Nosferatu (Robert Eggers)

pixelburp

First trailer appeared for Eggers' lates since The Northman. I'm down for anything he makes and this looks like a potentially great adaptation.

https://youtu.be/b59rxDB_JRg?si=9ahdL_OXGzrVFQqC

Mr Crispy

I'm definitely down for this too. Hoping the sight of Skarsgard as Orlok is worth the wait!

pixelburp

I love how The Northman became this huge digital hit, after the various wails of despair over its failure at the box office.

The real question is: will there be a spongebob cameo?

https://youtu.be/o9a1hWWCHDk

Hande hoche!

Enjoyed his previous works but never got to see any of them in the cinema. Will be making the trek for this one.

Agent Coulson

First poster for it.

Agent Coulson

It's been rated R in the States and debuts on December 25th there.

https://www.fangoria.com/nosferatu-rated-r/

The White Wolf

I was hoping this would be a Christmas flick for me to enjoy but I can see it's a January release here. Ah well.

El Duda

https://twitter.com/TheMovieBadger/status/1863722588955979897

Not bad. Not bad at all.

Snake Plisken

Hyped for this! I was sorry I didn't get to see The Northman on the big screen. I watched the JoBlo and Chris Stuckman reviews last night and they were full of praise for this. So will have to go and see this in the local multiplex come January although it's probably going to get some secondary smaller screen like Longlegs did.

It's been a good year overall for Horror👍

silliussoddius

Didn't Chris Stuckman say it's not a typical horror? Another review I watched also mentioned it's almost like a dark fantasy instead of pure horror.

The White Wolf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122916262#Comment_122916262

That is a weird collection of reviews. How reputable is Roger Ebert's review team these days? It's great to see that the film is playing well with the populist outlets but also concerning that the Brits don't seem to think anything special about it.

Fysh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122919689#Comment_122919689

IMO the individual reviewer is more relevant than the outlet - e.g. I don't tend to bother with the Graun for film because I find their coverage inconsistent and lacking the depth I'd like; Bradshaw can be good at times but is maddeningly inconsistent for me. As far as UK reviews are concerned, Mark Kermode, Kim Newman and Anton Bitel are the names that first come to mind as reviewers whose opinions would count to me (Edit) specifically for a film like this where an appetite for, and familiarity with the history of, horror will make a notable difference to the substance of the review.

corkie

In cinema here new years day!

Unlike 'War of the Rohirrim' which I was waiting for since 21!

I had not heard of this film been in production. But guess have been waiting most my life for a remake of the silent classic:- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosferatu

Fysh

Just out from a screening of this, and first thoughts are that it's good, with some stunning cinematography, but a bit over-stuffed and unevenly paced - honestly for its running time the first hour felt very slow, and I think part of this was trying to bring in more of Dracula proper to the story. (There are a few jump scares littered through that feel jarringly out of place to me, as if someone didn't have confidence that the film was creepy enough and thought that shouting "boo" once in a while would somebow improve things). I did enjoy the mounting dread in the 2nd hour, and

Spoiler Warning

the expanded focus on the plague in Wisborg/Nosferatu's reign of terror

was a solid addition to the overall narrative. The performances were mostly very good, although I'm not entirely sure Lily-Rose Depp was the best choice for that role.
It bears repeating that the film looked stunning and I'm glad I caught it on the big screen.
I expect that, once it's released for home audiences, someone will figure out what bits to trim out to make something with a better pace and bring out the best of what's there.

corkie

Good box office attendance!

https://comicbookmovie.com/horror/nosferatu-scares-up-40m-for-director-robert-eggers-biggest-ever-domestic-box-office-opening-a215323#gs.ivparl

Have my ticket booked for the 1st in blackpool.thereelpicture.com!

@Fysh You must be abroad somewhere, to have seen it already?

johnny_ultimate

I liked it. Its biggest problem is the one you could have predicted before seeing it: there have been a lot of cinematic adaptations of this story, and another one will inevitably seem familiar. You’re dealing not only with the plethora of Dracula adaptations, but two canonical Nosferatu films too. Herzog and Murnau both delivered legendary films, and Eggers’ take is entirely faithful to the source materials.

