Nosferatu Review!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- #horror #review
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A scene I personally really loved was a small detail was when Thomas was getting inside the carriage that takes him to Orloks castle. When he’s getting inside he floated into the carriage and it definitely adds to the dream like state. I don’t know if I ordered anything correctly but hope you understand the scene I’m talking about.
@@noelsanchez344 I do and I loved that moment as well. Favorite scene in the movie
If you left the movie feeling empty, that means Nosferatu did its job. The movie itself is a vampire that sucked out your soul.
It sucked bro
This is Nosferatu by Robert Eggers, not Nosferatu by Lars von Trier.
I was kind of picking up that Orlok represents temptation, lust, addiction,desire for what we can’t have and finding love and comfort in the wrong places. I think most of the movie was about men unsuccessfully trying to save the “damsel in distress” when, in the end she was the one that needed to face her own fears, temptations in darkness to overcome and save everyone else. No one can save anyone else from temptation and addiction, you have to save yourself. Just a thought.
@@jamesmiller7367 that’s a unique take, I like it
I had the same interpretation while watching it until the ending, which seems to completely go against that message.
I don't know if I can logically articulate the ending, but it definitely landed for me emotionally.
I was whisper-shouting "PUSH HIM OFF!"
They were soulmates all along
I feel like Nosferatu harkened back to what vampires represented, as an exploration of the more hedonistic aspect of human nature, and that Ellen's fear of Orlock was more her fear of her own hedonistic nature
So the first time i watched it I liked it but when I went to see it again I loved it. I feel like that second watch really let me absorb the story and characters more. I definitely recommend seeing it again.
I think that you miss some important points about Eggers and this remake. The themes are about the old folklore VS the "modern" world of 1800s. Orlock can't be explained by science, nor the darkness that attracts Ellen. But only her can confront him because she knows and acknowledges her inner darkness, and the nature of this beast. When other people who are in denial about Orlock and the horrors of the old world are succumbing and losing their families.
@@drako0283 I like this take but at this point I have listened to an interview with him on The Big Picture where he says pretty explicitly that he wasn’t concerned with theme. He mentioned his focus on the folklore but that was the extent of it so beyond that it’s up to the audience to interpret. I’m not giving him that credit
@@HauntedHippieThat was my intuition as well. Eggers' style is to convey the atmosphere of traditional folktales as close to the historical imagination as possible, and then let the truths inherent in them speak for themselves.
Well done movie. I love it.
Best Robert Eggers movies in my opinion:
1. The Witch
2. Nosferatu
3. The Northman
4. Lighthouse
I felt somewhat similar to you on first watch, but I rewatched it on Sunday and I thought it made a lot more sense and there was SO much more foreshadowing than I realized on first watch. I didn’t pick up on most of the themes honestly, but it did feel kind of an unearned ending to me on first watch. Watching it while knowing where it was headed I enjoyed it quite a bit more, where I can say I went from really liking it to loving it. That is my perspective as someone who wasn’t really looking for or paying attention to themes, just there for a cool new version of Nosferatu
I think there's an amount of this film that serves as an abuse allegory. Ellen says he came to her first when she was young (you can see a dollhouse behind her in that scene and her hair made her look younger) she talks about being found naked and delirious about what happened. She describes him as slithering around in her. I do think he has her hypnotized, but other people have gone into how this serves as a movie about abuse and repression and the complex feelings victims have about abusers. I agree it isn't kinky because I think its resting in something darker.
I thought I was the only interpreting this way. I’m shocked everyone missed this entire theme. Orlock is a predator who has been grooming Ellen since she was a child. Ellen’s abuse has tied her emotionally to her captor to the point that she can’t decipher that this is wrong. Hence, the description of her dream
YES!!! The theme of childhood SA and its affect on survivors and their loved ones is SO obvious that it felt heavy handed to me at times - yet no one is picking up on it lol 🤷🏻♀️ Looking at the movie through that framework, it’s pretty obvious and the metaphors of the rats, plague, infection, loss of innocence, monsters under the bed, etc. are almost literal.
I just can't get over how Eggers had the balls to treat the monstrous vampire of this 'Dracula' retelling as the *villain.*
Like... how friggin' refreshing is that?
After years of various media romanticizing old Drac or his various inspirations, we finally get a movie which remembers,
"Oh yeah. Dracula was actually kind of awful."
He was possessive, perverted, predatory. Nothing romantic about him.
As is the case with Orlok. The pleasure Ellen gets under his influence is temporary, and addictive. It's only ever on his terms. And when she decides she wants a life free of him, Orlok doesn't take it even remotely well.
As compared to Jonathan/Thomas, who Eggers shows as a heroic and genuinely loving husband.
If nothing else, I appreciate this movie for that.
Thomas sucked tho
@
Perhaps, maybe I’m just going off comparison to some other versions of Harker which were even *worse* 😅
But still the husband fails to listen to her at like every point till she dies he just overall sucks also he somewhat forces himself on her while she’s possessed, u could argue she wasnt able to give consent, i think the director had a kinda progressive idea but executed it so bad that it self sabotages itself without realizing it
Right - bc it’s about rape. The whole vampire deal is about rape. Lack of consent, sharp and forceful penetration, draining the soul and joy from the victim.
If you want world weariness, you should check out Klaus Kinski as ze Nosferatu. ""Death is not ze vorst, zere are far vorst things zan death.""
Not this being the first Robert Eggers film I found to be a masterpiece.
