The Mosley Review: Nosferatu
Is this it? Is it finally happening? Has the time come to truly treat the vampire genre of film with the dark, gothic and eerie respect it deserves? For the longest time, the genre has been stuck in the romanticized, young adult and simplified trap and nobody has decided to take a more serious tone to the material. Finally, my prayers were answered with this sprawling yet intimate remake of the most influential vampire tale of all time. From the moment it starts, you are thrust into a fever dream of darkness, atmosphere and visual elegance as the simple story unfolds in the most poetic way. I loved that this film had a pace to it that wasn't quick nor slow, but knew it exactly when to let you bathe in the moonlight and when to ramp up the terror and violence. What I truly loved was the many layers of history, science and religious beliefs that usually are one sided in films like these. There was so much to absorb as the film went along and I was enthralled throughout. The visual aspect and practicality was amazing, but the performances from the cast was some of the best I've seen all year.
Lily-Rose Depp delivers a knockout performance as Ellen Hutter. She conveys the whirlwind of emotions such as fear, anger, wonder, love and strength throughout the film. The portrayal of the disturbance of not only her mind, but her soul was astounding. Ella's physical torment was shocking and painful to watch as Lily-Rose truly nailed the agony of her constant contortions. Nicholas Hoult was fantastic and wholesome as her husband Thomas. He was the perfect example of a bright young man that brought true peace to his lovely wife. The journey he goes through and the amount of physical and psychological torment was terrifying. Aaron Taylor-Johnson was fantastic and steadfast as the best friend of Thomas, Friedrich Harding. He goes through his own version of intense emotional trauma as the story progressed and Johnson delivers yet another career defining performance. Emma Corrin was fantastic as his loving and nurturing wife, Anna. Their love and peaceful banter was the sweet spot of the film. Her kind words of comfort for Ellen were what kept her from going over the edge many times and I loved the sisterhood between them. Simon McBurney was excellent as Thomas' employer, Herr Knock. Simon swings for the fences in his performance of the quickly devoted servant that Knock becomes and doesn't shy away from the grotesque nature of his posession. Ralph Ineson is always a joy to see and as Dr. Wilhelm Sievers, he delivers a more calm and calculated performance. Even in the face of true madness and disturbing behavior, he still hilariously looks for the more scientific and medical solution. Willem Dafoe was awesome as the investigative and eccentric Prof. Albin Eberhart Von Franz. He had the responsibility of delivering the most lore driven dialogue of the film and he excelled in keeping you intrigued the entire time. He is always a good luck charm for any film. Now the true antagonist of the film had to be alluring and yet terrifying in all the right ways. It was a tall order to bring to life the titular character of the film and as Count Orlock, Bill Skarsgård does that expertly. He was truly unrecognizable in the look of Orlock and vocally. Bill delivers a cold, monotone and creepy performance that is magnified by his towering presence. The dark fantasy nature of his relationship with Ellen was the core of the film and it was beautifully dark and tragic to witness.
The score by composer, Robin Carolan, nails the nightmarish nature of this gothic tale of love, sacrifice and terror. Its not only the scratches of violin or the thunderous nature of the drums, but its the more somber moments of the score that kept me engaged. Dreams Grow Darker is a great example of that. Visually, this film was absolutely stunning! The practical use of shadows and camera placement added to the already immersive story. My favorite moments were when the camera would pan from the character looking into the lens to a wide shot of them talking to the other person in the scene. It's an immersion tactic that isn't used as cleverly anymore and it worked so well in the scenes between Ellen and Count Orlock. The creature effects and makeup on Orlock was top notch and disgusting to look at. The sound design was chef's kiss when he would feed upon people as the inhale was well mixed with the drinking and suction sounds. Writer and Director Robert Eggers has directed another masterpiece and truly reinvigorated the vampire genre with a fresh take on a classic tale that was derived Bram Stoker's Dracula. Very few have a style that fits the realm of gothic horror while finding the romantic nature of it without over saturation. Robert is one of those storytellers. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