But he’s also a damn fine filmmaker, so even if this is yet another take on the Dracula story, it is an incredibly handsomely staged one. And the visual identity, to its credit, doesn’t feel derivative of what came before. The use of shadows and light is integral to any Dracula adaptation, and Eggers’ use of both is fresh and interesting throughout.

If there’s anything else he adds it’s dialling up the sexuality of what was already a highly sexualised story. And it’s also surprisingly funny at times - Dafoe in particular is a riot, delivering his ludicrously flowery lines with utter conviction in a way that earns quite a few laughs. Also credit is definitely due to Lily Rose Depp, who Eggers wisely makes the centre of the drama.

corkie

Enjoy the film, what I found jarring was the abrupt transition from different scenes.

It is a pity the 'Nosferatu'/'Count Orlok' lore is so poor compared to 'Dracula' lore. So to label it as another 'Dracula' film is weak. It stands on it own merits and mistaken to think of it as a vampire film.

Whatsisname

Saw this today. Thought it was brilliant. Maybe a bit more jump scarey than I expected based on Eggers previous films but the guy is gifted at conveying utter dread through his films, always has me so tense.

The cinematography is top notch as expected. Particularly enjoyed Orlok’s hands shadow cast over the city and when the horse carriage arrives before Thomas at the foot of the castle under the moonlight.

Not sure how to spoiler on new boards but the sounds of a few particular scenes had my toes curling.

Fysh

The visuals of the film are spectacular, and I'm looking forward to watching it again at some point (I'm not sure it's a 2-cinema-viewings film for me, but it's definitely one I'll watch again).

One thing that I forgot to mention in my previous post - Bill Skarsgård's turn as the Count is generally very good, particularly in the latter half of the film. But in the earlier parts, his accent reminded me of

Spoiler Warning

Nandor from the TV version of What We Do In The Shadows

which rather undermines the effect a bit.

Dial Hard

Saw this in the IFI last night. As others have said, it's a beautifully shot film, but if you've seen or read Dracula, it's not really bringing anything new to the table.

Also, I don't know if it was just the IFI or the actual sound mix of the film, but I found the sound all over the place. Struggled to hear the dialogue in some places, but was absolutely deafened in others, particularly the climax of the final scene.

And as with pretty much every film these days, it was too long.

Overall, I can't say I'd particularly recommend it.

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123007571#Comment_123007571

1922’s Nosferatu (which this faithfully adapts) was so close to Dracula that Bram Stoker’s estate successfully sued the production company and the court ordered all copies destroyed (it’s a cinematic miracle it survived). This film has a ‘based on…’ Dracula credit. Much of the plot and iconography is directly ripped from Stoker’s novel. So yes, I think encompassing ‘Dracula’ in any critique of it - positive or negative - seems perfectly reasonable.

corkie

@johnny_ultimate Aware of the history of it! I linked to the wiki in an earlier post!

It may be a rip-off of 'dracula', but has subtle differences that make it stand out on it's own.

Here is the original silent version if any wants to compare the two: -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC6jFoYm3xs

p to the e

First film of 2025 for me and I've probably already hit on my most disappointing. I was really hyped for this and the trailer hyped me up to hype level 11 on the hypeness scale of hype.

The first 30-40 minutes really had me thinking this could possibly be a masterpiece but it just seemed to fall flat after that. As others have said it's another adaptation of Dracula so I felt I spent a lot of time just comparing it to Francis Ford Coppola's version which, in my opinion, deserves more kudos due to the commitment to practical effects.

I thought Hoult and Rose-Depp were quite good but I've no idea what movie set Taylor-Johnson thought he was on because he was abysmal in this. Giving Count Orlock a moustache was certainly a choice and his inconsistent over-exaggerated wheeze just bugged me after a while. It was also great to see Ralph Ineson have something to do. He's a bloody good rep.

Overall I really felt that this wasn't an Eggers movie and got the feeling it was more for the studios "one for us, one for you" kind of deal.

6/10

silliussoddius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123010107#Comment_123010107

Bram Stroker's Dracula also had a tache.

https://englishlpo973.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/dracula-physical-description.pdf

howdydoo83

Good but nowhere near his best. Thought the ladies were the best actors in it and Dracula himself not far behind.

