Warning: Major SPOILERS lie ahead for 2024's Nosferatu!Nosferatus writer/director Robert Eggers delves into the ultimate fate of Bill Skarsgard's Count Orlok at the film's conclusion, including its connection to the source material and significance in his story arc. The 2024 gothic horror film is a remake of FW Murnau's influential but unofficial adaptation of Bryan Stoker's film. Draculafirst released in 1922. Starring Lily Rose-Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Emma Corrin, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Willem Dafoe, NosferatusThe story of Skarsgard sees the terrifying vampire of Skarsgard descend upon a German town to terrorize and claim a young girl.
With the long-awaited Nosferatus remake finally hitting theaters, the director had the opportunity to detail the final moments of the film when talking to The New York Times. When addressing what ends up taking the vampire's life Nosferatusconclusion, Eggers explained that it was a priority to see Count Orlok witness the sunrise in his final moments, not only for the accuracy of the source material, but also to stay true to the actual vampire mythology, with their death 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 is actually in folklore that the vampire must be in his grave at the first rooster crow. So it's not the sunlight that's killing him. It's the purity of dawn.
What the ending of the Orlok remake means for the story of Nosferatu
The new ending puts greater emphasis on Ellen's true power
Inside Eggers Nosferatus reimagining, Orlok has a much greater and chilling presence when compared to Max Schreck's portrayal seen in the 1922 film. Having tormented Ellen (Rose-Depp) since her accidental contact with him in their youth, Eggers' Orlok proves to be more than the simple vampire of the original, and the chaos he leaves in his wake further emphasizes just how powerful he is. However, the fact that his death is explicitly due to a powerful and inevitable sunrise is not only a testament to how powerful he is, but also to the strength that Ellen possesses.
Both the 1922 silent film and the state of Eggers' remake a vampire can only be killed through the sacrifice of a pure-hearted maidensomething Eggers greatly emphasizes through his happy and loving relationship with Thomas (Hoult) and the other human cast members. Despite his impact on her in her youth and his abilities to bring the plague upon her and the townspeople, Ellen overcomes his tyranny and is even able to spend her final moments in the sunlight alongside Thomas, having broken the Orlok's curse. As such, Eggers attributing purity to sunlight also links it to Ellen, emphasizing her strength against the Count's evil.
Our thoughts on the deeper meaning of Nosferatu's ending
Eggers' retelling features several nods to broader vampire mythology and lore
Despite being based on the unofficial 1922 report Dracula, Nosferatus is more than a simple retelling of the influential horror film. Orlok's design has features more associated with Stoker's Dracula, Orlok's previous appearance to Ellen can be seen as a nod to Carmillawhile the film acknowledges that other forms of vampirism may exist in the world. As such, Eggers Nosferatus exists beyond a simple retelling and is a celebration of influential vampiric works.
With that, it's not surprising to see Eggers ultimately choose to conclude his story of Orlok in a way more explicitly tied to mythology rather than more contemporary examples of vampirism. This change not only adds additional layers to Ellen's Pyrrhic victory, but also shows the level of care that Eggers put into bringing her dream version of Nosferatus for screens.
Source: The New York Times