gender roles". I think it could be a deeper spiritual source or perhaps the laws of nature if you're not a particularly spiritual person.
Laying evil and the craving for evil at the feet of "gender roles" is not a particularly meaningful or, I think, warranted interpretation.
Tell me how I'm wrong if you believe that to be the case. Don't just say "it's current year, and you're probably a misogynist" because that's just a lazy way to avoid having to actually be correct and just write off what I say.
And yes, I am a man. With just as valid a perspective on the world as any other kind of person. I don't judge people based on their identity. I listen to them based on the merits of their perspective.
@@Paradox-dy3ve I found Eggers' version of Ellen to be truly unlikeable for many of the reasons you stated above, and as a result, couldn't bring myself to enjoy this movie very much.
HURRAY THE RETURN OF GOTH JESS AKA THE BEST JESS (in my opinion at least) 🥳🎉🧛♀🦇!!! I’ve definitely been wanting to check out the new Nosferatu along with Shadow of the Vampire despite not having seen the previous versions of the story, but I didn’t really feel like going out to see it on Christmas day because (1) I was in a very chill mood, and (2) I had just watched the new Doctor Who special and didn’t want to experience tonal whiplash haha. Hopefully the film will still be in theaters by the time I see it because I’m sick of movies coming and going in the blink of an eye! It’s the reason why I had to stream The First Omen despite the fact that a film that is as amazing as that one deserves to be experienced on a larger screen (Amanda Lepre has an amazing cover of ‘Ave Satani’ BTW). Maven of the Eventide has a really good review of the original Nosferatu and Ryan Hollinger just put out a video titled 'The Deadly Shadow of NOSFERATU' if you’re at all interested, and if you’re in need of a neat Dracula related film then I would definitely recommend The Last Voyage of the Demeter because it nicely fleshed out a part of the original book that always had the potential to work as its own story (it also deserved way better at the box office).
Goth + Hobbit = Gobbit?
@@charliestevenson3500 *SLOW CLAP*
@@charliestevenson3500BRILLIANT 😂😂😎😎
I hope you're able to see it on the big screen! Honestly, it would still be a blast to watch on streaming though, I think it's kind of an instant classic
@@Jess_of_the_Shire Thank you, that's great to hear! Either way I hope that I do indeed enjoy it and eventually get the blu ray for it.
Super cool, thanks for the time you spend enertaining us!
Another grear video, Jess! I didn't know that much about Nosferatu, only having read Bram Stoker's original book. I always saw the character of Mina as a type of the Church which in Scripture is depicted as a woman. Dracula is essentially the opposite of Christ, taking the blood of others to extend his own life, while Christ gives His own blood to save others. This is why the Eucharist in Stoker's book is so deadly to Dracula. The women in the book aren't poor leads because they're women, but because they are representative of the state of humans in general. Anyway, that's how I've always seen Stoker's story.
As someone who has seen pretty much every vampire flick ever made, the 1922 version is the only one that ever managed to actually scare me. All the others make me smile.
The Herzog one I found unbearably boring - yes, it has fascinating themes and ideas, but as a film, it's got way too many pacing issues. And Kinski is so ridiculously melodramatic; I can't take that guy seriously in anything. Maybe the English dub is better (never seen it)? But Kinski in German, with his actual voice and diction? Ooooof. Plus, fun fact of the day: The rats they ordered for the 1979 film turned out to be white lab rats on arrival and they had to dye them grey.
I am, however, a big fan of the pastiche "Shadow of the Vampire" and I'm definitely stoked for the remake! Haven't seen it yet, but I definitely will! It looks awesome.
Just saw the film and first thing I did when home was to continue this video past the spoiler marking. Love your work!
The finest atmospheric horror movie ever made. Hope the new one can live up to it
Here's to a soon-to-be Happy New year! 🍻🥂
I loved the little tiny detail tht Egger's version is, as far as I'm aware on, the only live action take on Dracula that actually respects the original slavic moustache the character had in the novel. Also, loved how almost every key character of the novel is represented in the movie to some degree, from Van Helsing to Renfield.