The White Wolf

I really liked it and I'll be thinking about that ending for awhile, as I wasn't expecting it to be done in that way.

I don't think it breaks into my Top 5 Vampire films but maybe that will change in time.

The White Wolf

Spoiler Warning

Just thinking about the ending and

Spoiler Warning

Orlok's intention throughout is achieving true death with Ellen, but if she refuses this he will continue in unleashing his plague?

Fysh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123020771#Comment_123020771

I took it more as

Spoiler Warning

Orlok's intent is to consummate the relationship with Ellen that she starts at the beginning of the film, by feeding on her - I don't think he intended to drink her to death, so much as she encouraged him to let his thirst consume him so he kept going beyond the point he might have stopped, at least on the first night.

I suspect there is a lot more nuance to be read into little details in the film that would require multiple viewings, and in particular correlating those with other films or other related folklore areas.

Cluedo Monopoly

I enjoyed this movie for sure but it kinda lost its bearings after about 50-60 minutes. The script became disjointed and very repetitive for a period of time. I just wanted them to get on with it. I felt like they could have cut 15-20 mins out and lost nothing. Some of the acting was very poor/inconsistent in patches too (esp Taylor Johnson but also Ineson and Dafoe). Overall a good horror movie and impressive production.

7/10

_Quilombero_

looking forward to this one

fatbhoy

I absolutely loved it entirely. I didn't see any deficiencies in it at all, whatsoever. I was immersed in it from the beginning to the end, helped by going alone to a <20% full Vue (Liffey Valley) on Sunday night. 8/10

Yvonne007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123028664#Comment_123028664

Quite an unusual scale you have if you loved it entirely without noticing any deficiencies and still thought 20% of it wasn't worth a rating.

Decuc500

An impressive movie alright. Looked stunning on 35mm in the Lighthouse and it was a real throwback to see some scratches and blemishes and the projectionist lining up the film to fit the screen properly after it started.

I regretted not seeing The Northman on the big screen so wasn't going to miss this one.

Homelander

Enjoyed it a lot - very atmospheric and well put together. Few dark laughs at times as well, and I enjoyed all the performances though Aaron Taylor-Johnson maybe felt a touch out of place at times.

I think the biggest issue is maybe the deja vu many people will feel given it's just another telling of Dracula with minor revisions, it can make the first half feel a little on the slow side.

Overall though a great movie and one I would definitely recommend.

El Duda

Nosferatu – 7/10

After coming out of the blocks with The Witch and The Lighthouse (both 5 star films for me) I hold Eggers to an almost impossibly high standard. The disappointment of The Northman meant that I’d tempered my expectations a bit, but I still hoped this would be better.

The cinematography, production design, score etc… are all on point, but I found the casting and acting to be uneven across the board. Eggers is great at creating atmosphere, with The Witch being the best example of what he can achieve, but I think a lot of that came from the performances he got out of the actors. Everyone in The Witch felt authentic. Bits like the scene where the son starts speaking in tongues and the use of those creepy twins singing about Black Phillip were bone chilling stuff. Somewhere in between The Lighthouse and The Northman, Eggers ability to coax these types of performances from his actors has begun to wane. Perhaps it’s because certain casting choices have been thrust upon him by studios (Nicole Kidman cough cough), but in Nosferatu, performance levels vary quite a bit from scene to scene.

Skarsgård and Dafoe bring their A-game, Lily-Rose Depp is also very good, but for a lot of the others it just felt like actors reciting lines and struggling with the antiquated dialect. It’s not something that I ever questioned or noticed in his earlier films.

Still, there’s a lot to admire here. The first encounter between Hoult and the monster is superb. The way the monster looks, sounds and moves is expertly done. The shot of Nicholas Hoult standing at the crossroads as the demon carriage approaches is one of the most stunning things I’ve seen on the big screen for a while.

It all goes to show that Eggers is clearly a world class technician, but I’m not sure if the art is there with his story telling just yet.

Banjaxed82

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123037127#Comment_123037127

Your last paragraph was pretty much my thinking. A feast for the eyeballs, but lacking in storytelling to keep your brain from wandering at times.

silvertimelinings

Nicholas Hoult had to work very hard. A lot was demanded of him.

