Robert Eggers hasn’t really been given a fair shake. Don’t get me wrong, the filmmaker has plenty of fans, and I’d argue he’s earned his space among his contemporary visionaries, though that always comes with a vocal group of detractors. I adore The Witch, but the hype machine prior to its release was unreal, and it was the beginning of audiences expecting one thing with Eggers and getting another.
Remember The Northman, his ostensible foray into more accessible, mainstream filmmaking? If you saw it, you’ll know it’s just as weird and singular as the remainder of Eggers’ filmography.
While The Lighthouse was a miss for me, I’m otherwise a huge fan of his work, especially his unparalleled commitment to period detail and dialogue. There’s earnest history in his filmmaking, and even when the narratives don’t land, his commanding control of film as a medium keeps me enraptured.
That’s why I was so excited to see his take on Nosferatu, which was released in theaters late last year. The film was a smash, critical and commercial success, and a movie we here at Dread Central loved. Now, it’s the most-streamed horror movie on Prime Video.
Per Prime Video: An ancient Transylvanian vampire becomes obsessed with a haunted young woman in 19th-century Germany, causing untold horror in its wake.
We all know the story, though what’s so refreshing about Eggers take is how classic all of it really is. The big narrative swings audiences might have been expecting are largely absent. Instead, Eggers augments the psychology and torment of the source material, allowing cast members Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, and Lily-Rose Depp especially to seduce us with the vampire mythos we know so well. It’s Golden Age horror, remarkable actors performing remarkable, classic material. Handsome is a term that comes to mind. Swirling and epic do, too.
After all, in our review of Nosferatu, Josh Korngut called the film “A Modern Masterpiece of Cinema Macabre,” adding later, “Ultimately, Nosferatu is Eggers’ finest work to date. It is an accessible gothic cornucopia, offering something for everyone: the hardcore horror fans who revel in the darkest corners of cinema and the casual admirers of dark art looking to push their limits. It may not break the mold of gothic horror, but it polishes it to a gleaming, dark-as-night shine.” What a pitch.
If you missed Nosferatu when it was in theaters, now’s your chance to check it out on Prime Video. Be certain to check in with me on Twitter @Chadiscollins to share your thoughts on Nosferatu with me. Hopefully its bite hooks you the same way it did me.
Categorized: News
