SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — “Nosferatu” is flying into theaters this Christmas, and fans are “counting the days.” ABC4’s Film Critic Patrick Beatty sat down with Director Robert Eggers and star Willem Dafoe, Lily-Rose Depp & Nicolas Hoult about their creative collaboration, Robert’s love for the original, and a possible VHS release.
Willem Dafoe, Robert Eggers
Q: What was it like burying yourself back into Nosferatu and using the skills of your period drama work and writing to bring this back out for modern audiences?
Robert: I mean, it was a pleasure. Obviously, it’s something that I’ve been passionate about since I was a child, like yourself. Finally getting to put it on screen was a great joy. Ten years ago, when I started writing the screenplay, you know, I had to discover the reason of why I didn’t tell the story again.
I kind of thought that if it was told through the eyes of the female protagonists, through Lily-Rose Depp’s character, it would have the opportunity to be, more emotionally and psychologically complex. While it is a scary horror movie and there are jump scares, it also is a gothic romance and a love triangle.
Q: I love any time that you’re working with each other. How has both of your shorthand evolved as creative artists when working on each project?
Willem: Well, I just have a feel for what it’s trying to do. I mean, I’m familiar with his obsessions, with his way of working with things that he likes to do, and he knows the triggers for me. He knows how to set me up. He gives me a beautiful wealth of research to get me on the path to trying to inhabit this character. There’s a lot to play with.
Q: Willem, you talked about your character being a character that Robert would take on if he were acting. What made you go to that character, and Robert, do you agree with that? Would that be the character you would have picked?
Robert: Yeah, I would have. I mean, age-wise, I suppose I would have to play Harding but my Von Fronz is the role I would want to play.
Willem: I could tell by the writing, just because there were so many beautiful things in the writing and beautiful details of the characters interested in the occult and the unseen and mystical things and alchemy and those things are all swirling around, I think, in Rob’s imagination.
Q: Is there any chance we’re getting Nosferatu on VHS?
Robert: Yeah. It’s funny, I was talking with Fred Alvarez a couple of weeks ago, and he was telling me about the Romulus release on VHS. Yeah, could be fun. You should definitely check out the Blu-ray, which will have more scenes of Willem Dafoe, like saying crazy occult stuff.
“Nosferatu” is in theaters everywhere on Christmas day. You can check out more interviews from the cast by heading to ABC4.com, clicking the “Shows” tab, and going to “See It or Skip It.”
Lily-Rose Depp, Nicolas Hoult
Q: Lily. When it comes to this character, she’s so powerful and she has so many different layers to her character. The physicality is just incredible. What was what was it like going take after take and what were you doing to protect yourself?
Lily-Rose Depp: It’s definitely quite physically and emotionally demanding. Not only that, but it has to be sustainable. You have to be able to do it over and over again until it’s right. Because a lot of these scenes are one-take things where you have to dance with the camera. Also, the placement of things is very specific. You have to end up here and not there and all these things.
So in a way, you have to really kind of learn to absorb everything into your performance. But in a way, it’s kind of a blessing because it creates this real feeling of unity and this team-building thing where, like Nick said earlier, the wins feel extra special. Then once when you do get something right and you do get something in the bag, you feel like, “Wow, we did it.”.
Q: Nicholas, What was it first like when Bill went on set as Nosferatu? What were your reactions?
Nicholas Hoult: I mean, not completely real fear because I’m aware it’s Bill playing a character. But at the same time, he does transform so wonderfully into this character and there’s nothing that Bill left. So the voice cuts straight to your bones, and then the physicality of the performance as well.
It’s very imposing, and also the emotion that he imbues it all with. It feels like it’s authentic and real and could have existed or would exist and is steeped with so much history that you kind of look at it and you go, okay, this, this feels like it could be it would be real. And that’s obviously when you’re acting with that it feels far more scary.
Q: You have such great chemistry with each other as Thomas and Ellen, and you can tell that Thomas loves Ellen, but he’s working hard in all the wrong places. Where do you think the strength comes from with them once this entity comes into the picture?
Nicholas Hoult: I think you hit the nail on the head. They do have a deep love for each other, and it’s just unfortunate that they, because of the times in society, can’t communicate and understand it. Thomas learns too late what Ellen’s really been dealing with and he’s not equipped at the beginning of the story to understand and care for her in the way that that she needs. I think that the tragedy of this film in many ways, is that it all unravels too late for him.
Lily-Rose Depp: That’s the heartbreaking thing about this movie is that at the core of it is a real love story. There is such a real love between Ellen and Thomas and they want to be right for each other, but they’re missing each other because they’re both victims of their own society. They’re not able to communicate and understand each other in the way that they would like to.
I think that Ellen almost clings to Thomas like an anchor to the earthly realm in a way so she’s not swept up in this darkness that she’s always felt plagued with. Then when he leaves, she is vulnerable to that once again.
“Nosferatu” is in theaters Christmas day, you can check out our full review this Friday on Good Things Utah, and our other interviews with Director Robert Eggers and star Willem Dafoe by going to ABC4.com, clicking the “Shows” tab and “See It or Skip It”.
See It or Skip It 