Nosferatu’s scariest scene is one you’ll never see coming

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As a seasoned gamer and horror movie enthusiast who has braved countless terrifying scenarios, I can confidently say that Nosferatu stands out as one of the most chilling experiences I’ve ever encountered. The mastery of Robert Eggers in crafting scenes that feel like a twisted nightmare is nothing short of extraordinary.

It’s no secret that Nosferatu is quite a grim film, and at certain moments, it can be downright spine-tingling.

Director Robert Eggers excels at creating scenes reminiscent of waking up from a terrifying dream, making his horror film particularly chilling due to its numerous unsettling moments.

I leaped from my chair in surprise when the ferocious vampire emerged from the shadows to drain the unfortunate sailor. As for Thomas Hutter’s (Nicholas Hoult) run-in with Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) in his castle’s basement, it’s best not to dwell on that unpleasant encounter.

Among all the chilling moments I experienced, none sent a greater shiver down my spine than one that didn’t feature any supernatural beings, or at least not explicitly.

Knock knock…

During the heart of the movie, it’s important to note that Thomas isn’t imprisoned within Dracula’s traditional castle. Instead, he finds himself in a predicament. Simultaneously, peculiar occurrences are taking place in the settlement of Wisborg. To be specific, Thomas’s superior, Herr Knock (played by Simon McBurney), has developed an unusual behavior and is cryptically predicting that his mysterious master will arrive in town.

Indeed, Knock’s madness is so extreme that Doctor Wilhelm Sievers (Ralph Ineson) feels compelled to confine him in his institution for safety reasons. An unsettling sequence unfolds during one of Dr. Sievers’ visits to Knock’s cell. While the doctor converses with the disturbed estate agent, Knock amuses himself by interacting with a bird that mysteriously made its way into the asylum.

When Knock signals the doctor about my master’s approach, he hands me a trembling pigeon, his eyes gleaming with malicious delight as he takes a brutal bite off its head. This instant is downright chilling, not because it startles or instills fear, but due to its unexpected and gruesome nature. After all, this is an Eggers film, so there’s always more than just shock value at play here.

You see, while more modern interpretations of vampirism have made the affliction seem like an easy way to become super sexy (thanks, Twilight), that wasn’t always the case. In the past, vampires were associated with disease and corruption. That’s something Eggers is clearly aware of as, during the film, he links Count Orlok’s arrival in Wisborg to the outbreak of a new plague. 

Vampire’s bite

Knock then represents the way disease can rob us of our humanity. Reducing us to little more than savage beasts, our mask of civility is robbed from us by the reminder that, at the end of the day, we are as vulnerable to sickness and plague as any other animal. 

What’s chilling about Knock consuming the pigeon is that it symbolizes the fragility of our humanness, which could vanish in an instant, and while vampires may be fictional, illnesses are very real-world threats.

Perhaps it’s merely a grisly sequence from a horror flick, I can’t be sure, but let me tell you this – Eggers vividly portrayed that grotesque scene in a way that will make you shudder, especially if your stomach is full. Proceed with caution, as things are about to get quite disturbing.

Initially, the scene was shot using an actual pigeon, as director Eggers revealed to our resident Gothic scholar, Jasmine Valentine. Later, a replacement edible pigeon was used, with some minor special effects adjustments. However, when Simon McBurney initially nibbled on the bird, it was indeed the real bird, which shows his bravery. This unexpected action adds to the tension because we can sense what’s about to happen.

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2024-12-26 19:18