“Succumb to me”, he said, pun intended
1959s Horror Of Dracula with christopher lee is probably the best drac movoe
Since this seems like a safe space for unpopular Noseferatu takes, I’m going to lay out my biggest issue with the movie (a movie that’s easily among my favorite of the year): I think the Orlok makeup is often a bust. And I absolutely did not expect that going into the movie. And it’s kind of wild given A.) how the success rate for Orlok looks in film is super high to my eyes and B.) that Orlok is not a character that even requires an elaborate makeup to look cool. 90% is casting an actor with a unique look (which Skarsgård has). The final 10% is a couple of simple makeup appliances and a butt-load of white body paint. Orlok here, especially the moments when we see him fully body sans coat, just looked like like an elaborate and bulky makeup appliance to my eyes. It took me out of the movie every time. It goes to show that you really do need actors with atypically thin bodies if you’re going the route of heavy prosthetics. The reason makeups on Doug Jones, Jed Brophy and Javier Botet look so good is that you can build onto their bodies, which are SO thin all over, in a way where the new proportions look flawless.
The look is as close to the original Dracula novel as we have seen so far imo
@ It is and isn’t, which is kind of perfect for a Nosferatu adaptation since Nosferatu has always been part Stoker’s novel part its own thing. The mustache is definitely from the novel, but the monster fingers aren’t. Him being a rotting corpse and the wispy hair are unique to this version as well. I have no problems with the design in theory, but the execution was wonky to my eyes.
@ if Jim Carrey would have never been in sonic. I would have definitely enjoyed the look of the count more.. I did keep envisioning Dr Robotnik when the count came up, which is unfortunate. But didn’t hate it 😂
@ You’re not even the first person I have heard make that comparison 😅! I wish I loved the movie itself more, but the more human-like designs of Dracula in The Last Voyage of the Demeter are ones I wish I could pluck from that movie, maybe tweak and blend a bit, and then put into this one… or just dial back this design a bit. Like a pale Skarsgård with a few patches of rot here or there would have been enough. Or use CG to sink in his eyes some. Give it a corpse-like look.
Omg same
Take a tip, forget about the "redemptive rewatch" of this flick and check out the overlooked 1979 remake next.
It’s on the list for sure
I watched the Herzog version again over the weekend. It really hasn't aged well. It's always looked cheap, and in fact was made on a really tight budget. not Herzog's best work.
I have to really disagree. Its creepy af. Bruno Ganz is funny at times, the lighting and scenery is fantastic. @stuartbluefield769
@@HauntedHippie There's a forgotten sequel called Nosferatu in Venice as well.
@@stuartbluefield769cheap is not a descriptor I thought I would ever hear about Herzogs film, it’s absolutely drop dead gorgeous along with the score
Count Orlok kinda sounded like mojo jojo to me hahahha. Also him being shipped in cargo had me cackling
I’ve watched a few interview with Eggers about this movie and every single time he describes it as a fairytale. I think the at expectation is important to have when watching it because, as your astutely point out, it’s not a very deep or complex movie, and it being that way by design is important to know going in, I think.
I mentioned it on someone else's review, but I feel like Bill Skarsgard is the next generation of someone like Doug Jones. Regardless of how good an actor Bill might be in a normal role, he's one of the finest suit/makeup/prosthetic actors of all time. When I first saw the reveal of Orlok, I thought he looked so much like Peter Stormare with a big ass mustache. I really have not had much of an opinion of Lily-Rose Depp, but this was a star making role for her.
Really appreciate your takes, love this video. It wasn’t 100% for me either, though I really appreciate a lot about it. it’s funny you mentioned the Penguin - that performance for me is the right way to do the ‘lose yourself’, unrecognizable but stellar character performance that takes talent and what that actor could deliver. For Bill, I don’t think losing yourself is enough. I mean, don’t see Bill, yes, but what IS there - and is that good, and unfortunately I didn’t find that character that compelling. The mystique is lost quickly, with a lot of Orlock dialogue, and the design, which is a brilliant idea, came off a little too much like a costume rather than a frightening whole embodiment of that character.
And don’t beat yourself up too much, there is a lot of love out there for this movie, which I completely respect, but there’s a lot of mixed as well. Art is subjective and glad we’re having great conversations over this movie.
"I've loved the Hoult-rajectory of his career" is what that sounded like :)
I’m so glad to not be alone in finding the movie thematically confusing, even when the rest of the film’s elements were spectacular. I felt like I was stupid or something! 😂
feelin a strong 8 out of 10 on this one- i figured, id share my main criticsm of the movie, having seen it twice already, for those wanting to engage in discourse, or even for some, who are still on the fence and are interested- the one drawback this movie has is that it wants to have its cake and eat it too, by which i mean, that tonally, its two separate movies in one and while mostly managing to get the balance right, this film has confirmed my long held belief, that any filmmaker tackling this classic story, will have to ask themselves the (to me, dreaded) question, how to do a modern take on it. this line of thinking provides the film with some of its strongest visuals, while simultaneously sacrificing some of the source materials nuance and more subtle menace.
in many ways, im reminded of coppolas version, which makes sense, because murnaus inspiration is all over that film and as a longtime fan, i do see a direct link, connecting all of these movies. coppola, for example, wasnt the first director, to attempt a love story, for his dracula and while i appreciate, that eggers didnt portray his vampire as romantic, theres definitely a strong sexual tone, to him- again a source of memorable images, while also, to me, cheapening the characters and their respective motivations a bit.
granted, as i compared it to coppolas film, that one had many moments, of hammy acting and is heavily sexualized, but i still feel, it works better, in context- im sure many will disagree, on that front. what sets the two apart, is that coppolas film is self aware, in its theatrics. eggers though, has gained a reputation, for more cerebral horror, of quiet dread.
the first act of the movie has plenty of that and to me, overall, works best. which is kind of a shame, because as much as i was mesmerized, by this version of orlok, the film abandons this quiet buildup of dread, after thomas (hoults character) arrives at the castle. eggers wisely teases us, before giving us a full reveal of orlok, but as soon, as he rises out of his coffin, in the nude, there isnt much subtlety to be found.