I just watched this film yesterday, and I fell in love with it. Having watched all three versions, and feeling a deep respect for the original film, I think Eggers' version is by far the most unique and creepy of them all, in the best way possible. In many ways, the 'normal' society painted in Eggers' film is way more terrifying than the monster who predates on it. Thomas Hutter's boss consciously sends the young promising lad to his doom, in exchange of promises of power, in what feels to me like a twisted reflection on corporations' glutton greed consuming their own employees. Ellen's constantly gaslighted, and even when the other characters can feel something's definitely *not* right, they choose to ignore it over and over again. Even after accepting the existence of the vampire, Friedrich chooses death and solitude, letting his pain to consume him instead of using it for a much productive goal. In many ways, Orlock feels like a symptom of an already deeply rotten society.
Another aspect I loved from this movie is how we barely see Orlock during the story. He's always shrouded in darkness, being empowered by fear, superstition, ignorance and primal desires. We barely see him, which gives him way more power over our fragile mortal minds. Only when the sunlight finally bathes him, is when we see Orlock for what he truly is: a pitiful wrecked creature, whose legs can barely hold him. It is when the monster's revealed when he loses all of his power and stops being terrifying. It reminded me of my favourite Goya's engraving work, titled as its inner quote: "The dream of reason produces monsters".
So yeah, definitely Eggers' film is my personal favourite, easily the best movie I've seen this year by far.
I wish you a happy new year, Jess!
There is also a sequel to the 70's movie, also starring Klaus Kinski, called Vampire In Venice.
Lovely video, I haven't seen any of the Nosferatu films, so it was nice to hear about them. However, I strongly disagree about Mina's role in Bram Stoker's Dracula. Although she puts up with multiple instances of being talked down to because she's a woman, she frequently demonstrates herself as having more insight than even Van Helsing on many instances, through her reasoning and wisdom. I'll also note that the reason she becomes victimized by Dracula is because the men didn't include her in on the plans. Throughout the story, Stoker emphasizes how the group is stronger when everyone, including Mina, is working together to stop Dracula. Moreover, although the themes of masculinity and sex in Dracula are two you can definitely note, I strongly believe they are not the primary axis of the story. The primary depiction of vampires in Stoker's Dracula is that they are a "Devilish mockery" of good and Godly things. Sure, the role of man or sex is one of those things that is "devilishly mocked" but it's far from the only thing. Dracula himself contrasts in many ways with Jesus; Jesus walks on water, Dracula cannot cross it. Jesus gives immortal salvation when drinking his blood, Dracula damns those who drink his to immortal vampirism (his "baptism of blood"). Lucy, in vampire form is also a devilish mockery of a mother, sustaining herself on the life of children, instead of the other way around. Once you read the book from this angle, it makes the sex angle feel shallow. Oh, and I guess the other major theme of the book would be keeping an open mind in an age of science, which ties in with the godliness angle.
Great video! I am sharing this with people before going to see the movie 😅
I grew up watching Nosferatu, I always knew about it since I was very small, but I only watched the 1922 version at the age of 12/13. I've seen the Herzog's version recently, like a few years ago, not a big fan of it. I am 100% a big Murnau's version fan, I think it still works to this day 100 years later, and I can't wait to see Eggers movie, since I loved all his other works. He's really good at nailing the historical accuracy of things and I can only imagine what he did, a great mix of Horror, Fantasy and History is what I am expecting.
I've been looking forward to this movie since Dune 2. It's been a long dry spell in quality movies for me.
Perfect timing! I just got out of the theater after seeing Egger’s
I hope you enjoyed it!
Im a simple man. I see Jess Of the Shire and i hit like
Honestly this really helped me contextualize the film, and i like what i saw a lot more now
Loved Eggers’ version and can’t wait to see it again but it doesn’t quite top Murnau’s original, for me. Wild to think that makes Herzog’s third when it is immaculate in its own right.
Regardless, if someone says, “Wanna watch Nosferatu?” the answer will be an emphatic “Yes!”
