3) Mental Health
Eggers’ Nosferatu addresses the changing trends in mental health care, especially in relation to people corrupted by Count Orlok. Dr. Wilhelm Sievers (Ralph Ineson), particularly calls out how his hospital trying to move away from simply locking away people with mental health issues. The sentiment gets more complicated as people get more erratic, and while the institutions are transitioning away from barbaric treatment toward the mentally ill, societal sensibilities still remain prejudicial, as shown towards Ellen Harker. Amongst a bevy of fantastic performances of Nosferatu, Lily Rose-Depp was the true standout as Ellen Harker. Her physical and raw performance shifted from quiet, sensitive tones to pulse-pounding fervor. Throughout, she, along with her husband, Thomas (Nicholas Holt), references past bouts of depression and rages that she experienced. While not explicitly named, the film implied that Ellen Harker experiences depression and/or bipolar disorder. Harker’s mental health concerns are often thrown at her face to discredit her legitimate fears of Orlok’s power or downplay her concerns about Thomas’s health.
