Warning: This post contains spoilers.
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror is a 1922 silent German Expressionist vampire film directed by F. W. Murnau and starring Max Schreck as Count Orlok. Briefly, the plot of this movie takes place in 1838, in the fictional German town of Wisborg. Thomas Hutter is sent to Transylvania by his employer to visit a new client, Count Orlok, who plans to live in a house across from Hutter’s. Despite warnings from the locals, Hutter ignores their suspicions until he discovers Orlok is a vampire. Additionally, Orlok becomes obsessed with Hutter’s wife, Ellen, after seeing her portrait. Orlok ships himself in coffins to Wisborg, spreading diseases. Ellen discovers that Orlok can be destroyed if distracted by a pure-hearted woman at dawn. She sacrifices herself by getting Orlok to drink her blood until sunrise; when the sun rises, Orlok gets destroyed, Ellen dies, and Orlok’s castle crumbles.
Recently, in 2024, a new version of this film has been released. In fact, one of the buzziest films on this year's Christmas release docket was Robert Eggers' long-anticipated Nosferatu (2024). Starring Nicholas Hoult and Bill Skarsgard.
Eggers’ Nosferatu reflects American political anxieties, the perpetual threat of war, and ongoing cultural transitions. While many modern Hollywood remakes follow a predictable formula, Eggers’ take on this classic tale goes beyond simple replication.
Even though this new movie is a remake of the 1922 film, there are a few differences between the two. For instance, in the original movie, Hutter finds a book in his inn that warns him of vampires, and instead of being transported to Count Orlok's castle by an enchanted carriage, he is picked up by Nosferatu himself.
There are multiple side characters in Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror that are more fleshed out in Nosferatu (2024). Notably, the friends that Ellen stays with, Friedrich and Anna, play a bigger part in Eggers' version. Friedrich is portrayed as skeptic, while Anna becomes her best friend. An entire subplot about Friedrich and Anna losing their children and suffering the plague is also an addition. Their heartbreak over losing their children to the plague adds a profound sense of sorrow to the story, making the devastation of the plague feel more personal. This also makes Ellen’s selfless decision to sacrifice herself even more impactful. Nosferatu's henchman, Knock, is also given much more screen time and development.
Nosferatu 2024 brings new life to the classic tale, turning it into a story about resistance and resilience that feels incredibly relevant today. Through Ellen’s journey, her fight for freedom and defiance against both a monstrous vampire and a suffocating society, the film explores themes of empowerment, inequality, and the struggles women face in breaking free from restrictive systems. Nosferatu 2024 is a haunting and timely reminder of the importance of standing up for justice, equality, and personal freedom.
Edited by: Ömer Gökce, Yağmur Ece Nisanoğlu