Robert Eggers on Making Count Orlok – aka Nosferatu – a True Monster Again

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As a seasoned gamer with a penchant for all things supernatural, I can confidently say that Robert Eggers’ take on Nosferatu has rekindled my fascination with vampire lore. Having grown up immersed in the mythos of these bloodsucking creatures, from Stoker’s Dracula to Murnau’s Nosferatu, I’ve seen countless adaptations that have strayed far from their chilling roots. But Eggers’ vision manages to capture the essence of the original folklore that made vampires terrifying in the first place.

In essence, whether it’s Dracula from Bram Stoker’s novel or Nosferatu from F. W. Murnau’s film, a vampire is essentially the same creature. The concept of a supernatural, undead being that survives by consuming the life force of others has been around for centuries. However, our current understanding of vampires largely stems from European folklore, which was reinterpreted and widely disseminated in poetry and fiction during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Today, the image of the vampire has become so common in popular media that it has even spawned its own horror sub-genre, constantly influencing literature, movies, and TV shows. The initial lasting portrayal of this character appeared on screen as early as 1922, with Count Orlok in Murnau’s film “Nosferatu.” Interestingly, this version was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula,” published in 1897. Over the past century, we’ve seen numerous interpretations of vampires, many of which venture into genres such as comedy, romance, and even farce.

In Robert Eggers’ words, shared with SYFY WIRE, his upcoming take on ‘Nosferatu’ (releasing in theatres on Christmas Day), aims to revisit and emphasize the chilling core of the classic vampire character, keeping the concept fresh and engaging for viewers.

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How Bram Stoker’s Widow Almost Killed Nosferatu Forever

Nosferatu’s Robert Eggers on making vampires scary again

With a lifelong passion for vampire tales, Eggers shared that he’s spent the past two decades honing his directorial abilities and accumulating experience, all in preparation to bring his vision of Nosferatu adaptation to life. He also kept an eye on how films portrayed vampires, noticing a trend of their cinematic threat becoming less potent over time.

According to Eggers, vampires as portrayed in movies like Max Shrek, Bela Legosi, Christopher Lee, and Edward Cullen no longer instill fear. He explained this to SYFY WIRE. Interestingly, the origins of these glamorized versions can be traced back to John Polidori’s short story ‘The Vampyre’ and his character Lord Ruthven, who was the first to embody the image of a handsome, aristocratic, pale-skinned, seductive vampire. However, in folklore, where people genuinely believed in vampires and considered them real, they were seen as decaying corpses.

As a devoted admirer, I can share that Eggers delved deeply into contemplating and shaping an interpretation of Count Orlok that was rooted in the original folklore from Europe. In his own words, he envisioned: “I pondered, what would a deceased Transylvanian aristocrat appear like?

Eggers described him wearing an ornate 16th-century Hungarian outfit, complete with unusually long sleeves. He also mentioned that this character sports a mustache, and it’s evident he can’t avoid it. Furthermore, Eggers expressed excitement about the unique hairstyle, as it adds authenticity to the Dracula portrayal – something fresh in vampire representations, as this might be how the real Dracula could have appeared.

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Eggers then cast actor Bill Skarsgård to transform into this era-accurate Orlok.

Eggers remarked that it was thrilling due to the significant change for Bill. Initially, upon viewing the sculpt of the prosthetic makeup, he felt apprehensive. He expressed, ‘Rob, this character didn’t resemble me when I was alive,’ to which I replied, ‘I understand, that’s exactly what we intended.’

During Skarsgård’s third trial with the camera while fully dressed as Orlok, Eggers remarked, “Bill seemed to vanish, and instead, there stood Orlok. We all gathered near the monitor, excitedly exclaiming, ‘Yes!’

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2024-12-24 20:46