Robert Eggers’ adaptation of Nosferatu is extremely faithful in its roots to the source material, following all the beats of the original so as not to over-complicate the story. However, the new adaptation does expand on its secondary characters, allowing them to feel like more fleshed-out components of the story. One character whose arc has been completely changed is Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Not only is he now given the first name Friedrich (after the 1922 version’s director, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau), he has a whole new role in the movie. This all culminates in his tragic fate, which sees Taylor-Johnson put in a heartbreaking performance that becomes the most tragically memorable moment in Nosferatu.
Who is Harding in ‘Nosferatu’?
In Murnau’s Nosferatu, Harding merely feels like a plot device used as a location for Ellen to stay whilst Hutter visits Count Orlok. Living with his sister Ruth, he isn’t really given much to do. However, Eggers hugely expands on Harding’s story. In the 2024 adaptation, he now lives with his wife Anna (Emma Corrin) and their two daughters, Clara and Louise, and the couple are expecting their first son. When he is first introduced, Friedrich acts as a counterpart to Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), though the pair are shown to be close friends. Yet, through his house and his costume, Friedrich represents the wealth disparity between them. His clothes are more reflective and have more pattern than Thomas’s, and he also has multiple hats which hint at the distinction between the men, despite the fact neither lives in poverty.
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The importance of Freidrich comes much later in the story, particularly when the plague hits the town. He is portrayed as a rational and scientific man, calling in a conventional doctor to help Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), despite her evident supernatural ills. Through everything, he remains mannerly and proper, which becomes even more apparent when Thomas returns and slowly descends into madness due to his encounter with Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård). He acts as the moderator for the audience, representing neutrality and contrasting the plagued visions of Ellen and Thomas. He shows the public response to the outbreak, and as his character feels more humanized in this adaptation, it gives the impact of the plague more weight than the original.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson Has the Most Tragic Fate in ‘Nosferatu’
Friedrich’s upstanding response to the events of the movie makes his fate all the more tragic. After Ellen openly has sex with Thomas, knowing Orlok will see, she angers the Count and, in revenge, he brutally murders Anna and the two children. Although the knowledge of the plague being Orlok is obvious, seeing him grab one of the daughters, with the striking size difference, and biting her, is such a shocking visual. Following this with Anna’s coffin being carried out the next morning, trailed by the two smaller coffins, emphasizes the brutal reality of the situation amongst all the occult. The funeral is the first time Taylor-Johnson breaks from the proper persona he has used to play Harding, as he finally collapses emotionally.
Harding quickly spirals, which climaxes in him visiting his family’s grave, which is inside a crypt due to their wealth. It shows the truly monstrous impact of the plague in a much more intimate manner compared to the nameless coffins of the original. Taylor-Johnson is at his most harrowing as he whispers out his daughters’ names, barely managing to get the words out. Yet, it is when he goes to his pregnant wife that is the hardest to watch; her body is lifeless and cold as he holds it close.
The scene could be read as shock value, but the focus is not on necrophilia, instead showing a loving father and husband who has truly lost everything. You see a man who was the epitome of Victorian idealism, who never did anything wrong and cared for everyone who came to him for help without questioning their situation. And then, you see everything ripped away from him so viciously. It is so unexpected, and a moment of inescapable horror, it feels so unjust and that is what makes it so impactful. Through his complete reexamination of Harding, Robert Eggers truly encapsulates the brutality of Nosferatu; a palpable and unforgiving evil.
Nosferatu is currently playing in theaters.
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In Nosferatu, a reclusive vampire’s presence disrupts a small European village, drawing an unsuspecting young couple into a battle against an ancient evil. As fear spreads, the villagers must confront the terrifying legend and their own beliefs, leading to suspenseful confrontations and chilling revelations.
- Release Date
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December 25, 2024
- Runtime
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132 Minutes
- Character(s)
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Count Orlok
, Ellen Hutter
, Thomas Hutter
, Dr. Wilhelm Sievers
, Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz
, Friedrich Harding
, Anna Harding
, Knock
, Dockhand
, Head Nurse