jump scares, to me, clashed with the previous tone and though i really respect lily rose depps performance and felt for ellen, some of her possession scenes were just overdone, to the point of clichee. again, i respect that she went for it, id just wish, the less is more approach couldve been kept more consistent. if ellens character has an, for lack of better term, possession orgasm, in every other scene, contorts and grimaces, doing her best linda blair in the exorcist impression, it suddenly begins to feel, like so many directors, loudly hammering the point home, so that everybody in the audience gets the message, instead of letting us piece it together and make up our own minds. this is, of course, personal opinion and preference, but its precisely what im getting at, when im talking about the dreaded modern take. and it got more pronounced, as the film went on.
every version of dracula, from stokers novel onwards, had sexual undertones, that, in this movie, become overtones. when i say, it provides the film with some of its most lasting images, its bittersweet, because i feel the decision, to center the final act of the movie literally about orlok, coercing ellen into sex, cheapens the way, this story has been originally told, to me.
what was missing from stokers novel and was popularized by murnaus original film, was the fact, that a vampire cant survive the sunlight and from that point on, its been adapted many times, for a reason. this is a creature, who only exists, to drink blood, it cant eat, it cant feel the warmth of the sun and IMO, if you already go that far and show orlok as the corpse he is, he also shouldnt be able to fuck, or lust for anything else. drinking the blood has always been inherently sexual and my main problem here is that, once again, this needs to become overt and it feels like an adaptation, for those modern viewers, who dont get this obvious metaphor- one one hand, you go out of your way, to make the vampire appear more corpse like, but to make him still somewhat relatable, turning his main motivation into a very human desire. again, it feels like wanting to have it both ways and the only reason, im elaborating on what bothers me personally, is because there is much of value, to this movie, yet it leaves a strange aftertaste, if you consider, the note it ends on- a beautiful visual, much like the rest of the film, but in my opinion, sacrificing some substance, in doing so.
now, these are images that last, no doubt and its not like the original film was a masterclass in script writing, im just worried about the state of cinema, when im sitting in the theatre, swept up in the atmosphere and every once in a while, immersion is broken by something too....obvious. maybe it didnt help, that it was hyped to hell, that im a longtime fan of the source material, that people left during the viewing every couple of minutes, or laughed during inappropriate times. that orloks design, of all things, seems to be a main point of contention, with some finding it to be funny, i personally dont get at all. i dug his look, though its very much a manufactured performance, that doesnt actually allow an actor, to emote all that much. besides the point, if it works.
im just low key saddened, by the feeling, that some people seemingly cant enjoy things unironically anymore, hence the at times inappropriate laughter, if youre not outright told, how to feel, during a certain scene, even if it takes a jump scare, to get there. and im not shitting on that, if its done in the right context. overall, i felt it was a very good movie, but the parts, are greater than its sum. ive tried to make my points, as respecfully as possible, for anyone, who reads through this rant, im happy to engage and to further discuss, which i wouldnt do about a film, that didnt have as many strengths and cause me to reflect on it, for what its worth.
Definitely overhyped on social media.. I appreciate it for what it is but I have it a 3/5.
My rankings for his films.
1.The Witch
2.The Northman
3.The Lighthouse
4.Nosferatu
Great video! I've been feeling insane because i also felt a little defeated by this movie, all the technical aspects were great and the vibe and environment really worked but i was so frustrated that there wasnt a strong theme or philosophy present. It felt like i was waiting for the movie to start and the whole time and it suddenly ended.I totally agree with the primarily masculine lens of the story and really wish Ellen wasnt primarily portrayed as hysterical. Aaron taylor johnsons performance was also good but why does he have so much screen time?? The arguments for loving the movie sound similar to how people glaze Studio Ghibli and its "great vibes" but stories that make absolutely no sense
Sadly, I'd say I felt similarly disappointed by the Northman because it almost delved into deeper themes but fell a bit flat for me, maybe a redemptive re-watch should be in my future
I am very much appreciating all the different interpretations coming off this movie. I suppose even if some viewers personally disliked or even loathed it, this version of Nosferatu still succeeds as a film in the sense that it's getting its audience thinking and conversing. There are substanial discussions surrounding the percieved themes and interpretations, with people actually taking the time to reflect on what this movie made them think and feel, then sharing that. Some interpretations are starkly different than others, some people who loved this movie are finding common ground with those who hated the movie, and there is a lot of insightful conversation to be had with other horror fans. I came away lukewarm from Nosferatu, but have personally always been more a werewolf girl than a bloodsucker girl to begin with. Even so I find the release of Noseferatu has propelled so much discussion, at the end of the day I am just reminded of how grateful I am for horror fandom and the horror community at large.
That’s beautiful 🖤
Totally agreed that I wanted this movie to go further with its themes about repressed sexuality, loneliness and even the outward manifestation of “evil” with the plague
I think that Nosferatu is a story about Ellen mostly, she was an outcast tormented by loneliness,misunderstood and not taken seriously because she was a woman so she cried a prayer a conjuring in to the night in hopes that she would cure her troubled soul unfortunately she did not name her desire so a malevolent spirit answered her call. Nosferatu is more spirit than flesh at the begining...appearing as a shadow, extracting perverse joy from being felt and recognized by another like him...he tells her she is not of the living, so he reanimates his dead body and becomes what in my country is called a "strigoi" a grotesque undead that feeds on the life force of the living, blood...her repressed carnal feelings ,obsession, lust and appetite for the flesh gives the strigoi strength, he feels these feelings thru her emulating them, that's why when she ask if he could ever lover he simply replies "I can not"...also he states that he is a appetite nothing more. He is her unleashed...her darkness made manifest...so the strigoi can only be defeated by her, she birth it so only she can rid the world of his and hers curse...at the end they both got what they wanted and disappeared in to the night as spirits once more... appetite and obsession together once more...beautiful and poetic. This movie is a 2 hour gothic metaphor...not for everyone in my humble opinion
Thank you for that excellent analysis! I wholeheartedly agree with your take on it.
I’m so glad I found a Nosferatu review that I basically agree with! These damn Eggers fanboys saying this is a masterpiece 😂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and kudos for the makeup.
