Nosferatu’s Robert Eggers & Lily-Rose Depp Reveal All: “It’s a Heartbreaking End…”

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As a gamer with an extensive background in horror games and an unquenchable thirst for all things dark and eerie, I must say that Robert Eggers’ take on Nosferatu has left me utterly spellbound. The poetic ending, reminiscent of medieval tomes, offers a fresh perspective on the classic tale, while still maintaining the haunting essence that made the original so iconic.

With Robert Eggers’ adaptation of Nosferatu now available, SYFY WIRE requested an explanation from the director about the eerie final imagery that could change how some viewers perceive Ellen Hutter’s (Lily-Rose Depp) selfless act to eradicate Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård).

In F. W. Murnau’s 1922 horror masterpiece, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, the narrative unfolds as Ellen comes across a book detailing vampires and learns that if a virtuous woman captivates a vampire with her charm, offers him her blood voluntarily, the vampire can be defeated. She chooses to entice Orlok into her home and allow him to feed. Overpowered by desire, Orlok finds himself at her bedside, draining her until the sunrise catches him off guard. Exposed to sunlight, he disintegrates in a cloud of smoke. Sadly, Ellen also perishes in this ordeal.

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In his interpretation of “Nosferatu”, Egger opts for a more poetic finale, creating visuals reminiscent of medieval manuscripts. While Ellen’s actions towards Orlok remain consistent, she chooses, leveraging Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz’s (Willem Dafoe) insights, to sacrifice herself in order to halt the plague caused by Orlok’s arrival and protect humanity.

She invites the monster into her bedroom for a tense discussion about who’s inflicting more pain, followed by him feeding. In an intoxicated state from her blood, he fails to notice sunrise and gets burnt to death by the Sun. The scene gradually zooms out to show Ellen and Orlok expiring among her purple blossoms. Their final image is a mix of tranquility and closure, but also grotesque, as Orlok’s demonic corpse lies on her.

How Nosferatu‘s ending is befitting of Robert Egger’s sense of time and place

In an interview with SYFY WIRE, Eggers revealed that they filmed the closing scene approximately one-third into the production of Nosferatu. The final image depicting their intertwined figures was his rendition of the “Death and the Maiden” theme, a concept originating from German artist Hans Baldung during the Renaissance.

Eggers pointed out that the closing image of his work doesn’t replicate any specific ‘Death and the Maiden’ artwork. However, this theme has been beautifully portrayed numerous times throughout history, making it an enjoyable challenge for them to create their own interpretation.

Eggers said that visual was something he knew would end his film very early on in his development. “Exactly that pose was something that was very considered,” he detailed. “[Cinematographer] Jarin Blaschke and I designed all the shots. We worked with a storyboard artist to draw the shots. But that is one that I drew myself, very, very specifically. Lily-Rose Depp has this doll-like face, and Bill’s makeup is so severe, it really is such a nice contrast.”

Lily-Rose Depp on whether Nosferatu‘s ending is tragic or empowering

In both adaptations of “Nosferatu”, Ellen selflessly gives up her own existence to eradicate Orlok. In Egger’s interpretation, it’s implied that this decision was one of the few choices Ellen had made independently in a long while.

Regarding the final, intense scene, Depp shared that she and Skarsgård filmed it numerous times. “We filmed it so often that it seemed to hypnotize me a bit,” she said. “After a while, I felt trapped in this room with this demon, not to the point where I was truly terrified, but more like I was caught in a whirlwind with this terrifying, monstrous entity.

When asked whether he saw Ellen’s outcome as tragic or inspiring in the end, Depp replied with great enthusiasm: “Indeed, it was both.

The location where my character ultimately finds herself is striking because it combines both tragedy and empowerment,” she described. “Her decision holds immense power, but it results in a sorrowful conclusion. Yet, her sense of guilt from believing that she carries darkness wherever she goes makes her ability to perform a good deed and illuminate the world all the more touching.

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2024-12-26 01:46