Nosferatudirector Robert Eggers shares new teases about Count Orlok’s appearance in the upcoming film, explaining why audiences have never seen anything like it in aDraculamovie before. Loosely based on Bram Stoker’sDraculaand serving as an adaptation of the 1922 German film of the same name,Nosferatu’s storyfollows Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), a haunted young woman, as she finds herself the object of a terrifying vampire’s infatuation. Bill Skarsgård plays Count Orlok, the vampire, in the film, and marketing materials have thus far kept his appearance hidden.
In a recent interview withVanity Fair, Eggers provides the best idea yet of what Count Orlok will actually look like inNosferatu, teasing that he approached the vampire in a way that all previousDraculafilms did not.The director calls Orlok “more of a folk vampire,“meaning that he looks like an actual corpse rather than a more traditional movie vampire. As for his clothes, Eggers takes a logical approach and pulls from real Transylvanian history. Check out his comments on Count Orlok’s appearance below:
This Orlok is more of a folk vampire than any other film version. That means he’s a dead person. And he’s not like, “I look greatandI’m dead.” Folk vampires in some ways are more visually similar to zombies.
The reason why he looks the way he looks and he dresses the way he’s dressed is because for the first time in aDraculaorNosferatustory,this guy looks like a dead Transylvanian nobleman. Every single thing he’s wearing down to the heels on his shoes is what he would’ve worn. That’s never been done.
The article also reveals that the debut of Count Orlok’s appearance in the film is done gradually. Eggers has a strong reason for this, citing elements relating to storytelling and to audience expectations:
My thinking is that if you invite someone to your castle and you don’t want them to know that you’re dead, you’re trying to be hidden. That also hopefully increases the anticipation of the reveal. We all know our imaginations are always stronger than what the filmmaker can provide. It was a challenge for me to go against my instincts in showing the monster.
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Eggers' previous films includeThe Witch(2015),The Lighthouse(2019), andThe Northman(2022), and each of these movies have established that the filmmaker has a unique visual and storytelling style, especially when it comes to horror. As a corpse, Count Orlok inNosferatuwon’t be a sexy kind of vampire as seen inTwilight(2008), nor will he be a bat-like monster as seen inThe Last Voyage of the Demeter(2023). Instead,Orlok will seemingly be a more grounded vampire as would appear in a terrifying folk tale, and that is right in line with Eggers' previous work.
10 Scenes From Robert Eggers' Movies That Prove He’s A Modern Horror Master
Robert Eggers is a master of horror, with The Lighthouse, The Witch, and even The Northman having some incredibly spooky moments throughout.
On a commercial level,these Count Orlok teases could helpNosferatusucceed at the box office. Director Osgood Perkins’Longlegsbecame a major success in theatersthis summer after its marketing campaign hyped Nicolas Cage’s transformation without ever actually showing him. It’s clear that a similar approach is being taken withNosferatu, though it remains to be seen whether this will translate into box office success.
Our Take On Count Orlok in Nosferatu
Eggers' New Film Has An Effective Horror Atmosphere Supporting Its New Vampire
Though it’s easy to see the mystery around Count Orlok as a marketing ploy aiming to recapture the hype aroundLonglegsearlier this year,Eggers' filmographysuggests that the vampire will be truly terrifying. Trailers for the film have oozed with atmosphere and a sense of dread, and it certainly seems like Count Orlok’s appearance will be only one component of a very tense experience. Count Orlok will likely not appear in anyNosferatumarketing materials prior to the film’s release, and each new tidbit of information about the character only makes the film all the more exciting.
Nosferatu
Cast
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.