I feel an empathy with your reaction, as this is one I've been anticipating for a long time, not because I'm an Eggers fan-boy particularly (I still have yet to see The VVitch), but because the 1922 Nosferatu is one of my favourite films. I watched this remake just last night, and it was interesting watching the audience as the lights went up - there was a odd atmosphere hanging over the theatre: some folk rushed off as soon as the credits rolled, either having somewhere to be, or not having liked what they saw. But a good three quarters of the crowd stayed sat. There was a, I don't know, a malaise, a stupor in some cases, a dazed feeling of 'WTF did I just see?'
Being a fan of the originals (22 and 79, and please do check out David Lee Fisher's gorgeous project with Doug Jones as Orlok), watching this felt like listening to a favourite piece of music played by an avant garde orchestra: as each familiar story beat came up, I recognised it, but wasn't sure how it would sound.
Ellen's 'gift', i.e., her apparent psychic ability, I hesitate to say 'powers' were evidently something there from childhood. As she cried out in her youth for 'anything' to hear her plea, something responded (I'm only one viewing in, so I think Orlok said it was that cry that raised him; perhaps he was the only thing there to listen?).
There are a few references to her 'faerie ways,' and I'm sure someone at one point, whether herself or another spoke of her a as changeling - the implication being that Ellen herself might not be entirely human.
Like you, I feel I need to watch this again. It was the first time I'd been in a cinema since pre-COVID, so my anxiety was high, and my attention might not have been acute as I might have liked. Technically, visually, this film was brilliant; dark, disturbing, often brutal, yet strangely beautiful for all that, I don't know if Bill Skarsgård replaces Max Shreck in my affections, but he certainly does justice to the character of Orlok.
Anya for sure had no scheduling issues with Dune... she appears like a minute. Though... maybe with "The Gorge".
Was looking forward to your take on this! I second the thoughts on Ellen’s character - I wonder since we pretty much immediately see her in a state of suffering and never get to understand what she is striving for and any happiness outside of it (sorry the 1 minute of honey moon bliss isn’t enough) it ended up being so defeatist and a real bummer to watch. Especially since I DIDN’T see the original Nosferatu and was purely going off the Dracula novel I was not expecting that ending.
I 100% agree with the male point of view and the women's sacrifice in society. I feel that Ellen's trauma needed to be better explored and have some kind of redemption at the end for facing her shadow. Instead, it was a sacrifice that fell flat for me.
This is a unique remake of the incredible Horror movie about a terrifying vampire that stands out because it has color, sound, and an original soundtrack even though the plot is being reused from the very well made silent black and white Nosferatu movie.
Nosferatu was genius, it stayed true for the most part, showed the selflessness of a person to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, and was all a metaphor for SA can do to a person mentally and emotionally, its a movie for a person that can see the psychological aspect of the film, which was very in your face throughout the whole movie. The whole cast was outstanding in their performance. Robert Eggers tried to stay true to the original black and white with the color throughout the film but he needed to make The Northman to accomplish his camera filter play
I liked the movie but I 100% agree I wanted to love it and something is missing the mark for sure. Also was I the only one who had a hard time with the scene cuts, back from one scene to the next then back again really messing with the flow? The beginning half had longer more suspenseful/dreadful takes, which could be why the first half is way better for me, than the second half.
maybe try seeing in dolby cinema, idk i was completely swept up in the world and the folkloric storytelling. plus an eastern vampire with a handle bar mustache, gave me feelings that made me question my own manhood. this movie kind of reminds me of suspiria 2018. a movie a lot of people were meh about, but idk, i guess there’s just something about the atmosphere, and pacing, that speaks to the darkness inside me. also, sometimes when we are anticipating something so much there is almost no way it can live up to our expectations, perhaps upon rewatching it’ll grow on you. or maybe you just don’t vibe with it, and that’s totally okay too. you’re wrong, but that’s okay. lol
It felt like Robert Eggers trying to do a Robert Eggers movie.
Hi Kylie,
Good to hear from you today. It sounds like Nosferatu is a good movie. It isn't the Titanic or Avatar of horror. I love the way you explain the movies. The way you feel about it. Your right about the Witch is a good movie. I can't wait to see Nosferatu. Nothing against Orlock or Bill Skarsgard. I did grow up with Dracula. The sexy vampire. Or lock has the creature look. The cast looks good. Bill Skarsgard made a great Pennywise. Sounds like he did good as the count. 🦇🧛
16:01 Maybe try the 79 Dracula. This new version on DVD that's been out the past 15 years or so is great, but it is recoloured from the gaudy original cut, but that makes it better for me. Also there's a TV version with Jack Parlance that's prettah good.
For me it was a movie about purity culture and "deviant" female sexuailty bringing death onto the world. SHE called for him first, he has power yes but he's after her and she also has power over him. It was her "horniness" that plagued her and everyone else and she has to die because of that. That's how I see it.
Yea but why
@HauntedHippie my incredibly uneducated guess is that the movie is truthful to the source material and therefore naturally kept some of its themes? I don't think the movie is trying to vilainize the female protagonist, mainly because of how the doctor talks to her. But maybe them keeping the original story largely unchanged while trying to focus on the perspective of the wife is what causes a bit of a disconnect. This is how I felt at least, but again I have no idea what I am talking about since I didn't watch the original.
The sensality in this adpatation is very heavy handed here and more subtle with the older films. The themes are clearer that too, highly recommend you watch those before rewatching '24, cause i think you'd enjoy it a lot more with that knowledge (which is bad advice, I know but hey ho)
EDIT: you have already. Welp, never mind lmao.
Love your Amazing reviews as Always Keep up the Great Amazing work thanks Haunted Hippie and a a Wonderful Amazing Fabulous Happy New year
I did enjoy Nosferatu, most specifically the visuals. However, in the Eggers universe, I am more partial to The Witch and The Lighthouse. And yes, even The Northman gets the nod.
