Nosferatu 2024/5 (Whatever it is this week...Who the f knows what day it is anymore?)
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(No plot spoilers)
Ok I don't do the actual cinema thing often, my horror film cinematic experiences are pretty limited.
But growing up as a second generation goth in the late 80's and having read Dracula a few times over the years, with the prospect of a new cinematic vampire blockbuster (maybe). I couldn't resist the pull.
I saw Coppola's version when it came out and also Interview with the vampire (and read that before i saw it), so anyway, this is kinda my thing.
Also I love both previous versions, so just putting that out there...
Anyway on to the actual film.
It is a thing of beauty, the visuals grab you and sweep you in, but if you go in expecting a Coppola style explosion of colour you wont get that at all, in fact this plays out as almost a black and white film, it is very low key.
There are moments when you are swept over landscapes but these merely set the scene, time and place, this film is focused entirely on the the intimate life of the characters.
There is a lot of snow and the film it reminded me of most in this respect was Batman Returns, with it's almost black and white snow scenes.
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I had heard this was more a Dracula adaptation than Nosferatu, but taking the film in as it unfolded it isn't, you really can't separate one from the other as they are instinctively linked by design, but this is more Nosferatu than Dracula. the story beats it omits are totally in line with the original Murnau film.
It is well played by all the actors and i found it to be spellbinding and interesting throughout, but I came out with certain issues and thoughts.
Firstly Holts version of the Harker character i found much more compelling than the hack job by Keanu Reeves.
The redesign of Nosferatu himself is more in line with Stokers original,and he comes across as a cruel bastard, which is what I always took him as from the novel, in the context of history which Eggers is obviously conscious of it seems sound.
Despite that i'm not sure it is Nosferatu, or at least what that version details.
Defoe is good, and strangely i got Cushing vibes off of him, not in appearance but more the way he was genteel and straightforward. I much preferred his portrayal of the Helsing character over Hopkins gammon.
The Renfield character is solid.
So then all beats covered.
Yes and no, there are deviations and surprises in the telling of the tale, so as a film I found it constantly engaging.
My only real gripes are this, Depp as Mina (whatever) gave a really good, committed performance, but I never felt a lot of sympathy for her character. There needed to be a bit more time with her in a normal state, as such if you were Harker I would think, god she's too much effort, what a drag.
She just seems miserable the entire time.
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The other issue was that I felt the Nosferatu figure was slightly under used.
He is imposing, spectral and menacing and there is a shadowy, nightmare feel when he is on screen.
But it felt as though it needed a bit more.
But these were just my impressions coming out of the cinema, on repeated viewings everything may fall into place.
I would say this, it is definitely worth seeing at the cinema, and you can tell Eggers has put a lot of thought into his version. In this day and age you really could not have expected a new remake of Nosferatu that is this artful and well made.
Despite my minor reservations it is a film that I have been thinking about a lot since I saw it on Thursday, so to me that is recommendation in itself.
8 1/2 out of 10.