On a recent excursion to a nearby city, my sister and I stopped at a well-known big box store which doesn’t need more advertising here. Surprisingly, physical media is still sold in this marketplace, so I had to pop on my Mad Scientist Glasses to see what was on the shelf. 
I purchased two films. One was a planned purchase. The other was an impulse buy. Which one was which and will I keep them both or are they headed for the library discard table? Let’s find out…
NOSFERATU (2024)
written & directed by Robert Eggers
This is a 21st Century remake of the 1922 German silent film of the same name. The silent film was an unlicensed adaptation of the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, so you know the basic plot. Thomas, a young realtor, visits Transylvania to secure a deal with a reclusive aristocrat and inadvertently unleashes a vampire upon the world, or at least upon one city.
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| Peekaboo, Count Orlok sees you! |
As an added bonus, NOSFERATU contains a wink and a nod to a couple of other vampire films through its cast. Nicholas Hoult plays Thomas, but in 2023, the actor was the title character in the outrageously fun Dracula spin-off RENFIELD. Willem Dafoe plays the disgraced professor who is treating Ellen’s maladies in NOSFERATU, but in 2000, he portrayed the original silent film NOSFERATU actor Max Schreck in SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE.
THELMA (2024)
written & directed by Josh Margolin
When Thelma is scammed out of $10,000 by someone pretending to be her grandson, there’s only one thing for this 93-year-old widow to do. Go after the scammer to get her money back by trekking across the city without her overprotective family’s knowledge. Will she succeed in her impossible mission? Hang onto your scooter because it’s going to be a wild ride!
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| Hell hath no fury like a Granny scammed! |
The cast is perfection with June Squibb as the determined Thelma. She brings a human touch to a character that could’ve been portrayed as a caricature by a lesser thespian. Richard Roundtree, in his final role, brings sweet sincerity as Thelma’s cohort Ben. Parker Posey, as Thelma’s understandably stressed-out daughter, is a joy to watch and listen to, as always. Fred Hechinger, as Thelma’s devoted grandson, brings a bit of slacker charm to the table.
NOSFERATU was my planned purchase because I have the silent version and a remake from the 1970s, so my filmic OCD demanded I purchase a copy of the new one. THELMA was the impulse buy. The vivid cover caught my half-blind eyes, but even with my Mad Scientist Glasses on, I couldn’t quite decipher the title. I thought it was called Tell Me, so I asked my sister to tell me what the hell I was looking at. She read the title and then mentioned Parker Posey was in it. With that, THELMA was immediately put in my basket.
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| Wait, what are you putting where? |
Neither THELMA nor NOSFERATU will be donated to the library. I enjoyed both and they each deserve more viewings. However, if I could only keep one, it would be THELMA, which is currently streaming on Hulu. The story was full of surprises and was extremely entertaining and satisfying. Plus, it has Parker Posey!
Freak Out,
JLH
P.S. Click a pic ⤵️ for other filmic battles! 🍿
Escape reality with one of my books… 📚 
Excellent double-review, John! Who knew that Thelma would be the breakout winner? This sounds like fun, and since I have Hulu, I have no excuse to miss it. Admittedly, I was a bit underwhelmed by Nosferatu, despite the fact that it was very well made. Perhaps it's just my memory of the original and Herzog's remake that clouded my judgment. At any rate, I think it deserves a rewatch.
ReplyDeleteI know, right?! I thought I would like Thelma, but I didn’t imagine I would enjoy it as much as I did! As for Nosferatu, it pails in comparison to the original and even the Herzog version! However, I found myself transported. Plus, I was relieved when the cat lived in the end since they were dealing so much with it throughout.
DeleteI have to confess I have extremely low expectations of contemporary remakes, so I am not motivated to see Nosferatu. I did see Thelma pretty much by accident and just loved it -- it's warm, funny and quirky without, as you point out, veering into cloying sentimentality. The cast is superb! Nebraska is one of the great comedy-dramas of the century, and June Squibb is hilarious in it. Thelma is another great role!
ReplyDeleteWell, the original Nosferatu is still the best, so I understand why you’re not in a rush to see the modern take.
DeleteAs for Thelma, it is delightful! It took me years to watch Nebraska because I was worried of how Nebraskans would be portrayed. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the movie and June Squibb stole every scene she was in, especially while visiting the cemetery!
Thanks for this great double bill. I have heard of both of these but now adding to my list. Do love the sound of an Adrienne Barbeau audio too. She's got a lovely voice.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gill!
DeleteThelma is a must watch!
As for Adrienne Barbeau, she really does have a lovely voice! I recognize her right away when she is performing a descriptive audio track!