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Nosferatu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2024 film Nosferatu directed by Robert Eggers, a remake of the 1922 German film, which was in turn based on Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. The film features music composed by Robin Carolan, in which, the album includes 51 tracks of his complete score and released through Back Lot Music on November 22, 2024. The album won the Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Original Score in a Horror Film.

Development

The score is provided by Robin Carolan who previously worked with Eggers on The Northman (2022) which was his film scoring debut. Carolan began composing the score much before the filming began, as Eggers stated "He wanted some original material to play on set… to create a certain atmosphere" which would be real and accurate as possible in the sets, so that each crew can absorb themselves on living in that time period. Carolan stated that he intentionally moved away from the typical horror score, focusing on the film's melancholic and tragic elements. He was inspired by the films The Innocents (1961), Angels and Insects (1965), Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and The Eve of Ivan Kupalo (1968) which had an eclectic and profound soundscape, while also drawing upon the works of Béla Bartók and the post-industrial band Coil.

Carolan employed a vast orchestration, which was led, conducted and orchestrated by Daniel Pioro. The ensemble group included 60 string players, full choir, harpist, two percussionists, and various horns and woodwind players. However, the challenging pieces of the score was the music box, which he and Eggers struggled to perfect its sound, describing it as "almost telepathic". The film's setting in the 19th century, allowed Carolan to incorporate contemporary instrumentation while deliberately restricted the score to have a modernistic sound. Letty Stott, who worked with Carolan on The Northman performed ancient horns and pipes, while Paul Carvis produced a custom-built toaca-like instrument for authenticity.

Release

On September 30, 2024, Back Lot Music announced the digital release of the soundtrack to Nosferatu with Waxwork Records and Sacred Bones Records handling the distribution for its CDs and vinyl LPs. The first two tracks from the score—"Goodbye" and "Increase thy Thunders"—released on the same date. The soundtrack was released on November 22, 2024, nearly a month after the film's release. The physical distribution of the album included double CD and double LP formats, with the vinyl editions included an "oxblood red splatter", black-colored vinyl, lilac and "blue incantation (art edition)" exclusively distributed through Sacred Bones Records. The packaging includes a gatefold jacket, printed inner sleeves, a die-cut poster and a "Nosferatu contract" poster.

Reception

Zanobard Reviews rated 7.5 out of 10 summarizing "Robin Carolan’s score for Robert Eggers’ new Nosferatu is as beautiful as it is tragic, and the sheer orchestral elegance that’s displayed across many of the fifty one tracks here – but particularly in the finale – makes it well worth a listen." Hannah Collins of Buzz wrote "The Nosferatu OST is a remarkable, highly emotive achievement that’ll sweep you up into the jaws of Eggers’ monster like another of his transfixed victims". Charlie Brigden of The Quietus wrote "Robin Carolan has created a fascinating and challenging soundtrack as likely to delight as much as it will terrify." Tim Grierson of Screen International reviewed that Carolan's "driving score… which help envelop the viewer in Eggers’ doomy atmosphere." Chris Evangelista of /Film called it as a "sweeping, tragic score".

Nick Howells of Evening Standard wrote "Robin Carolan’s cracking sound, often heavily melancholic, but suddenly thrashing violently in as the main protagonist in a handful of very effective jump scares." Patrice Witherspoon of Screen Rant wrote "Robin Carolan’s score is the cherry on top, fittingly haunting and nerve-wracking in all the right places." David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter described it as a "moody score, which ranges from symphonic grandeur to agitato strings, pipes and horns specific to the region at that time to queasy atonal groans."

