By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor

Fall is normally the season for horror films due to Halloween taking place during the season. Which makes it all the more shocking that one of the best recent horror films would come out in winter instead, and fully embrace that colder time of the year.

“Nosferatu” by Robert Eggers is the latest remake of the classic silent film “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror,” which itself was an unauthorized adaptation of the novel “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. In fact, it was the first movie to bring the archetypical vampire story to film, though with all of the characters renamed in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid copyright (Dracula was renamed Count Orlock, for example).

The original movie was a foundational part of both the horror genre and cinema in general. Known for its dreary mood and inventive camera work, it was a hallmark of the German Expressionist movement.

The film has already been remade before. In 1979, Werner Herzog released his equally classic take on the story with “Nosferatu the Vampyre,” while 203 brought a remake by David Lee Fisher. Not to mention all the other, more official adaptations of Dracula, such as the Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee films.

So what does Eggers’ remake bring to the table? Well, despite using the altered names of the original film, the latest “Nosferatu” clings closer to the book than previous movies to bear the name. A mustachioed Count Orlok — played brilliantly by Bill Skarsgård, known for terrifying audiences with his portrayal of Pennywise from the recent “It” films — may seem strange to film goers, but is actually in line with the Bram Stoker novel’s depiction of Count Dracula.

But it is perhaps the changes from the formula of the story where the movie most stands out. The vampire here is depicted as a metaphor for the oppression of women which was so prominent in the Victorian era in which it is set. Main character Ellen Hutter, played by Lily-Rose Depp, is often accused of being hysterical even while she speaks the truth about the evil the characters are facing.

Count Orlok is a predator of a decidedly different kind here, lusting for Ellen’s companionship more than he does blood. This is paired with a connection to the plague, something the original “Nosferatu” first introduced to the “Dracula” story. Orlok brings with him an army of rats and disease, resulting in imagery and story moments which will feel all too uncomfortably familiar in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The movie further differentiates itself by taking place during winter. Snowfall is prominent and dark blue coloration gives scenes a very cold feeling that adds to the corpse-like presence of Orlok.

Another excellent part of the movie is Willem Dafoe’s performance as Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz, this film’s equivalent to Abraham Van Helsing from the original story. Von Franz is both a man of science and mysticism, wonderfully eccentric and fun to follow.

This is not to say “Nosferatu” is without faults. Of Eggers’ horror output (which includes 2015’s “The Witch” and 2019’s “The Lighthouse”) this is by far his most straightforward film. That might be great to some, but as a fan of his previous work, I personally felt a little let down by the lesser mystery and strangeness his previous films displayed. Then again, that could just be due to how much I love the original novel and how familiar I am with the story as a result. This is an adaptation, after all.

Regardless, “Nosferatu” is well worth your time. An intellectual horror movie which does not skip on the scares (though fortunately keeps jumpscares to a minimum) filled with some wonderful performances. As maligned as remakes often are in the film world, “Nosferatu” shows that letting a fresh perspective tackle a story can be just as worthwhile as an original film.