Eggers' Orlok is not urging Ellen to "weaponize" anything or claim power. Nor does he care about her "passion". He describes himself as pure consumption, and he is going to consume her, threatening to kill everyone she loves if she does not give into him. And so she doesn't until she perceives that she has no other choice (after Orlok has killed Anna and her children, despite Ellen warning Friedrich). The Witch is the Eggers film where the female protagonist claims power at the end.
I don't think of Ellen as an "outsider" comparable to Orlok in any previous Nosferatu. Unfortunate? Sure. But the rest of her community would regard her as just another member of her society (which is entirely compatible with having your warnings ignored).
You say "Maybe we should look at what drove her into his arms in the first place". But you never mention her recalling how she (unknowingly) reached out to Orlok as a child! That's something new introduced by Eggers. Perhaps being a lonely child is less thematically interesting than repression, but that's the text of the film.
can we really call the vvitch empowerment??? as far as I remember the whole family is killed and deiven mad.
She was deiven to the coven my a external force in a vunerable moment, its more gaslighting than empowerment
When this video started I thought, ‘how is this going to turn into an empathetic defense of the female character and rats?’ You’re one in a million, Jess. Keep being you.
Leslie Nielsen in Dracula: Dead And Loving It is the only Dracula adaptation you need to watch. It is perfection
Mina Harker was about as empowered as a female character written by a man could be. Remember that it was her trancription and collation of the audio and epistellary sources that cracked the mystery wide open. Of course she specifically learned these secretarial skills so that she could be useful to her husband so it is far from a perfect feminist work. I want to see an adaptation that makes her a hacker.
Don't forget 'Shadow of the Vampire', which is a fictional account of the making of the original "Nosferatu". F. W. Murnau enlisted an authentic vampire (Willem Dafoe) and comedy ensues.
Loved this video, your analysis of all three films tying the adaptations together was just excellent.
As a man, my interpretation was different and most likely incorrect but I guess all interpretations are valid from the perspective of the viewer. I too think the movie celebrates women's spiritual power but my feeling was that in embracing "death", Ellen is embracing the (at that time) very real possibility of death from childbirth. Or in other words, in throwing off childhood and having a sex life, Ellen is accepting that death will inevitably follow.
I found it striking that the character of Harding keeps his wife in a child-like state - even having her dressed exactly the same as their daughters. I wondered if this was his futile attempt to deny her womanhood and, in a sense "protect" her from death.
Having heard your thoughts, I can see now why scenes of Ellen being isolated and dismissed by the other characters is so important. However, I'm still a little unsure why Enlightenment era science is portrayed negatively while medieval superstition is portrayed positively (given that superstition tends to misogyny). Is Eggers saying that science is more "male", ignoring the spiritual power of women?
I very much enjoyed your essay and this has prompted me to become a Proudfoot! I look forward to more gothic and horror inspired pieces from you as these are my favourites.
Im a sucker for eggers work, his attention to detail is astounding! Especially for a vampire nerd like myself. Like for instance his orlock has this raspy strained breathing. Lots found it odd or off putting, but one of the old "signs" that a body was a vampire was that it "moaned", gas build up from decomp going against the vocal chords was the reason, but they didnt know that. So orlock having this wheezing moaning breath before ge speaks is like the inverse of that. This is a dead body taking in air it doesnt need to speak, which it seldom does.
This is a great point to explain why copyright should be completely abandoned. That little good it brings is not worth it.
Loved the crows in the background! The Goth make-up is beautiful! Have you ever read the novel, "I, Vampire" by Michael Romkey? Excellent work over the year! I think I have viewed the majority of your vids this year. Looking forward to where you will go from here. Loved the Vampire thread of vids. Have a great New Year, and thanks for all you do!
I know Dracula personally, and he said that he's had beef with nosferatu since the early 14th centaury.
The third remake is actually "Nosferatu; Symphony of horror" (2023) - Its virtually a shot for shot copy but with dialogue -Really beautiful Black and White/sepia imagery.
BTW The name Nosferatu doesn't appear in Dracula, it's a made up name which the film makers created with a backstory, as well as a mystery surrounding the identity and background of the actor who played Orlof - Kind like what the producers of Blair Witch did for their pre-release marketing. Now that's ahead of its time.
