Nosferatus star Willem Dafoe is reflecting on his own performance as Count Orlok in the 2000 film Vampire's Shadow. The upcoming remake, directed by Robert Eggers, who collaborated with Dafoe on The Lighthouse and The Northmandepicts a nightmarish encounter with the eponymous vampire. In the film, Dafoe plays Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz, a source of authority regarding Count Orlok. However, the Nosferatus Famous star played a version of this mysterious Transylvanian monster in the Oscar-nominated film by E. Elias Merhige Vampire's Shadowan imaginary tale by Max Schreck (Dafoe) during the original Nosferatu: a symphony of horror.
Talking to Weekly entertainmentin front of Nosferatus debut, Dafoe recalled his portrayal of Count Orlok. He expressed affection for Vampire's Shadow and explained how makeup can impact a performance, allowing an actor to see themselves in character. Read some of their comments below:
This was a wonderful experience. One of the biggest takeaways was how beautiful it is to have extreme makeup. I had very heavy makeup on; I was unrecognizable. You see yourself retreating and the character advancing. You don't look like yourself. You don't feel like yourself. You can't move like you. It becomes a beautiful trigger for your imagination and an invitation to explore other behaviors.
Dafoe also reflected on the positive reception Vampire's Shadow and noted that his Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor was “a special pride”, considering the film was made without a major company.
It was a very small film. It's a special pride when you get nominated for a small film because obviously it's not like you have the muscle or a huge advertising budget to convince people [to vote].
He then praised the acting and technical achievements of Nosferatus, which includes another impressive transformation from Orlok, this time by Pennywise actor Bill Skarsgårdand pondered how much recognition it will get. Read more of Dafoe's comments below:
It's an incredibly powerful film. There are great presentations and beautiful displays of various aspects of craftsmanship. So it will be interesting to see if the common thought that horror is ignored come awards season [holds up].
How Count Orlok in Shadow Of The Vampire Compares To Nosferatu
The transformations are equally impressive
Dafoe's appearance as Count Orlok closely resembles the version of Nosferatu: a symphony of horror. Through a completely fabricated backstory, Vampire's Shadow presented a pale, almost bald Schreck, the German actor who originated Orlok on screen. Dafoe's physical transformation, which included darkened eyes, pointed ears, and long fingers/nails, is impressive, in part, because of his faithfulness, complete with precise mannerisms.
There have been brief sightings of Bill Skarsgård as Orlok in the upcoming Nosferatus redo, but ahead its release on Christmas Dayaudiences and other cast members are praising her transformation. His ability to fully embody a character should come as no surprise given his previous role as Pennywise the Dancing Clown in This and the 2019 sequel. From what has been revealed, it appears that Skarsgård wore a significant amount of prosthetic makeupaging him and giving him Orlok's distinct vampire characteristics.
Our Take on Dafoe's Count Orlok Performance
It's a memorable role that won lasting praise
Vampire's Shadow It further represents how famous Count Orlok became following the original Nosferatus. Not only was Dafoe recognized by the Oscars, and deservedly so, but the film received a nomination for Best Makeup that year. Joining Eggers' remake, where he could have experienced another level of prosthetic enhancement, can almost be seen as a full-circle moment. While Skarsgård's portrayal of Orlok may be scarier, both performances are part of an overall legacy, and Dafoe's role remains worthy of praise.
Source: Weekly entertainment