Track listing

Accolades

References

1. "Robin Carolan Scoring Robert Eggers' 'Nosferatu'". Film Music Reporter. June 25, 2024. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
2. Fleming, Ryan (December 2, 2024). "The Craft Of 'Nosferatu': How The Cinematography, Editing, Production Design, Costume Design And Score Brought "Originality And Darkness"". Deadline. Archived from the original on December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
3. ^ "Nosferatu". Waxwork Records. November 22, 2024. Archived from the original on December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
4. Eddie, Fu (September 30, 2024). "Bill Skarsgård haunts Lily-Rose Depp in Robert Eggers' Nosferatu trailer". Consequence. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
5. Konrad, Jeremy (September 30, 2024). "Nosferatu Score Already Up For Preorder At Waxwork Records". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on October 2, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
6. "First Tracks from Robin Carolan's 'Nosferatu' Score Released". Film Music Reporter. September 30, 2024. Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
7. "Robin Carolan - Nosferatu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Sacred Bones Records. Archived from the original on December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
8. ^ "Nosferatu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), by Robin Carolan". Sacred Bones Records. Archived from the original on December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024 – via Bandcamp.
9. "Win the Nosferatu Soundtrack by Robin Carolan on Vinyl". Consequence. December 6, 2024. Archived from the original on December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
10. Zanobard (November 23, 2024). "Nosferatu (2024) – Soundtrack Review". Zanobard Reviews. Archived from the original on November 23, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
11. Collins, Hannah (December 4, 2024). "NOSFERATU OST review: a gothic horror symphony for the ages". Buzz Magazine. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
12. Barry, Robert (November 21, 2024). "Robin Carolan – Nosferatu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". The Quietus. Archived from the original on November 22, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
13. Grierson, Tim (December 2, 2024). "'Nosferatu': Review". Screen. Archived from the original on December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
14. Evangelista, Chris (December 2, 2024). "Nosferatu Review: Robert Eggers Resurrects The Vampire Classic As A Genuinely Scary Fever Dream". SlashFilm. Archived from the original on December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
15. Howells, Nick (December 8, 2024). "Nosferatu review: Lily-Rose Depp leads this ferociously intense vampire feast". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
16. Witherspoon, Patrice (December 2, 2024). "Nosferatu Review: Robert Eggers' Stunning Remake Puts The Terror Back Into Vampire Lore". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on December 2, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
17. Rooney, David (December 2, 2024). "'Nosferatu' Review: Bill Skarsgard and Lily-Rose Depp Are Riveting, but Director Robert Eggers Rules This Haute-Horror Feast". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
18. Willman, Chris (November 6, 2024). "Hollywood Music in Media Awards Noms Led by 'Emilia Pérez' and 'Blitz,' With Elton John, Hans Zimmer and Scores More Among the Nominees". Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Archived from the original on November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
19. Pedersen, Erik (November 7, 2024). "'Emilia Pérez' & 'Blitz' Top Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nominations". Deadline. Archived from the original on November 18, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
20. Willman, Chris (November 7, 2024). "Hollywood Music in Media Awards Noms Led by 'Emilia Pérez' and 'Blitz,' With Elton John, Hans Zimmer and Scores More Among the Nominees". Variety. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
21. Grein, Paul (November 21, 2024). "'Emilia Pérez' and Hans Zimmer Are Top Winners at 2024 Hollywood Music in Media Awards". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 22, 2024.

v t e Nosferatu
Based on Dracula by Bram Stoker
Later films	Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) Vampire in Venice (1988) Transylvania Twist (1989) Shadow of the Vampire (2000) Nosferatu (2024)
Music	"Nosferatu" (1977 song) Nosferatu (1978 album) Nosferatu (1979 album) Nosferatu (1989 album) Nosferatu The Vampire (1995 musical) Into the Land of Phantoms (2002 album) "Nosferatu (The Vampire's Waltz)" (2018 song)
Television	"Graveyard Shift" (SpongeBob SquarePants, 2002) "Flicker" (American Horror Story: Hotel, 2015)
Video games	Nosferatu the Vampyre (1986) Nosferatu (1994) Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi (2003)
Comics	Nosferatu: Plague of Terror (1991–1992) Nosferatu (2010)
Characters	Count Orlok Thomas Hutter

• 2024 soundtrack albums
• Back Lot Music soundtracks
• Sacred Bones Records soundtracks
• Works based on Nosferatu
• Works based on Dracula
• Horror film soundtracks