Saw Nosferatu on Christmas Day, and was pleasantly surprised that actor Jamey Sheridan was in the ticket-take line with his family right in front of me. (They saw the Bob Dylan film)
Nice review and get up! Look like a character in a tim burton film. Your outfit or pajamas is giving me beetlejuice vibes with the look of alice Cooper, lol. I'm seeing it on Wednesday, so I have high hopes for it. Nosferatu is my favorite vampire and horror movie of all time, and I was very excited and anticipated the movie of the year because of robert eggers. I always enjoy his movies. i mean, when I saw the first two films of his, it took me a while to get into it too. But i came around to it as it built momentum as the movies progress. I heard the cast did a great job with this movie, especially Bill skarsgard and lily rose deep. They completely disappeared into the role and just was extreme and got lost in the role. Lily Rose's deep performance was inspired by that possession movie from 1981. I feel like it's a comeback movie for Bill skarsgard, lily rose deep and aaron taylor johnson. Bill Skarsgard is slowly becoming my favorite horror actor. I also feel like women were oppressed back in those times. Also, because of the patriarchy back then. But yeah, I feel like after the second or third watch, you'll grow to love and appreciate it. Who knows, maybe you'll like sinners more.
I understand your critiques. I didn’t notice them.
Warning, spoilers!!
I’m an avid lover of vampire movies and was so happy to see a classic, gothic, old school, creature of the night-type monster which to me was def the first half of the movie. The second half of it actually made me really…. Uncomfortable in a bad way. Just like you I keep thinking about it and listening/reading other’s perspectives to try and work through my thoughts. However, I am still left to feel uncomfortable. Perhaps it’s my own interpretation of what was supposed to be “her lust” and “consent” for the Count but for me it read as the opposite of consent and lust… it felt like she was forced and trapped in this abusive type relationship. Like, how can she lust after him if she’s possessed? If she’s not possessed and is choosing to go to him, then why is it framed as possession? I loved Ellen’s encounter with the Count and her laying it on thick how much she hated him cause it felt as if she is fighting back. However for the end of the film for it to be labeled as “consent” made me feel downright gross. Hell, even in her interactions with her husband during one of those moments of possession… I had a hard time telling if it was truly her or the Count and thus… that scene didn’t sit right to me. Especially if Thomas was supposed to be the opposite of the Count (in regards to love/relationship). My first thought would to hold Ellen, console her? To me it would feel more clearly labeled why she loves him and would die to save Thomas, since he treated her with love, not lust? Although that is my perspective
Ahh you put so much into words that I failed to, might have to read this off the next time I talk about the movie
I was also left very uncomfortable but came away with an almost polar opposite reading of the film. To me, it was clear that Thomas absolutely loved Ellen. Ellen was simply portrayed as someone who was, shall we say, troubled with no real depth to it. No real reason as to why. She just had abandonment issues and cared more about getting her rocks off than allowing her husband to provide for the both of them. She already had a connection with "the darkness" and the ending implies that the only way to defeat the darkness is by choosing it? Validating it? To translate that to modern times: This would be the equivalent of the damsel in distress (ew) actively choosing to be with the abusive piece of shit while she has so many better influences in her life, simply because she's so alone and horny. It left me with a very bad taste in my mouth as I saw the film trying to justify women falling into toxic cycles, even going so far as to calling them heroic for succumbing to the darkness. Like some fucked up martyrdom. It really wasn't right. I have no idea how this happened coming from the same guy who told a similar story but with pretty much the exact opposite ending in The VVitch
My only objection to “no one could play this character but Bill Skarsgard” is that he was literally channeling Peter Stormare.
If you like Nicholas Hoult, watch the British show Skins. It was either his first role or one of his first roles and he's great in it!
Great review! I was waiting for a “shocking scene “ like he usually has in his movies , but it never came. Example: in Northman when the main character puts the body parts in the shape of a horse .
The ending of Nosferatu does need some explaining….
I felt very similar to you on my first watch, I went to go see it again and I absolutely loved it.
Reacting (admittedly) to just what you've said in the first 30 seconds or so ... yes!! Exactly! I went into this movie wanting, expecting, to love it, but as I was sitting watching it I found myself thinking "why am I not loving this?". The movie was visually beautiful, like a technically perfectly rendered illustration or painting, but I didn't find myself connecting strongly, emotionally with the characters. They felt underdeveloped to me. Maybe it had to do with Eggers' loyalty to the original material? Maybe we've seen these exact characters too many times before?
I haven't loved any of Eggers' subsequent movies as much I did The Witch & I think that was because the main characters in that movie came off as more relatable, more human than the characters in a movie like Nosferatu. To me The Witch wasn't necessarily actually a tale of the supernatural, it could've just been the story of a superstitious/deeply religious family going through tragedy & great difficulties (trials & tribulations?) which could've led them to further tragedies, eventually driving them insane. In the end whether the witch was real or not, whether the girl actually joined a coven & floated into the air or not didn't change the human tragedy, the relatable pain I could empathize with in the slow breakdown of the family.
One more thing: maybe any kind of faithful remake of Nosferatu was always going to be a bit of a hard sell for modern audiences? Not because the original was silent (I still love Buster Keaton's silent movies!), but this being a remake requires that this horror movie be a period piece (how many of those succeed nowadays?), & also the original makeup & character design of Count Orlock is, for me, anyway, a bit silly (do I remember buck-teeth?), the accent reminds me of Lugosi's Dracula, which reminds me of Sesame Street's The Count (!), & attempting to make this Count Orlock reminiscent of the original may've been off-putting for some, it felt like they were trying to hard to make him scary to the point of making him seem a little over the top.
