Nosferatu Director Discusses the Film’s Fake Snow Debacle

Posted in: Focus Features, Movies | Tagged: film, Focus Features, nosferatu, robert eggers

The filmmaker behind the new iteration of Nosferatu talks about the film’s use of fake snow and his refusal to use CG snow.

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A huge part of the success behind Robert Eggers’s interpretation of Nosferatu has been the film’s rich, immersive world and gothic storytelling—heavily accentuated by the film’s cold and dark atmosphere, which involved a lot of snow. While speaking with Vanity Fair about the film’s use of fake snow, Eggers revealed that it became a slight debacle after the initial snow candle option was deemed illegal. So, how did they pull it off in the end?

Discussing the need to pivot, he tells the outlet, “That’s like Ridley Scott movies; that’s the snow that he uses, and I used it on The Northman. But in between The Northman and Nosferatu, that snow became illegal because the gas that makes the snow float is toxic. Fun fact. Production thought, ‘Okay, well, we’re going to have to use CG snow.’ I refused to use CG snow. So yeah, so then I was angrily watching a movie from the 1940s called The Queen of Spades with some bourbon, and there’s like beautiful, beautiful snow. And I’m taking pictures on my phone and sending it to the snow effects guys, being like, ‘Come on, they did it in the ’40s.’ And yeah, so it was these potato flakes things. And basically, they stopped doing it in the ’90s. So yes, we bought all the potato flake snow in Europe to make this movie.”

In all honesty, horror fans already know how CG blood can really reduce the quality of a film (looking at you, The Strangers reboot), so this one was a definite win for audiences and Eggers.

Nosferatu: Official Cast and Plot Details

Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake. The film is directed and written by Eggers, known for his work on The Witch and The Lighthouse. The all-star cast includes Bill Skarsgård as the vampire, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe.

Eggers’ vision for Nosferatu has been praised for its ability to balance the eerie, haunting elements of the original with modern storytelling techniques. The film’s aesthetic captures a desaturated, almost colorless world, creating a visually compelling experience that remains true to the gothic horror roots while offering something new to contemporary audiences. Additionally, the film’s hauntingly beautiful cinematography and compelling narrative ensure it stands as a worthy successor to the original, cementing its place as a modern horror masterpiece.

The Focus Features film Nosferatu is in theaters everywhere.

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