Nosferatu (2024) review {spoilers}
(sorry if there are typos I did not proof read)
Before I get into it let me just say I LOVED this movie. It was so beautifully done, the cinematography was fantastic, it was disgusting and sexy and dark. It was goth! (love a gothic movie) I could go on and on with all the things that I loved about this movie.
As a person who has sexual trauma I felt very seen through this movie and I think there are a lot of ways to view count Orlock. He could be symbolic to abuse, specifically childhood sexual abuse. The way Helen calls out to someone, anyone, for comfort as a child and that is taken advantage of and she falls into something much darker. There is a genuine connection between Helen and count Orlock, a genuine yearning that both intrigues and horrifies Helen. Often when people find themselves in a sexually abusive situation it's not uncommon for our brains to try to put a positive spin on it, a natural curiosity to what had happened to you and the confusing and conflicting emotions that can follow.
You could also view count Orlock as a representation of the taboo and "darker" wants. In the Victorian age era; women aren't allowed to be sexual creatures, they aren't supposed to have wants and needs that society dictates is unbecoming of women. We see this with Helen's diagnosis of hysteria and melancholy. Her desires present themselves in a raw and frightening way. She shows genuine yearning for Nosferatu that makes her feel disgusted and ashamed, because of the societal expectations placed on women, especially during this time period. At one point in the film Nosferatu refers to himself as an appetite, nothing more, which could further showcase Helen's wants and desires.
You could also view Orlock as a representation of Helen's mental illness. I like to image this when I look at Thomas Hutter's performance. Helen has for a long time been plagued with horrible dreams and terrible anxiety, which is worsened when Thomas is away. As Thomas is horrified and traumatized by Nosferatu and Helen talks of this vampire as terrifying and horrible but also gives her feelings of happiness and comfort. I think everyone who has lived with intense mental illness can attest that sometimes we find comfort in the familiarity of our symptoms. As Thomas goes through these experiences he never once lets himself lose love for Helen. Through all the trauma, he stills fights to make it back to his love and to save her from something that scares him to no end. I also imagine the ending being symbolic of Helen succumbing to her mental illness in attempts to protect her loved ones, thus ending her own life (only leaving heartbreak in her wake).
Basically I think there are many ways to look at the new Nosferatu movie but overall the movie is absolutely fantastic. I love how seriously they took this movie, it wasn't silly, it wasn't goofy, it was raw and horrifying and gross and sad.
I also need to give some love to the Nosferatu monster design. What an amazing design!! Of course, the mustache took me by surprise (as did it most people) but I did not hate it! I actually really love how they designed Orlock to look like a Romanian man of the time but made him taller, scarier, and more decrepit than just a regular man. They were able to make him supernatural and vaguely human and I wouldn't change a thing.
Lastly I need to give appreciation to the acting in this movie, every single actor gave a performance of a life time and made this movie so special. I have 0 complaints about all the acting performances, I felt so drawn into the movie, I was fully immersed in the story line and in the characters and their feelings.
In conclusion, if you like well thought out gothic vampire movies with amazing monster design, a well thought out plot, fantastic acting, and gross sexy monster loving then this is the movie for you.
( I also need to add that the ending was *chefs kiss* incredible)
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