I actually read up on the word “Nosferatu” and it predates the film. Like with most slang, it’s hard to track the origins, especially back in the day but the word was popularized in 1885 in an English article about vampires, claiming it was a Romanian term, which apparently was inaccurate.
Apparently, the author cited a German writer who wrote about “Transylvanian Superstitions” back in 1865, and the first to use the word “Nosferatu” in print (in German).
It is possible the word “Nosferatu” was used around Europe in folklore or spooky stories thought the 1800’s but wasn’t never written down or questioned too much. So it may have strictly a local thing that spread until the articles started to use them in print.
The closest word in Romanian would be “nesuferit” which means “offensive one” but isn’t explicitly a word for vampire. But with many words, it soon took life of its own and became a thing. It’s like how some names of cities in America originated from mispronunciations of words from local indigenous tribes. I love stuff like that.
@@davidbc5023 You are probably right. In Romanian and Slavic folk lore there is a creation Myth, God and the Devil fighting. The Devil in this story is called "Nefârtatul". Personally I think its made up by Murnau to market the film (Nosferatu sounds more Latin than Balkan) He claimed to have met a real vampire in Serbia and that Max Schreck (actor who payed Count Orlok) was indeed also a Vampire; which gave rise to the movie Shadow of the Vampire.
What a wonderful and surprising review! I love the inclusion of rats in your analysis. I've tried reading:
Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants
a handful of times, but I find the experience always too creepy to continue. I want to hear more. Thanks!
2:22 You meant 1830s right?
I feel you oversimplified male characters in Robert Eggers film. Like yes, at first, all the male characters don't take it seriously and even tie her up until Willem Defoe's character sees her and is upset at what they have chosen to do to her. And when her husband returns he admits he made a mistake and should have listened and wants to make things right as he sees it. Now at the end of the day he still misses the fact that Ellen has to die because of his mistake. And don't forget that Willem Defoe's character was backing her
this is very good scholarship, you Need to format this in essay form and get it published in a journal for reals
Very interesting and detailed review of dracula and nosferatu . Ive always had a soft spot for vampire movies , huge fan of coppolas bram stokers dracula and read bram stokers dracula as well . Eggers is without doubt an upcoming star as a hollywood great , have watched the witch or vvitch and the northman which is my favorite of all his movies . So looking to see his version of nosferatu, lilly rose depp apparently being the star of the show with her performance.
Amazing analysis.
You might also want to check out "Shadow of the Vampire", if you haven't yet. It is a movie about the filming of Nosferatu with a twist. The twist is that Max Schreck is, in fact, Nosferatu. So it isn't directly a remake of the film, it is very interesting. John Malkovich is FW Murnau and Willem Defoe is Max Schreck.
Eggers’ Nosferatu is terrific - I can hardly imagine a better movie from the source material, but somewhere around the castle Orlock scenes, I REALLY wanted a 3 part miniseries on Max or Netflix. I really think a 3-4 hour mini series would be the sweet spot.
For example, Ellen and Thomas really do love each other… her personal turmoil (referred to “melancholy” to mask the haunting reality of that turmoil) was quieted by his love, and he wanted to better himself economically for her. Thomas obviously needed to listen to Ellen about his job/career - his personal ambition was a tremendous flaw, but that’s what I wanted to see fleshed out in more detail, in part because there was genuine love between them. Imagine another scene or two with them, perhaps how they met, perhaps a scene showing how they had different priorities in life. Maybe Thomas loves her more because of this particular priority that she has…
We did technically get some context for this dynamic, especially with the scene where she cannot convince him to stay, but having some “show don’t tell” scene(s) where Thomas must prove himself as socio-economically worthy enough would have been powerful, especially because the (phenomenal) ending would have been a little bit more powerful that way…
Does Eggers’ Thomas really understand what Ellen did - and then perhaps he ends up becoming the next Orlock to tragically continue the cycle of tragedy and death? Or is there too much anger, trauma, sadness in him to move forward in any meaningful capacity? Where does his ambition and lost love leave him, as a character?