Was curious to hear what you thought about this since I've seen some interesting posts on it. And while I wasn't too sure if I wanted to see this movie, your review made me interested to see it! I do love vampires but I wouldn't consider myself a massive fan of vampires, depending on how they're done. So it does have me interested to see how they do it in this. With this movie, it's been a pretty good year for Nicholas Hoult with all the stuff he has been in. It has me even more excited to see him kill it as Lex Luthor next year! But thanks so much for this fantastic review and what a way to end 2024! Can't wait for the amazing content you have in stored for 2025!! Also I think you'd kill it as a vampire if you ever got casted as one
Can’t believe 2025 is here already but I’m ready for it
Technically, the film is sound. The landscapes look exquisite if a little too picture perfect (there's no decay to the landscape which puts it in uncanny valley). There are also way too many people (Was the 1830s Wisburg this crowded?). The performances too are fantastic. I liked the interpretation of Orlok as this other-wordly Vlad Tepes like being (he looks like Tepes). I just think that they could have done a little more with the story - it's thre same story mostly. The pacing in the first half is too slow - I almost fell asleep on the recliner and the second half felt too rushed. Conversely, the images, the dream like vistas, and the lead actress are the the great aspects of the film. Orlok really made me jump in a few scenes - fantastic performance but there's about this movie that kept me gripped unfortunately. It didn't blow me away because Robert decided to play it safe.
I've been watching a lot of erotic horror and this review helped me put my finger on why the supposed horniness didn't work for me. It IS though a male lens of understanding feminine desire, meaning that what should be portrayed as pleasurable is shrouded in violence and shame. Ellen's recounting of how her father treated her, especially after he found her outside, and how she felt her "pure" love for Thomas redeemed her drove that home. She said it felt wonderful to be with Orlok and I read the violence in their initial relations to be mutually pleasurable. There was no real unpacking of why her loneliness called to Orlok in terms of family dynamics. Also, her powers/being born as a being connected to a supernatural realm was completely reduced to being the perfect sacrifice for Orlok.
We can see this in the character of Anna. She's the perfect wife according to the movie (sexually available to husband while still being pregnant) while not being a doormat for Frederick in a good way. However, she is punished for caring too much for the social pariah of Ellen by being the first to be infected in the family with the rats noticeably over her lower stomach. Then she wasn't even free from her husband's desire after death. Her body was Fredrick's and there was no horniness there outside of the general taboo of n*crophilia.
TLDR Essentially, while this movie talks a lot about intimacy and desire, there's no genuine portrayal of feminine pleasure or even interest in it outside of how it takes women away from male consumption. And that's not so much erotic as a morality lesson.
!!!!!!!!!!! And I can’t stress this enough, !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@niam.2147 truly rarely ever does a man portray the experience of feminine liberation through sexuality accurately; I love this take and very much agree with the lack of narrative explanation when it comes to Ellen’s desire calling out to Orlok. I figured he was this carnal being always seeking out some form of release and found that in her cries for attention, forever intertwining them as a result.
Right, what was that scene with the dead wife about beyond shock value?
One point in defense of Eggars, is that this also isn’t an original piece…the source material is through the male lens and that male existing in the 1800s…so I personally wouldn’t necessarily put that as a strike against the film, and moreso against the original work…I also could be wrong…great point, love the perspectives!
@@marcviola30 I mean apparently he’s stated in interviews though that he saw Ellen as the main character so that’s why I feel like the perspective is often at odds. He could’ve shifted the perspective more which I think would’ve given more credibility to this remake even existing at all, doing something fresh with it. Granted I still haven’t seen the 79 remake
I came out underwhelemd also. But after listening to reviews learning more about the movie and taking it all in its a masterpiece. Absolutely cant wait to see it again
You and I had nearly identical feelings on it after my first watch. Like seriously identical. I watched it again a few days ago and it all worked much better for me, yet all of my complaints were still present, the experience was just much more enjoyable with set expectations. Eggers sticking to the original so dogmatically was disappointing and I’m so thankful you mentioned how weird it is that people are calling this a super horny movie when it’s fairly tame (also tame from a horror perspective). But yeah, I recommend giving it another shot with expectations set. It just worked much better for me despite still technically not being what I wanted. Cheers!
Good to know!
There's a bunch of humor at the beginning "one foot in the grave"
I also felt like the jump scares were super out of place in this movie. Just didn’t feel like it was Eggers style and honestly felt like a studio decision. The first one was cool and I agree with your take that it should have been the only one. The one I hated the most was when Thomas was in bed struggling and his face just popped out of nowhere, felt super cheap and I think if it was silent like the subliminal faces in the exorcist that could have been much classier and fit with the vibe of the rest of the movie.
This came out yesterday in my country so I got to watch and read a few reviews before going to the cinema last night. The way people were talking about this movie I thought I was gonna see “50 shades of Grey: 1800s” and it wasn’t that at all? I definitely agree with you…I’m so confused with these reviews selling this movie as a meditation on the awakening of female sexuality like come on
While yes there are SOME (very few) undertones of that if that’s what Robert tried to do with this movie he completely missed imo. Beautifully shot, beautifully acted, I liked what I was seeing on the screen I just can’t figure out what it is exactly they tried to do with this movie. A little bit of everything become a whole lot of nothing
The setting, costumes, and props
Masterpiece
The plot
Twilight
The acting
Yes, but also no
I think her soul has been calling out to him since childhood which manifests in her dreams...which eventually leads him to her
My three biggest issues that kept it from clicking for me:
1. I don't buy the chemistry of Holt and Depp's relationship, the vibe that made him perfect for The Menu makes him wrong for this.
2. Eggers did such a good job at bringing the Gothic, that I think he forgot to bring the Horror. The biggest example of this being that Oarlock was terrifying in theory but after his big "reveal" I couldn't take him seriously.
3. The movie definitely has a protagonist problem (not being able to choose one) and they would have been far better off pulling a Psycho.
You mentioning that the camera choices were so good that you weren't paying attention to what was going on is the perfect way to sum up the directing shortcomings of this film, which is still beautiful and completely watchable don't get me wrong.
