A Shadow of a Shadow: Nosferatu (2024)

I never expected to enjoy a remake quite this much.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first. A modern remake of a movie that’s over a hundred years old? I couldn’t imagine how that could possibly be any good. Nosferatu (1922) was a German silent film, and Nosferatu (2024)... isn’t. And, frankly, I wasn’t much of a Nicholas Hoult fan (this film made a fool out of me in that respect). I figured it would probably be an interesting film and a good horror flick, but I didn’t expect it to be much more than that.

I am so glad that I was proven wrong.

Before I get into talking about the recent remake, let me give you a little background information on the original. Nosferatu, the original film, was released in 1922 and its full title is Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. I know we’re not supposed to judge books by their covers (or movies by their titles, I suppose), but this title would be enough to get me to watch it if I didn’t know anything else about it. It was directed by F.W. Murnau, one of the most influential names of the silent era. The history of this film is one of my favorite stories in film history, because even the silent era of film was extremely dramatic at all times. Nosferatu, perhaps obviously to those who have seen it, was an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The problem was, Murnau never actually got the reproduction rights. Stoker’s widow came after the production company – Prana Films – and sued them for copyright infringement. Shortly after, Prana Films declared bankruptcy and the court ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed. Unluckily for Stoker’s estate – and luckily for the rest of us – a few copies did survive and made their way to the United States some years later. Since then, it has been hailed as one of the greatest horror films ever made. Having watched it a few times within the last couple of years, I can say that it still holds up. In fact, I recommend going to a screening of it with a full orchestra playing an eerie score for it. It’s terrifying.

Shadows were a large part of German Expressionist filmmaking, and Nosferatu was no exception. The most famous example of this comes from the scene when Ellen sacrifices herself for the greater good of Wisborg, allowing Orlock to drink her blood. Orlock’s approach is shown by shadows on the walls as he enters the house and slowly climbs the stairs, reaching for the doorknob with his shadowy hand. When he finally reaches her, we see his shadow get to her first, clutching her heart. Though this film was considered low budget, this particular moment solidified its place in horror history. There is something so utterly terrifying about watching not a physical form, but a shadow. In theory, one can fight off an enemy with a physical form, there’s something tangible there. But the reality of an unstoppable shadow, with mystical powers that can barely be fathomed, is far more scary. It’s eerie and uncanny, in a way that can’t completely be explained.

I was delighted, upon viewing the 2024 remake, that director Robert Eggers kept this intact. There’s a shot in the film (which I believe is also in the trailer, so I’m not counting it as a spoiler) where the massive shadow of Orlock’s hand is seen reaching across the vast city of Wisborg, traveling quickly to get to Ellen. There was something about it that felt almost like cosmic horror, with the powerlessness of the victims who didn’t even know what the real threat was. It was so far beyond their reach. The only reason Ellen knew what to do was because of her connection to Orlock himself. This shadowy image appears many times throughout the film, constantly reminding us who Orlock is and the power he wields. Almost every time he visits Ellen in her dreams, he is seen only in shadow. You can’t escape a shadow, which just makes the dread build even more.

Shadows and light are a large part of this remake just as they were in the original, despite a hundred and two years of filmmaking between them. This made the remake feel so loving to me. It honored and respected the film from whence it came, but it didn’t feel like fanservice. It took what made the original so great and just adjusted it for 2024. I will say, I do miss that one font in the original that made the H in Hutter look like a B. To me, his name is Butter.

I’m sure I’ll have more to say about the remake eventually, when I’ve seen it more than once and have the chance to do a full analysis on it, but I wanted to make sure I got this specific article written. The original Nosferatu has a very special place in my heart, and having a version of it with modern technology is endlessly fascinating to me.

Further Reading:

D'Alton, Louis J. (2020) "The Vampire that Refused to Die: Dracula and Nosferatu," Proceedings from the Document Academy: Vol. 7 : Iss. 1 , Article 12.

Mars-Jones, A. (2022). Fangs for the memories: Nosferatu at 100 and the long shadow of the vampire. TLS. Times Literary Supplement, (6208), 14+. https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.bu.edu/apps/doc/A698944607/AONE?u=mlin_b_bumml&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=7b53d335