Again, the movie is terrific - highly recommended - the very first scene of the movie is where we see their relationship dynamic, but I suppose I’m saying that Thomas was a little bit too “one note” (due to the theatrical run time, maybe?). I also wanted to get more scenes with Ellen - how did her character evolve to the point where she falls in love with Thomas - what other things did she try to quiet the demon that was (literally and/or metaphorically) looking to take advantage of her power as a character? There is mention of her premonitions - what did other people in her life make of this, and how did she manage these moments in her development? The fact that she was able to do what she did to defeat this powerful demon of death is remarkable - making her character worthy of deeper examination. The same is true of Willem Dafoe’s character. How did he turn to mysticism, away from the natural science of Newton? A scene or two there would be awesome.
Again, 3-4 hours seems like the sweet spot…
Merry Xmas!!!! 🍻🌲
Hey I love these videos, keep up doing the great work.
Some good old Vampire lore to cleanse the palate after the holidays.
It's a movie about sexual violence, explicitly so. Ellen is abused, Thomas is taken advantage of. The men are constantly constraining, probing, or drugging Ellen. Anna's husband is "hungry" for her and forces children upon her, she is controlled, too. Excellent review and analysis of the source material.
I love your content ! Thanks for making this.
I don't want to watch the video all the way through until I have seen the new movie; however, gothic Jess is the best Jess.
Maybe I've been ruined by Mel Brooks, but a number of times you said Nosferatu, I keep hearing it in my head, "She's Italian?"
Or "Do you have Nosferatu?"
"Yes, yes.. we have Nosferatu.. we have Nosferatu today, it just came in the post."
Yup... Dead and Loving it has ruined part of me....
It’s interesting how many adaptations of Dracula are clearly influenced by Nosferatu- both of course in the added element of lethal vulnerability to sunlight that became a staple of the mythology post-Nosferatu, but also in how many versions create a deep significance in an added obsession of Dracula in Mina Harker, such as in the 1992 film.
I love both of the previous Nosferatu movies (shadow of the vampire is also a clever take on the original Nosferatu). Robert's movie comes out January 1st in the UK so looking forward to it.
I think Nosferatu works better in movies than Dracula because there is less movement. It is Transylvania or Wisborg. Therefore themes and characters can be explored. It can be more visual.
The original Stoker story moves back and forth through multiple locations, and there is a lot of action. It is more adventure, whereas Nosferatu is always Gothic Romance on film.
Never read Dracula or watched the first Nosferato or any horror goth movie but I´m definitely gonna watch Nosferatu 2024. Now I want a book accurate Dracula adaptation. And Frankenstein
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the original Nosferatu was in no uncertain terms a horrible piece of anti semitic and conservative post WW1 German nationalist propaganda.
It was originally an allegory for how Jewish settlers from Eastern Europe were spreading “like a plague of rats” across Germany.
Nosferatu is never humanized because he’s meant to portray the caricature of Jewish stereotypes prevalent in 1920’s Germany.
The role of Ellen in the original film wasn’t a feminist icon but a piece of fear mongering about the dangers of female autonomy in an era of prevailing women’s suffrage and the importance of preserving the German identity by not letting German women lay with these “rats” in order to prevent them from breeding.
While I can appreciate the serendipitous feminist reading by today’s standards, a reading of this film in its time and place is a much more honest representation of what Nosferatu is really about and I think it’s important we not try to color something as progressive and ahead of its time as a way to improve its palatability to modern audiences. It was dangerous then and contributed to the rise of German nationalism in the Nazi party and its historical message is now dangerous once again in a new modern era of rising anti semitism, fascism, and nationalism .
I respect Eggerts for not making Nosferatu another rehash of Jewish stereotypes the way Herzog did but I think his representation of him as a backward Eastern European menace strikes another cord of western xenophobia with his fur pillbox hat and his Romani mustache.
Let’s try to be more careful with our historical contexts around the significance of media.
womp womp
He's Eastern European because the dude Dracula was based on literally would have looked like that(except he wouldn't be a walking corpse of course).
gothic jess makes me want to get my scene makeup back into circulation
At that time the movie is set it was believed that a person could cure themselves of STIs by having sex with a virgin.
I'm a big fan of the nosferatu adaptation in general.
While in uni, me and some friends even put on a stage version!