As one of cinema’s most iconic vampires emerges from the shadows once again, early reactions to Robert Eggers’ highly anticipated “Nosferatu” remake are nothing short of glowing. Critics are calling the gothic horror drama “knockout” that delivers a “classically haunting” take on the timeless tale.
A Devilishly Brilliant Reimagining
“N”Nosferatu” stars Lily-Rose Depp as a young woman who becomes the object of desire for the terrifying vampire Count Orlok, played by the chilling Bill Skarsgård. The supporting cast includes Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, and the legendary Willem Dafoe.
Variety’s senior awards editor Clayton Davis praised the film as “gorgeous and horrifically brilliant,” highlighting Depp’s “haunting” performance and Skarsgård’s “menacing” turn as the iconic Count. Indiewire’s chief film critic David Ehrlich doubled down on the movie’s visceral intensity, noting the sheer amount of “writhing” on display—a compliment in this case.
“If you’re not afraid of rats before seeing this movie, you will be now,” warned Courtney Howard of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, adding that Eggers’ “Nosferatu” “goes harder than any other horror film this year.”
Gregory Ellwood of The Playlist went as far as to suggest Depp could earn an Oscar nomination for her supporting role, a remarkable feat given the film’s genre trappings. Even Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier, who admitted it wasn’t his “favorite Eggers” effort, still deemed the remake a “knockout” with a “hint of devilish humor.”
Passion Project Reimagined
For Eggers, bringing “Nosferatu” to life has been a longstanding passion project. The director, whose previous films include “The Witch,” “The Lighthouse,” and “The Northman,” has long been an outspoken admirer of F.W. Murnau’s seminal 1922 silent film.
“It was an indie horror in its day, a bit rough around the edges, yet it’s one of the greatest and most haunting films ever made,” Eggers once told Shudder. “The newly restored color-tinted versions are really impressive, but I still prefer the poor black-and-white versions made from scraps of 16mm prints. Those grimy versions have an uncanny mystery to them and helped build the myth of Max Shreck being a real vampire.”
Now, Eggers has crafted his own unique interpretation of the classic vampire tale, one that seemingly retains the haunting essence of the original while injecting it with his signature style of meticulous historical authenticity.
Diving Into the Details
During a recent Q&A with acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, Eggers revealed fascinating insights into the arduous process of bringing his “Nosferatu” to life. He discussed the intense physical work lead actress Lily-Rose Depp undertook, working with a Bollywood choreographer to master the “inhuman” contortions required for her role. Eggers also detailed the painstaking six-hour makeup process that transformed Bill Skarsgård into the nightmarish Count Orlok, as well as the logistical challenges of working with over 5,000 live rats on set.
“I didn’t know that rats are incontinent, so the smell is insane,” Eggers quipped. The director also gave credit to Chris Columbus, his producer, who pushed him to fully realize each story beat on screen, not just in the script.
“Chris is a creative producer… He went through the storyboards and would say, ‘Where’s this beat? Where’s this story going? It’s in your script. The story boards don’t show it. Eggers recalled, “It’s not enough for them to say the line; we have to see it visually.”
A unique and vibrant voice
Del Toro, who has long been a champion of Eggers’ work, praised the filmmaker for his unwavering dedication to his craft and his ability to craft truly distinctive cinematic experiences. “Every time you come out with a new movie, I’m extremely eager to watch it, because I know I’m going to see something, a confection, with great passion, great care, and more than anything else, a unique and incredibly vibrant voice in film, and I thank you for that,” Del Toro told Eggers. As anticipation builds for this latest reimagining of a horror classic, it’s clear that Eggers has once again delivered a film that will haunt audiences long after the credits roll.
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