As a seasoned cinephile with decades of film-watching under my belt, I can confidently say that Robert Eggers is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing directors working today. His unique ability to blend historical accuracy with terrifying folklore has set him apart in the horror genre, and his upcoming remake of Nosferatu promises to be no exception.
Initially, Robert Eggers gained recognition with his 2016 movie titled “The Witch“, showcasing his knack for creating eerie narratives. Since then, Eggers’ compact collection of works, including “The Lighthouse” and “The Northman“, have received critical acclaim and sent shivers down the spines of viewers with their distinctly chilling atmospheres. Thus, the news that Eggers would re-imagine “Nosferatu” seemed like a fitting progression for the director, as well as an expansion of the dark folklore established in his initial 2016 production.
In an exclusive interview for Deadline, Robert Eggers shared insights into his thorough research and writing methodology while crafting the movie “Nosferatu.” The horror filmmaker elaborated on his intention to steer clear of conventional tropes and audience assumptions associated with vampire films such as “Nosferatu,” instead choosing to align his work more closely with the ancient myths surrounding these creatures.
“Vampirism and Dracula are the things that I’ve been thinking about and looking at for a long time. I had read Montague Summers [the clergyman scholar who wrote about the occult] as a teenager and many other authors of vampire lore, but I think, until I set out to make
Nosferatu
, I was still too contaminated by the cinematic tropes. And so, you’re infusing things you’re reading with cinematic tropes that aren’t there. In doing the research to write this script, I needed to be disciplined to forget what I knew. And then, you start looking at the really early vampire accounts, and you’re like, ‘They’re not even drinking blood; they’re just strangling people, or suffocating people, or f***ing them to death.’ And that was really interesting.”
With ‘Nosferatu,’ Robert Eggers Continues His Tradition of Terrifyingly Accurate Lore
If you’re familiar with Eggers’s past movies, it’s no surprise to find historical authenticity in his work. For instance, he invested four years into researching history for “The Witch” and the same for “The Northman”, which is touted as one of the most historically accurate Viking films. Eggers often blends historical elements with fantastical and eerie storylines.
In creating Bill Skarsgård’s Count Orlok for the movie Nosferatu, Eggers didn’t just aim to deviate from expectations. Instead, he blended historical authenticity with a tribute to the classic character’s appearance from the 1929 film, portrayed by Max Schreck. As Eggers put it, “I asked myself, what would a deceased Transylvanian nobleman truly resemble? That was my starting point, and I wanted to honor Max Schreck’s makeup design.
Conquering over a century of Vampire cinema tradition isn’t a simple task, indeed. With the existing versions of Nosferatu, Dracula films, and series like Twilight preceding, it can be the most formidable challenge for a director aiming to present a fresh tale to viewers. Fortunately, it seems that Eggers has managed to create a unique niche within vampire folklore with his latest take on Nosferatu, as suggested by initial responses.
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2024-12-03 01:02