Robert Eggers’Nosferatudelivers a gothic horror masterpiece, but one common horror trope negates a substantial amount of the feature’s fear factor. Eggers' recentremake diverts the source material for the story’s conclusion, but this has little bearing on the film’s success, asNosferatuhits a box office milestoneby entering the highest-grossing horror movie charts. This makesthe classic vampire tale the director’s most lucrative project to date, far surpassing the performances ofThe NorthmanandThe Lighthouse. The horror tale continues to pick up steam in theaters, which is impressive considering the opposing high-budget releases at present.
Nosferatuis very different from the original 1922silent film, butit is clear that Eggers draws plenty of inspiration fromNosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. In addition to this, the director takes a range of lore from across a number of sources, and uses the retelling of Dracula to combine his own, unique elements into the story. With that in mind, one of the most stark contrasts between the films isCount Orlok’s new appearance. To some extent, this has a rather adverse effect on the film’s intended terror — which sets the 1922 depiction apart as a more terrifying spectacle.
Nosferatu Avoided Showing Skarsgård’s Vampire In Any Of Its Leading Promotions
Robert Eggers Wanted To Create Huge Suspense Around Skarsgård’s Count Orlok
Nosferatu’s first look at Bill Skarsgard’s Orlokcomes after it’s $135 million box office achievement.Concealing the antagonist prior to release isn’t an unprecedented practicein the horror genre. Perhaps the most favored example is Nicolas Cage’sLonglegs, where this tactic had great success and considerably aided its commercial success. Be that as it may, it is difficult to speculate that the same can be said forNosferatu.Skarsgård generated excitement around the long-awaited revealby conceding Orlok is “the scariest performance of [his] career.” However, a closer look at Skarsgård’s aristocratic vampire reveals why the method was so ineffective.
The final act ofNosferatushows Orlok in greater detail. The footage accentuates Orlok’s disturbing features, such as his decaying skin and long nails.Nosferatumay have surpassedLonglegsat the box office, butit is difficult to refute that Nosferatu’s reveal falls short of expectationsafter such a tremendous build-up. Aside from the extensive use of blood, the domineeringvampire is not terribly frightening. The vampire subgenre is continuously discovering new and innovative ways to terrify the audience — over the last century, depictions of these mythical figures have made enormous progress. Consequently, Orlok’s final form inNosferatufeels dissatisfying.
Max Schreck’s 1922 Nosferatu Is A Far More Terrifying Depiction
The Fear Rests In Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror’s Simplicity
It is important to note that Skarsgård did a superb job giving a voice to the illustrious vampire, but the 1922 character felt more realistic, and built a lingering sense of dread that lasts after the credits roll.
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror’s Orlock has more definable features, too. With teeth that resemble a rodent, a hunched posture, and grave gaunt facial features,Orlock’s appearance is closely associated with the more traditional portrayal of vampires. The low definition picture and the restricted technology at that time means Schreck’s version of Orlock feels a large percentage scarier than the 2024 remake,Nosferatu. It is important to note that Skarsgård did a superb job giving a voice to the vampire, but the 1922 character felt more realistic, and built a lingering sense of dread that lasts after the credits roll.
Nosferatu
Cast
Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name from director F. W. Murnau. Robert Eggers is crafting his own version of the story for the reboot as writer and director, with Bill Skarsgård stepping into the shoes of Count Orlok. Nosferatu tells the tale of a young woman who falls victim to a vampire utterly infatuated with her.