Skarsgård and Dafoe just acted BIG. They rose to the task but there was never any danger they would miss their mark.

Actor who played Knock was excellent.

There had to be a better actress out there than Depp for the role…maybe Thomasin McKenzie or Emilia Jones. Still, she will be more of an Actor than her father or mother even were.

Recommended.

flasher0030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123045920#Comment_123045920

I can't comment on Vanessa Paradis's acting skills cause I don't think I've ever seen her movies.

But that's a bit harsh on Johnny Depp. I liked the majority of what he did. He seems a bit eccentric, but I guess that kinda adds to the mystery. I had a look at his accolades on Wiki. Nominated for an oscar 3 times, which brings him in as in the top 8 actors performance in a feature in 3 separate years. Won a golden glove. Won a couple of other prestigious awards throughout his career.

If his daughter can replicate those achievements, she would be doing very well.

ancapailldorcha

7/10 feels like a very fair score for this. It's one of the most beautifully shot films I've ever seen. Unfortunately, that's about all that's truly excellent about it. The cast are all quite good as are the effects and soundtrack. It just feels like these things are never really put together to be more than their sum.

The Northman was a big meh from me but I still remember seeing and thoroughly enjoying The Witch in the Duke's at Komedia in Brighton, probably my all time favourite cinema. I saw three films in three days for some reason there.

I've never seen the original. Glad I saw this but I don't think it lived up to the hype, sadly.

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123028713#Comment_123028713

what

flasher0030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123058371#Comment_123058371

It was kinda a humourous comment in fairness. The poster said that they "absolutely loved it entirely. I didn't see any deficiencies in it at all, whatsoever". But then gave it a 8/10 rating. If there were no deficiencies whatsoever, then why did the poster dock the 20%?

fatbhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123058411#Comment_123058411

I reserve 9s and 10s for films that really blow me away. I can absolutely love it entirely without giving it a 9/10 or 10/10.

These are my ratings on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/user/ur10453572/ratings/

flasher0030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123058433#Comment_123058433

Ok. It wasn't me who made the comment.

But it's a little bit funny. If there are "no deficiencies whatsoever" in the movie, what else can the director/actors/producers etc. do to get the perfect 10 from you. Or even a 9.

2smiggy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123058433#Comment_123058433

it was like IGN giving far too many games 10/10 , it diminishes the actual games that were worth 10/10. 8/10 should be an score reserved for very good to excellent films. Makes perfect sense to me anyway.

El Duda

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123058433#Comment_123058433

I agree with this. You gotta leave room for those films that truly floor you. When you see a 10/10 film it can be a transcendental experience. Something that you think about for weeks afterwards, that shapes your outlook on life.

But most films are just films.

flasher0030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123059142#Comment_123059142

Any 10/10 suggestions for me? In the fairly recent past. Maybe in the past 30 years. I know it goes against the grain, but I'm not a big fan of the older movies, bar a few exceptions e.g. Godfather movies etc.

El Duda

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123059268#Comment_123059268

It was very personal to me, but Aftersun. I was in bits for weeks after seeing that.

Films I've given 5 stars to recently:

Anora

The Substance

I Saw the TV Glow

Past Lives

The Lighthouse

Uncut Gems

Monster

The Holdovers

A few slightly older ones:

Amadeus

City of God

Oldboy

Glengary Glenn Ross

Dazed & Confused

The French Connection

The Wrestler

Sexy Beast

Amores Perros

Spirited Away

flasher0030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123059373#Comment_123059373

Thanks for that. I've only seen a few of those. Aftersun, whilst slow, was really heavy hitting. That scene at the end with the Under Pressure song was very emotional. I really enjoyed Uncut Gems. The Substance and Anora are on my list to watch. I saw Sexy Beast but cant really remember it. I was a bit disappointed in The Wrestler.

Sorry for taking it off topic. No more comments on this for me. Haven't watched Nosferatu yet. Will wait till it streams.

Murph_D

The 35mm version at the IFI has a lot of scratches and dust for a print that surely should be very new. Are the artefacts digitally created, I wonder. Some sort of 'film damage' filter?

p to the e

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123059373#Comment_123059373

You forgot Highlander

Fletwick

Nosferatu was 20 minutes too long but some of the performances were supreme.