Count Orlok’s Fate In Nosferatu’s Ending & The Real Meaning Behind It Explained By Robert Eggers

Warning: Major SPOILERS lie ahead for 2024’s Nosferatu!Nosferatu writer/director Robert Eggers dives into the ultimate fate of Bill Skarsgard’s Count Orlok in the movie’s conclusion, including its tie to the source material and significance in his story arc. The 2024 gothic horror movie is a remake of F.W. Murnau’s influential, but unofficial, adaptation of Bryan Stoker’s Dracula, first released in 1922. Starring Lily Rose-Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Emma Corrin, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Willem Dafoe, Nosferatu‘s story sees Skarsgard’s terrifying vampire descend upon a German town to terrorize and claim a young woman.

With Eggers’ long-awaited Nosferatu remake finally hitting theaters, the director had the opportunity to break down the movie’s final moments when sat down with The New York Times. When addressing what ultimately takes the vampire’s life in Nosferatu‘s conclusion, Eggers explained that it was a priority to see Count Orlok witness the sunrise in its final moments, not only for accuracy to the source material, but also to stay true to actual vampire mythology, with his death actually stemming from something other than the sunrise.

I need to have a beautiful sunrise at the end. Murnau’s film is often credited with creating the myth that a vampire can be killed by the sun. But it’s actually in folklore that the vampire must be in their grave by the first cockcrow. So it’s not sunlight killing him. It’s the purity of dawn.

What Orlok’s Remake Ending Means For The Story Of Nosferatu

The New Ending Places Greater Emphasis On Ellen’s True Power

Within Eggers’ Nosferatu reimagining, Orlok has a far greater and chilling presence when compared to the Max Schreck portrayal seen in the 1922 movie. Having tormented Ellen (Rose-Depp) since her accidental contact with him in her youth, Eggers’ Orlok is shown to be more than the simple vampire of the original, and the chaos he leaves in his wake further emphasizes how powerful he is. However, his death explicitly being due to a powerful, inevitable sunrise is not only a testament to how powerful he is, but also to the strength Ellen possesses.

Both the 1922 silent movie and Eggers’ remake state a vampire can only be slain through the sacrifice of a pure-hearted maiden, something that Eggers emphasizes greatly through her happy and loving relationship with Thomas (Hoult) and the other human members of the cast. Despite his impact on her in her youth and his abilities to bring the plague to her and the townsfolk, Ellen overcomes his tyranny and is even able to spend her final moments in the sunlight alongside Thomas, having broken Orlok’s curse. As such, Eggers assigning the sunlight with purity also ties it to Ellen, emphasizing her strength against the Count’s evil.

Our Thoughts On Nosferatu’s Ending’s Deeper Meaning

Eggers’ Retelling Features Several Nods To Wider Vampire Mythology And Lore

Despite being based upon the 1922 unofficial Dracula, Nosferatu is more than a simple retelling of the influential horror movie. Orlok’s design has traits more associated with Stoker’s written Dracula, Orlok’s earlier appearance to Ellen can be seen as a nod to Carmilla, while the movie acknowledges other forms of vampirism may exist in the world. As such, Eggers’ Nosferatu exists beyond a simple retelling, and is a celebration of influential vampiric works.

With this, it’s not unsurprising to see Eggers ultimately choose to conclude his Orlok’s tale in a way more explicitly tied to mythology over more contemporary examples of vampirism. Not only does this alteration add additional layers to Ellen’s pyrrhic victory, but shows the level of care Eggers placed into bringing his dream version of Nosferatu to screens.

Source: The New York Times

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Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name from director F. W. Murnau. Robert Eggers is crafting his own version of the story for the reboot as writer and director, with Bill Skarsgård stepping into the shoes of Count Orlok. Nosferatu tells the tale of a young woman who falls victim to a vampire utterly infatuated with her.

Release Date

December 25, 2024

Runtime

132 Minutes

Character(s)

Count Orlok
, Ellen Hutter
, Thomas Hutter
, Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz
, Friedrich Harding
, Anna Harding
, Knock
, Dr. Wilhelm Sievers
, Dockhand
, Head Nurse

Studio(s)

Regency Enterprises
, 1492 Pictures

Distributor(s)

Focus Features
, Universal Pictures

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