For people who are unaware, Nosferatu is an unoffical adapted version of Bram Stoker's Dracula Novel. The first ever Nosferatu was a German silent expressonist film which was released in 1922. However, fast forward 102 years later and Robert Eggers ( The Lighthouse, The Witch) released his adaptation of the evil Count Orlok.
Some of the key changes that audiences may notice if they have ever read or seen Dracula, is that Lily Rose Depp, Ellen Hutter embodies the character of Lucy from Stoker's novel because she starts to have hallucinations much like Lucy and is drawn to this supernatural being much like Lucy in the book, however she can also embody Mina as a type of 'new woman' because she decides to stop the death of her friends and loved ones she must let the count win, therefore she is embodying the 'new woman' because she is independently sacrificing herself to let everyone else live and is not letting someone else fight her battles.
Another key change in the film is the setting, Nosferatu is set in 19th century Germany whereas Stoker's novel is set although set in the same century takes place in London and reflects the fears of that time such as reverse colonization and the fear of superstition.
Similarities to the novel
Hutter, Nicholas Hoult's journey to Orlok's Castle is similar to Harker's experience as both undergo a dangerous revelation that there are things in this world that cannot be explained by the logic that they worship, science. The belief that both characters have of being superior to the locals whose countries that they are now in is evident as Hutter refuses to believe what they are saying and doing as something that is real and is not welcoming to their customs as he believes they are uncivilised people.
Furthermore, the film is similar to Stoker's work due to the inclusion of Knock, better known as Renfield whom is a devoted servant to their master, Orlok or Dracula. In both adaptations he is someone who helps the characters start to understand what is going on is not normal due to his rants and devouring of the animals which foreshadows what Orlok intends to do, consume his prey. Knock as a character also allows the audience to see into Orlok's power because if Knock is someone who worships him and is treated like that, then there is no limit to what the dreaded counts would do to obtain what they want.
The inclusion of stalker shots throughout the film help the audience to see that these characters are not alone and are being hunted by something monstorous and animalistic which builds up the fear of Count Orlok as it demonstrates that he has been hunting the characters and views them as lesser beings to him and things that he can prey upon.
Additionally, Egger's inclusion of desaturated colours helps the films gothic nature because the original was set in black and white and would allows audiences to see the time period in which the film is set and is a homage to the original which was filmed in black and white.
Finally, gothic elements such as dark abandoned buildings are portrayed in the film to depict the evil that Count Orlok will bring to these characters lives if he is succesful and the dark and gloomy setting of Romania helps to reinforce the fact that this is a place that has evil in it and fills the scene with a help of hopelesness and despair.
The use of supernatural elements such as Nosferatu himself, again shows the film as being gothic because it goes against everything that the self-believed sophisticated characters believed and thought that they knew was real. Moreover, the appearance of Orlok resembles classic gothic villains as he has wrinkled skin, elongated fingers, and a grotesque facial structure which all resemble the gothic antagonist.
In Nosferatu, gender stereotypes seem to be present such as men being the ones who work as seen through Emma Corrin's character, Anna Harding, who can be seen as a stereotypical representation of women because she stays at home with her children whilst Aaron Taylor- Johnson's character, Friedrich Harding is responsible for making sure that they have enough money to support them, therefore reinforcing gender stereotypes as the man is seen as being independent whereas the woman is depending on him to support the family and provide them with what they need.
On the contrary, upon the inital encounter with Orlok(Bill Skarsgard) Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) cannot fathom what he is dealing with and is terrified of the monster that is Orlok because he has no clue how to stop whatever he is and even ends up becoming prey for the monster showing that he does not embody typical male stereotypes as he becomes sub- serviant and powerless.
Overall, whilst some audiences may not find the film to be a part of the conditional horror genre, the film provides twists and attempts to adapt from Dracula and the silent expressonist 1922 film.
7/10
