The Lighthouse
Overview
The Lighthouse is a 2019 psychological horror film directed by Robert Eggers, starring Willem Dafoe as Thomas Wake and Robert Pattinson as Ephraim Winslow. The film is set on a remote, desolate island off the coast of New England in the 1890s. The film is shot in black and white, in a square, 1.19:1 aspect ratio, which gives the film a claustrophobic, old-fashioned feel. The film follows two lighthouse keepers who are stranded on the island for four weeks. Wake is an older, experienced keeper who is controlling, superstitious, and prone to telling long, rambling stories. Winslow is a younger, quieter man who is hiding a dark secret. The film is a descent into madness, as the two men are driven to the brink by isolation, alcohol, and the oppressive presence of the lighthouse. The film is a meditation on masculinity, power, and the nature of reality. It is filled with mythological and biblical imagery, including references to Prometheus, Proteus, and the story of Jonah and the whale. The film ends with Winslow climbing to the top of the lighthouse, where he sees a blinding light. He falls down the stairs, screaming, and he is pecked to death by seagulls. The Lighthouse was a critical success, earning over $18 million on an $11 million budget. Willem Dafoe was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The film is a masterpiece of atmospheric horror, a strange, beautiful, and deeply unsettling film.
