There are someNosferatu spoilersin this article.
Murnau, who directedthe originalNosferatuin 1922.
That sense of mystery pays off with the reveal of Orlok in the film.
A grotesque beast, furs draped over his hideous body, Orlock glowers from under a thick mustache.
Yet this cadaverous creature is just the latest monster brought to life byBill Skarsgard.
And like the recentNosferatu,Phantomkeeps its central monster hidden for much of the runtime.
The scene is the stuff of cinema legend.
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The visage is still impressive today, a full century later.
But its just one of the many onscreen transformations undergone by Lon Chaney, the Man of 1000 Faces.
To portray the Phantom, Chaney pulled the flesh below his eyes and on his nose with string.
They stand the test of time because Chaneys character transformations werent just skin deep.
Modern Monster Acting
Theres a lot to like inIt, the 2017 adaptation of theStephen Kingnovel.
But it isnt always scary.
An over-reliance on CGI and shaky jump scares naturally handicap such things.
Skarsgard can be terrifying, too, and not only because of the great-looking makeup design by Janie Bryant.
These low-budget effects work so much better because they come from Skarsgards full-body commitment to the character of Pennywise.
Like Lon Chaney Sr. before him, he understands the external to be an extension of the internal.
Pennywises insatiable hunger for fear doesnt just manifest in a spider form or a goofy, sped-up dance.
Evil Inside Out
The horror ofNosferatudoesnt come only from the plot.
But that makes Skarsgards transformation all the more impressive.
This isntGary Oldmansdapper romantic and elderly creep.
Nor is itBela Lugosispurring aristocrat.
This is a beast who walks like a man.
