Robert Eggers' short films
Before making
The Witch (2015), Eggers has also made a couple short films and you can notice a developmental process for Eggers in these short films.
Hansel and Gretel (2006)
The Lighthouse (2019) is not actually Eggers' first black-and-white film; that goes to Eggers' first short film which is his adaptation of the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel," which is also interestingly enough a silent film. Eggers also seemed to have casted his mom to play the witch and is still intrigued with historical settings since 2006.
The first half of the film is really grindy and boring since not a lot happens since the main story does not happen until halfway into the film. The second part is somewhat better as the witch did feel a bit creepy, but I read that Eggers was not happy with the film presumably due to its first part. Nevertheless, it was a good first try.
Archive:
https://archive.org/details/rob-eggers-hansel-gretel
The Tell-Tale Heart (2009)
Eggers soon adapted Edgar Allen Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart" and it's a massive improvement over
Hansel and Gretel (2006). The cinematography is much more better and Eggers nails the atmosphere pretty well. You can notice that some scenes in Eggers' future works were based off of this adaptation. I also read that Eggers was inspired by the Brothers Quay's
Institute Benjamenta (1995) to make this film.
Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/701468266
Brothers (2015)
Brothers (2015) is probably Eggers' first original work. There seems to be a huge resemblance to another work Eggers was working around the same timeframe,
The Witch (2015), of which you see the toxic family dynamics and the oppressive woods of New England. The story is noticeably less Gothic than Eggers' previous short films, and there is no clear historical period that this film takes place in, possibly early 1900s. Nevertheless, the cinematography and atmosphere are both excellent.
Archive & Higher quality version:
https://archive.org/details/brothers-a-film-by-robert-eggers
Also you gotta see the Witch, OP. It’s a great movie. He captured Puritan-era New England so beautifully. I think you’d like it.
OP, you need to see The Witch ASAP. It's incredibly an subtle and slow-burn horror, but it stuck with me long after it was over. One of the most effective horror movies I've ever seen, right up there with The Omen, The Exorcist, and Rosemary's Baby.
I screwed myself over by having a bad habit of watching spoilers of movies and series that I never watched and
The Witch (2015) is unfortunately one of them (so I already know the ending). I'm trying to forget this movie to watch it properly or watch it with friends.
