The Filmscape Reverie

By: Maria Cieslarczyk

TW: mention of s*xual assault, abuse

Movie spoilers ahead!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars.

As a horror film fan, I rarely watch them in theaters *cue the need to escape if things get too hairy*! However, I watched this with a group of friends and highly recommend doing so. When I’d get freaked out, we’d scream at the jump scares together or whisper WTF comments during the more grotesque scenes.

Nosferatu is one of those films that I VERY much understand why it has been nominated multiple times for an Academy Award. Apart from impeccable performances by its actors (shout-out to the queen Lily Rose-Depp and heartthrobs Nicholas Hoult and Aaron Taylor-Johnson!), its eerie setting in 1800s Germany and intricate costume design is mind-boggling. Even Bill Skarsgård is unrecognizable in makeup as the notorious vampire, Count Orlak/Nosferatu. 

It truly is one of the best horror films I’ve seen in a while. A remake of the 1922 silent film Nosferatu, this 2024 version was released on Christmas Day and hit $84.4M at the US box office. I saw it the weekend after New Year’s.

Director Robert Eggers’ gothic film centers on Ellen Hutter, a young woman haunted by a horrifying vampire infatuated with her since she was a young girl. To finally reach her, Count Orlak unleashes unimaginable terrors upon her city. 

The film opens with a young Ellen (played by Lily Rose-Depp) praying out to an unknown force to cure her loneliness. This being (the evil vampire entity Nosferatu) “answers” her summoning and binds himself to her through an act of possession and assault. This attack scene is alluded to as Ellen’s father finds her convulsing naked in the grass. 

Since then, Ellen experiences severe PTSD, seizures, nightmares, and bouts of depression, which isolate her, especially as someone who is sensitive to the supernatural. 

The theme of loss of innocence is prevalent as Ellen only called out into the void due to her loneliness, and was answered instead by a malevolent monster hell-bent on manipulating and taking advantage of her. Even with her husband who she loves dearly, the abuse she experienced from Orlak continues to haunt her…especially as he attempts to regain control of her. 

Orlak’s obsession is that of an abuser’s: gas-lighting Ellen of what she actually experienced and even blaming her for the evil acts he does, like releasing a plague onto the city. Orlak even tells Ellen that he “is an appetite.” Although it can be described as erotic, it is not romantic at all. Sure, we all have darkness within us at times, but Orlak is nothing but pure insatiable evil. Ellen is not…time and time again, she proves her love to her friends and city, even sacrificing herself in the end to finally defeat Orlak.

Nosferatu’s assault impacts Ellen even as a married woman. Her relationship with her husband, Thomas (played by Nicholas Hoult) contains a scene where she questions his loyalty and love to her and calls him away as she believes she is “unclean.” It resonates with me as women are oftentimes taught by patriarchal societal standards to believe themselves “unworthy” or “unclean” if they are devoid of some expectation of purity or innocence (in all its forms – physical, mental, emotional, etc). 

Her intimacy with her husband, Thomas, is impacted by Orlak too, which is a prime example of how difficult it can be for survivors to navigate sex and intimacy again. Ellen and Thomas do prove their care and love for each other physically and emotionally though, which is included throughout the film. It is a way of reclaiming power after abuse, although Ellen’s understanding of love and intimacy is very much stained by pain and suffering, due to Orlak.

I appreciate the intensity of Ellen’s sacrifice but I do find it extremely heart-breaking. One, to have to be intimate with such a horrific beast (whose face card sadly does decline *and* who abused her and killed her friends), and two, to have suffered multiple times at his hand and then have to willingly die to save everyone else.

Oftentimes in films, women must sacrifice themselves in order to let goodness win. In real life too… I’m sick of it, but I find this act in Eggers’ film so important…especially as a discussion tool in today’s society. No more people – especially women – should suffer at the hands of abusers. It is a crucial topic that we shouldn’t shy away from. 

It makes me wonder why a lot of stories do end with an innocent women-identifying character having to perform the ultimate sacrifice. Is it because evil is drawn to innocence? Or because women are oftentimes interpreted as “innocent”? Or is beauty and kindness (traits found in women) the only force that can defeat evil (often times connected to male-identifying characters like Nosferatu?) 

All in all, the film is a critical take on reclaiming power and the reality of dealing with abusive monsters (vampire or human). My final take: no more female sacrifice!