Nosferatu has definitely been through a lot in its existence in pop culture from its gothic roots to sparkling Twilight abominations and animated buffons but the old 1922 silent masterpiece is the beating heart of the franchise and whilst it has been adapted it has rarely been revitalized, until now.
Robert Eggers, the modern master of atmospheric horror (The VVitch, The Lighthouse) has unleashed his version of Nosferatu to the world and if there’s any film currently out now that has to be seen in IMAX, it’s this one!
Eggers strays away from the Bram Stoker literary roots but throws us back to the days of early cinema as the film pays homage to Murnau’s original silent film whilst bringing it into a modern age.
Folklore and superstition reign supreme as IMAX amplifies every dim compositional detail providing a visual feast worthy of the technology that it is being projected on.
The mood is set and the palpable atmosphere within the cinema is beyond anything you can experience via any other cinema technology, you are front and centre in your very own horror movie.
Eggers’ Nosferatu has been described as “Merchant Ivory meets Hammer Horror,” and I can somewhat agree with this as every frame looks very artistic and it’s framed beautifully in a way that the scenery is painting its own mood and telling its own story. The clarity of IMAX brings the scenes alive and pulls you deeper into its macabre beauty.
The sound design envelopes every scene from eerie whispers to the atmospheric sounds of silence, tension building at every given moment as we gaze upon this dim, dark and desolate landscape.
Whilst Bill Skarsgård certainly doesn’t get enough screen time in Nosferatu his presence is almost hypnotic. His primal movements and guttural voice further prove that Bill was born to play horror characters, first terrifying us on screens as Pennywise the clown in IT and now chilling us to our core in Nosferatu.
It won’t be long until Bill steps back into the clown costume once again with his upcoming portrayal of Pennywise the Clown once again in the Welcome to Derry series debuting on MAX sometime this year.
Bill recently said in an interview that he is bringing an “R-rated” Pennywise to the series, keeping the killer clown at its murderous best, further dwelling into his characters and embodying them with heart and soul.
What sets Eggers apart as a filmmaker is his ability to make the familiar feel new. While his Nosferatu may follow the beats of the original, it’s a sensory experience unlike anything that’s come before.
IMAX allows you to feel the film rather than just see it, a technology that brings alive every creak, shadow and whisper as it surrounds the audience, grips tightly and doesn’t let go. Tension is personified in this eerie and gothically beautiful tale.
For fans of horror, cinema, or just unforgettable experiences, watching Nosferatu in IMAX is essential. It’s not merely a film—it’s an event, a reclamation of the vampire mythos, and a reminder of why we’re drawn to the darkness.