Id watch the talk eggers and dafoe did together on youtube. Eggers explains the “tragic” love story that this movie essentially is. It may clarify things thematically. Love your review and getting a different take because i left this movie absolutely in love with it lol
the lighthouse is so good, do give it another shot
So this was easily my most anticipated movie of the last ... two years or however long since it was announced. Really enjoyed it, thought there were a few things that felt goofy, and a few story beats a bit rushed and not as impactful as I felt they could have been, 4 stars. Then I saw it again, in dolby this time, and it all clicked. Perfection 5/5. Almost teared up at the end the first time, definitely cried a on bit the second watch. Fairy tale monster movie at it's finest and most distilled (in my opinion)
The best Nosferatu is the 1979 one with Isabelle Adjani.
I was waiting for your review cause any time you mentioned your excitement for it, I was right there with you. I was very excited. After watching the original 1922 one, I lowered my expectations though. Cause I actually really loved the 1922 one. So I was like mannn what will they do now to the story? And idk, afterwards, I felt kinda disappointed. Still an 8.6/10 for me. On a filmmaking level, it’s fantastic. But for me, I felt like the characters felt very monotone and dry which led me to not enjoy the movie as much as I wanted. Maybe for me, it was due to watching the original and since it’s a silent film, the characters are superrrr expressive. And the characters in this new one just aren’t. The acting is great but they felt so monotone to what was happening and to whatever the theme was. The theme also kinda confused me. I’m very lost on seeing online people shipping Ellen and Orlock and wanting Orlock. Very lost there. I do think I’ll love it more on a rewatch. Same thing happened to me with The Witch. I didn’t like it at all the 1st time I watched. Then the rewatch, I was like “yes fully yes I love this movie”. So idk, hoping for the same result for this movie.
Very lost there 😭😭
Completely agree with this review, very well said. Interesting film but ultimately disappointing. When I picture a Nosferatu film directed by Robert Eggers, I picture a much grander and profound film in my head than the film we ended up with. I’m very glad the movie is doing well with majority audiences though.
Aubrey Plaza vibezz
For the portion of the film where Thomas was in Orlok's castle, I was scared shitless.
Happy new year to all🥂
I look forward to new videos in 2025.. and will be hoping you get a chance to see May✂, which is a hidden gem👍
Nice.. I actually haven't seen any of this director's films, so I'd probably start with his first film to get a sense for his style.. I guess it's no surprise that Depp's daughter is capable of getting lost in a role considering who her father is, but you still never know.. I really know nothing about her, but I do remember when she was born and Johnny talking about her back then, time flies!
Unfortunately felt the same way… was very drawn out and wasn't really a fan of the vampire makeup .. wasn’t scary at all.. Didn't even come close to the original Bram stockers dracula from the 90s..
I agree with you, that the movie left more to be desired. It was visually stunning, and I enjoyed seeing Thomas's journey to the castle, with the gypsies and all that. But I do wish they would have shown more of Ellen's past experiences with Orlock. Or even her past experiences with her family that would make her call out, to this entity from beyond, from her loneliness. Some parts of her dialog reminded me of Caleb, from The Vvitch, like when she was talking about her dream of death. Overall, it was entertaining but did drag a bit in some scenes. I could have used more horniness and gore, too😂.
The politician’s metaphor is actually insane and so accurate 🫣 I might on the minority that didn’t like Orlok’s voice :/ he sounded so cringe idk if it’s because Kraven the hunter had a character with that voice and I had just seen it before Nosferatu lol
Thank god I haven’t seen that one hahahah
I saw this movie on Christmas then again this past Saturday! I loved it but you make some very valid points. This movie is definitely going for atmosphere over substance. Enjoyed your review. Excited for what you will bring in 2025!
If ya wanna see another good Willem Dafoe vampire movie, check out Shadow of the Vampire (2000). He plays Max Shrek, the original actor who played the original Nosferatu, but his version is a real vampire, playing a fake vampire, for a movie about a vampire.
agree with you so much about the lack of feminine sexuality i keep seeing people praise the movie for showing the repressed sexuality of women and i’m like where??? that was not a focus or even a talking point at all? ellen saying “you can’t please me like he can” or whatever tf she said is not indicative of her being so sexually repressed that she had to turn to a monster- from what the movie laid out thomas was completely supportive of her unlike aaron taylor johnson’s character with his wife and how typical he was idk
This movie improved for me upon rewatch. The first time I think I was a little too in my head, especially with Depp's performance and I didn't love the simplistic story. Watching it again the ending didn't bother me, and Depp's performance was cemented as gold. So I appreciate the film quite a bit.
The Northman is Eggers best film so far, but I gotta watch Nosferatu first!
I feel like there are different meanings with this movie, those you touched on. The one that stood out to me was accepting the darkness within ourselves, seems like that was a big theme Ellen was going back and fourth with. :)
I feel like we're spiritually linked on our opinions of this movie like a tall mustachioed vampiric ghoul and a gothic lady whose face is perfectly sculpted for *the scream* face.
Yeah this is my least favorite of Robert Eggers' movies but I still wouldn't give it lower than like a 9 or 8.5. Eveything about it is technically immaculate across all aspects of production. It just didn't have the sauce like his other films did. It doesn't feel anywhere near as dark or sinister as The Witch or The Lighthouse. And I felt like every scene was kicked up to 11 which gave the effect that there were few scenes that actually stood out. I was also getting a bit impatient with it. Could definitely trim a good 15 minutes and the pacing would've been perfect.
When I saw The Substance I knew it wasn't gonna be beat as my favorite. I just needed Nosferatu to be good. I got my wish but I still wanted to love it more
I felt like Orlock represented death incarnate, and Ellen’s character represents humanity’s morbid curiosity with death. She happened to understand what must be done, so she had to stop it. I do agree the ending felt almost abrupt. I would have liked a little more from the characters, and for them to nail home the theme. The 1979 Nosferatu had a better ending in my opinion, where Thomas leaves after Ellen dies to carry on the curse, reinforcing the idea that death is inescapable. If you haven’t seen the 1979 version, I highly recommend it! One of my favorite films of all time❤
I am right there with you with the 3.5 star rating! I wish they would have removed the Romani scenes (curious to know that group's take on representation knowing what I do know) and added more backstory for Helen re: why she was so desperate to call in an entity like Orlok.
