Nosferatu

Listen to this post:

I remember some time ago back in the early 90s when I rented a book from the library about classic monster films, and seeing the famed Nosferatu creature from the 1922 movie that creeped me out and still does. We now come to the latest take on this classic tale with Robert Eggers version of Nosferatu that’s filled with an amazing and eerie atmosphere that draws viewers in, but some may turn away from the long run time and slow burn it brings.

via YouTube

Our own Susana Bojorquez loved the movie during its theatrical run, and you can read her review for the plot details and her take on the film while I go over mine and the special features of this home video release. I found myself enjoying the dark and creepy atmosphere of the movie, as it took me back to films such as the 1992 classic, Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

As much as I enjoyed being pulled into this dark and dreary world, and the amazing cast and their performances, I couldn’t help but notice how slow the pacing became as the movie went on, as though director Robert Eggers was slowing things down just for the sake of being slow. Add in the two hour and some minutes long run time, and things really feel like a slog once you’re halfway into it.

Those who stick with it though will be treated to one of the most creepy and bizarre films out there, which is something director Robert Eggers excels at doing. Watching this tale unfold in 4K with beautiful HDR color makes the experience even more disturbing thanks to the perfect details seen on the characters and their settings, as well as the use of colors, both bright and dark, throughout the movie.

The audio side keeps things spooky as well, as the Dolby Atmos track is sure to make chills run down your spine with the haunting soundtrack and creepy sound effects that come from everywhere. Once this eerie tale is over, you can check out the nice collection of special features included. The biggest of these extras is the option to select between the theatrical cut of the film and the extended director’s cut of it that adds in about four minutes of extra footage.

There’s also audio commentary by writer/director Robert Eggers who shares all sorts of fun and interesting information and more on how he set out to make the film, shooting certain scenes, and such that’s pretty cool to listen to. Other extras include going behind the scenes of making the movie, the special effects and makeup it took to transform Bill Skarsgård into the freaky looking Count Orlok, setting up the authentic and creepy looking settings, deleted scenes and more.

Besides running a tad long and some slow pacing, Nosferatu is still one of the best films of 2024 without a doubt. The 4K HDR visuals and Dolby Atmos audio make an already eerie masterpiece even more freaky, and the special features are a nice treat that viewers will enjoy, serving to enhance a spooky film that will have you creeped out long after it ends.