Robert Eggers, the filmmaker behind The Witch and The Lighthouse, has opened up about why he chose to remake F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent film Nosferatu, rather than adapting Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula.
In an interview with Screen Rant, Eggers explained that he loves Stoker’s novel, but it is “a little bit overstuffed with Victoriana.” He believes that the Murnau adaptation, which ends with the female protagonist as the heroine, is a simpler and more emotionally complex story that he can build upon.
Eggers admires the Victorian era setting of Stoker’s novel, but feels that it is too focused on the era’s social politics. He instead wants to explore the dark fairytale that lies at the heart of Stoker’s work, and make it more of a psychological thriller.
By stripping away the Victoriana and focusing on the darker aspects of the story, Eggers believes that he can create a more unsettling and seductive film. His version of Nosferatu is a remake that is more true to the original silent film than a direct adaptation of Stoker’s novel.
Eggers’ preference for Nosferatu over Dracula has resulted in a narrative that is more complex and emotionally layered than Stoker’s novel. His film, which stars Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok, is expected to be a definitive take on the Nosferatu story.
The original 1922 Nosferatu, directed by Murnau, was an unofficial adaptation of Dracula and faced legal action, resulting in many copies being destroyed. Despite this, the film has become a classic of the horror genre and has influenced many other films.
Eggers’ remake, which is scheduled for release in December 2024, is expected to bring a new perspective to the story of Count Orlok and the young woman who falls victim to his infatuation. With its focus on the darker aspects of the tale, Eggers’ Nosferatu is set to be a thrilling and unsettling film that explores the psychological depths of the human psyche.