P.S. I just love how knowledgeable you are about horror! It's wonderful to see a trained and working professional in the industry provide their insight!!
I appreciate that 🫶🏼
Seeing it Thursday night so I’m hype had to come to see your thoughts since you my top 3 TH-camrs your dry humor is relatable lol happy new years
Like I’m a extreme orlock fan I have seen all versions of this character I like him more then the traditional Dracula I have seen his episodes of sponge bob but orlock has always had humor to him along with the horror side of things but klaus and rob zombie caught orlock the best
Don’t feel bad, I also thought it was just ok, and I also gave it a redemptive rewatch and it’s still just ok.
Can relate. As an Eggers fan I was kinda underwhelmed by this film also. The look, the tone and the cinematography were great, but something was missing. I think we needed more Orlok. I want to see it a second time, but for now, I still like The Witch the best.
really interesting ranking of eggers’ work. i felt very underwhelmed by the northman, and maybe that’s because ive only seen it once, but i consider the witch and the lighthouse to be near-perfect films. nosferatu had a lot of the same pacing and purpose issues i had with the northman, and probably falls 3rd in my ranking of his work. really hoping he continues to work in the genre
Ms. Hippie: you are correct. The phrase is “period piece”. Everyone keeps saying that Eggers’keeps as close to historical facts with his movies’, but they could just simply say, “He creates a great period piece”. Anyway, I missed the first 15 minutes of the movie due to a mix up with the showtimes, so I’ll probably have to go rewatch it. Read a comment on another review that was snarky about the “capitalist/feminist reading” of the movie, saying basically ‘people see what they want to see’. But it’s like, c’mon there was literally a bag of gold coins or whatever, and Ellen smashes all the stuff to show material wealth is meaningless compared to…getting ahead of myself.
Liked the movie. The acting was good, especially Ms. Depp. Great use of lightning and shadow. The costume and sets were fantastic. The soundtrack and spooky vibes were on point (Sorry, but that guy is no Lord with all those mouth noises he makes when he eats. Have some manners “my lord”. Sheesh. Smacking and slurping as if he were raised in a barn!)
*spoilers*
Could’ve done without seeing everyones junk for sure (Catholic hang ups, sorry). It was difficult for me not to read the movie as being informed by the folklore and mythology of sleep paralysis. In fact, it’s been argued that vampire myths may have been influenced/informed by accounts of SP Anyway, the illustration of the attack by Nosferatu in the book they had looked like a picture of SP, and the final scene looked like images of the sleep demon attacking someone.
Speaking of the final scene, it’s what made the movie make sense. She sacrifices herself out of her love for Thomas. Love conquers capitalism…YAAAY!
Yeah, and what about all that occult stuff? The clash with science and the supernatural was interesting, and it seems like one understanding of Ellen could be that she was an epileptic, or narcoleptic.
It did feel oddly flat. Almost like a Tim Burton movie. Can't explain it, but maybe it had such a fairy tale quality that there was sort of an unreal quality, like a stage play.
Ever since I saw the movie, I can’t get the song “Nosferatu Man” by Slint out of my head, so I’ll have to go listen to it. Bye.
The nightmare sequences were extremely well made. I truly appreciate it was filmed using 35 mm film. Unfortunately the film went a little too hard into the monster sex & turning this into a demon possession remake.
Just saw Nosferatu last week and I enjoyed the movie.
Strangely enough your less than stellar review has more intrigued to see the movie. I was thinking this was going to be a home run.
I’m most excited to see this for lily and bill the crow is my movie of this year but I’m excited to see how bill pulled of his version as long as he pulls of that balance of comedy and horror to the character I’ll be happy regardless especially when orlock did disco vampire in the munsters I was dying rob zombie really captured him perfectly because he was funny but he also had that horror that needed to be there with the character
my issue with the movie was that while the tormet ellen's going through is such a central part of the movie, i didn't felt it at all, all the over the top horror scenes took away the ability for me to connect with her pain. also i couldn't care for any of the characters and the connections that they had with one another throughout the movie, so when such a hauntingly beautiful ending hit i didn't feel much emotion. i feel like this movie should've connected more with the humane part of it more than the plot, specially with it being a remake, like give us a different perspective? i don't know, i left the theater really disappointed
Watched it, now I know how you feel. :/
I was surprised they choice the design of Nosferatu as the living corpse of Peter blagojevic especially that vampire folklore takes place in the plague of Kisilova which this movie shows a lot of spending diseases. I almost thought they gonna make him as strigoi or striga design. He’s way too similar to Mario, Yaa Hoo!!!
0:30 ...uh oh...I've been champing at the bit to see this...I love the original and am watching the 79 fir the first time New Years Eve. I trust you, though we tend to disagree a lot, so this is getting scary already.
I’ve been waiting for this video so I could BERATE you for that 3.5 ⭐️ Letterboxd review !
BERATE BERATE BERATE!!!
@@stonecoldfox5064 😭😭😭
I'm personally a fan of the Dracula novel and many of the adaptations so I'll probably like or even love this adaptation of Nosferatu whether it's a slow burn or not.
Dracula in the novel had a mustache though Eggers only included a mustache because it's historically accurate Transylvanian noblemen of the time period.
The 1992 film Bram Stoker's Dracula should have been called Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula because while that film is the second most faithful adaptation of the novel it still deviates from the novel in big ways. The prologue origin story, portraying Dracula to be a tragic monster, and most importantly the Dracula/Mina romance were all added for the 1992 film adaptation.
Didn't Eggers said that this adaptation would be Ellen's story unlike the original Nosferatu silent film where Ellen only impacted the story at the end?