5 Best Willem Dafoe Movies to Watch While Waiting for Robert Eggers' 'Werwulf'
Willem Dafoe is able to deliver it all – from defenseless vulnerability to chilling madness.
Robert Eggers has already revealed Willem Dafoe's potential three times – in The Lighthouse, The Northman, and Nosferatu. There's no doubt that their creative partnership will reach new heights in the upcoming Werwulf.
In anticipation of their yet another collaboration, we've compiled a list of five movies that highlight Dafoe's talent.
1. 'At Eternity's Gate', 2018
IMDb Score: 6.9/10
While working en plein air in Arles, Vincent van Gogh (Willem Dafoe) strived to depict not nature itself, but rather the hidden eternal essence behind it. However, he is interrupted by a group of schoolchildren who laugh and mock the artist, driving him mad.
This is how van Gogh finds himself in a psychiatric hospital for the first time. Then, his brother Theo arrives with a brilliant idea.
He asks Paul Gauguin to come to Arles and work with Vincent while monitoring his psychological state. However, this plan leads to tragic consequences.
2. 'Mississippi Burning', 1988
IMDb Score: 7.8/10
At the height of the civil rights movement in 1964, three activists were murdered, sparking a wave of civil unrest.
Two FBI agents arrived to investigate: the aging cynic Anderson and the young but seasoned Ward (Dafoe). Their differences in age, personality, and approach to work create constant tension between them.
The investigation also faces constant difficulties because the local sheriff has ties to the Ku Klux Klan, causing all potential witnesses to fear retribution.
3. 'The Lighthouse', 2019
IMDb Score: 7.4/10
Former lumberjack Ephraim Winslow arrives on a remote island to work as an assistant to the elderly lighthouse keeper, Thomas Wake (Dafoe).
Wake strictly forbids Winslow from entering the inner sanctum – the room with the lamp – which he views as his wife.
Tensions mount among those trapped on this tiny island. When a storm hits on the eve of their shift, cutting them off from the world, disaster becomes inevitable.
4. 'Platoon', 1986
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
At the height of the Vietnam War in 1967, Chris arrives at the 25th Infantry Division on the Cambodian border as a volunteer.
Although the platoon is officially under the command of young Lieutenant Wolfe, it is actually led by two more experienced soldiers: Sergeant Barnes and the idealistic Elias (Dafoe).
During their first nighttime raid, the unit was ambushed and Chris was wounded. After returning from the hospital, Chris grows close to Elias and becomes increasingly resentful of the cruel Barnes.
5. 'The Boondock Saints', 1999
IMDb Score: 7.6/10
Connor and Murphy are brothers who live in Boston's Irish Quarter. While celebrating St. Patrick's Day at a pub, the brothers are approached by three mobsters who announce that they are closing down their shop.
The brothers try to settle the matter peacefully, but a fight ensues and the gangsters are defeated. The next day, the gangsters attempt to take revenge on the brothers but end up dead.
Eccentric FBI agent Paul Smecker (Dafoe) investigates the murders and discovers that the police and local newspaper reporters consider the twins heroes.
