We're now just a few weeks away from the release of Robert Eggers' highly-anticipated remake of Nosferatu, and Deadline has shared an extensive interview with the director and his cast.
The story, which is a loose adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, will see the titular vampire, Count Orlok, travel to Germany to stalk and seduce a young woman named Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp), while her husband Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) remains a prisoner in Transylvania.
Though Ellen will obviously be terrified of the evil that has entered her life, just like quite a few adaptations of this classic tale, it seems there will be some kind of genuine connection between the two characters.
Depp was asked about the movie's focus on female sexuality, and the fact that her character's untapped desires and sense of loneliness is at least partially what draws the Count to her in the first place.
“It's interesting, talking about the sexuality aspect, which is something I feel like we haven't even talked about a lot in interviews, but it is a big part of the story. When we meet my character, Ellen, that there's a real loneliness to her, as well as a nascent sexuality, something that I think is everybody experiences kind of around that time, be it a girl, or a boy, or whoever, that I think there's not as much room for girls.”
“I think she carries a lot of darkness, and I think it's a real source of shame for her, and one that she's trying to come to terms with, and that's what I think is so beautiful about her relationship with Von Franz, Willem's character, because he kind of sees her in this way and understands her, I think, in a way that she longs to be understood.”
Dafoe's character, Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz (the Abraham Van Helsing of the story, basically), is the only one who understands the connection between Ellen and the creature that stalks her.
“I’ve heard Robert describe it as a triangle between Ellen’s husband, who’s a loving guy, he loves her dearly, and he’s conscientious," says Dafoe. "He wants to be a good husband, but he doesn’t quite see her, and he doesn’t understand what she’s going through. And then on the other hand, you have this demon lover that attracts her, and she doesn’t know why, but somewhere there is a deep understanding there and a deep attraction.”
The review embargo for Nosferatu lifted last night, and the movie is currently sitting at a near-perfect 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
F.W. Murnau directed the original 1922 classic, while Werner Herzog helmed a rather bizarre 1979 remake.
"Nosferatu tells a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman in 19th century Germany and the ancient Transylvanian vampire who stalks her, bringing untold horror with him."
Nosferatu will arrive on Christmas Day, 2024.