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Nosferatu Director Robert Eggers Knows the Value of Gateway Horror
In a recent interview, Nosferatu director Robert Eggers revealed his appreciation for gateway horror. The filmmaker, known for his dark and unsettling films such as The Witch and The Lighthouse, acknowledges that some people’s first exposure to vampire tales might have been through an unexpected source: SpongeBob SquarePants.
Eggers expressed gratitude towards the animated series for introducing younger audiences to the classic 1922 silent film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which he is reimagining in his latest project. It turns out that Eggers has a personal connection with gateway horror himself, having grown up watching Muppet Babies, a cartoon that featured edited clips from various movies.
“I was watching this show when I was a kid, and it would play little clips of like Lon Chaney’s Phantom of the Opera, and early versions of Cyrano de Bergerac,” Eggers recalled. “It sparked something in me, and I think that gateway horror can have the same effect on others.”
The director went on to explain that he believes these types of introductions to dark and mature themes are essential for sparking imagination and creativity in young audiences.
Source: gizmodo.com
