Oh, now who isn’t just loving these arctic winds of Northeast Pennsylvania as of late? If you are not a fan, you can always relocate to Transylvania in Romania. Sounds kind of like a romantic locale in a Gothic way, no? Home to many robust castles, quaint historical villages, and, of course, the infamous homestead rumored to have been Dracula’s located in Bran, Romania.
Directed by Robert Eggers, who previously spun us “The Lighthouse,” “The Northman,” and “The Witch,” this newest creature-feature is performing swimmingly at the box office, already making more than $100 million worldwide to date in just 2 short weeks. “Nosferatu,” for being an arthouse-style horror film at its heart, is one of the most beautifully shot movies of the year with cinematography that is a treat to the naked eye.
It seemed like everyone and their mother went to check out this movie over the New Year’s holiday, including me. “Nosferatu” stars the always well-rounded Nicholas Hoult (“Renfield”) playing “Thomas Hutter,” who heads out on a bleak voyage for work only to encounter a more than dismal situation before him — and that is putting it kindly. If you want to feast your eyes on a sight any more ungodly than what this poor guy witnesses, then you should wake up next to me in the morning! Talk about a gasp — no joke!
The legendary actor William Defoe (“The Florida Project”) who was a standout and has frequently worked with this director, plays Professor Franz and is always just so amusing to watch do his craft. What a recognizable voice, to boot. I had high hopes for this film and was afraid going in that it was not going to live up to the hype, but I must admit that it not only lived up to, but quite possibly exceeded my expectations. “Nosferatu” was not only visionary, it was moody, crisp and bursting with over-the-top elegance. I feel this rendition of the classic tale may actually trump Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” made by Coppola.
If you are looking for something that is an alternative to the bright and glitzy “Wicked,” then I advise you to take a bite out of this special treat, no carbs or over-processing included. After all, since the average person gained over eight pounds over the course of the holidays, it is time to start playing it safe. In addition to Demi Moore’s Golden Globes winning “The Substance,” “Nosferatu” is the horror movie of the moment.