Why Orlok? A Criticism of the Dark and Erotic Relationship in Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu”

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is centered around the dark erotic entanglement between Count Orlok and Ellen Hutter. Ellen, like Dracula’s Mina Harker, is married to a young estate agent named Thomas Hutter, who visits Orlok’s castle. Ellen begins experiencing visions and nightmares, aware of the impending danger. However, it’s too late when Orlok arrives in Wisborg, causing chaos and feeding off Ellen’s childhood friend. Ellen is the only one who can defeat Orlok, ultimately keeping him in bed until sunrise, transforming him into a corpse. Despite the film lacking passion, critics have praised its erotic atmosphere. However, the film falls short in providing a two-sided depiction of what attracts Ellen and Orlok to each other. The film’s lack of creating a seductive atmosphere and its failure to make Orlok attractive hinders its effectiveness.

– Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu centers around the dark and erotic relationship between Count Orlok and Ellen Hutter, who is married to Thomas Hutter.
– Ellen has supernatural visions and nightmares, warning of a danger that only she understands, and she becomes the only one capable of defeating the Count.
– The film lacks an equal depiction of what draws Orlok and Ellen to each other, resulting in a shallow and chilly portrayal of their relationship.

At the heart of Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu lies a dark and twisted romance between Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) and Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp). Similar to Dracula’s Mina Harker, Ellen is married to Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), who travels to Orlok’s castle in Transylvania for work. At home in the gloomy town of Wisborg, Ellen experiences ominous visions and nightmares, convinced that danger is approaching.

Ellen possesses a supernatural ability to foresee the impending peril, but no one else believes her. Her dreams warn her of the impending arrival of Orlok, but by the time he reaches Wisborg, it is too late. Orlok goes on a killing spree, accompanied by a swarm of rats, and feeds on Ellen’s childhood friend, Anna. Only then do the menfolk acknowledge the existence of vampires.

In the end, Ellen is the only one capable of defeating Count Orlok. She succumbs to his seduction and keeps him in bed until morning, when the sunlight turns him into a lifeless corpse. The themes of sex and death are central to vampire fiction.

Critics have praised the erotic atmosphere of Eggers’ Nosferatu, with Lily-Rose Depp’s performance containing plenty of writhing and panting. One key difference from the original 1922 Nosferatu is that Ellen is not a new victim, but someone Orlok has been obsessed with for years. Before marrying Thomas, Ellen formed a psychic connection with Orlok, inadvertently. Their relationship represents her sexual awakening, albeit in a negative sense. Ellen continues to suffer from traumatic symptoms that her friends and family fail to understand. Her fear of Orlok is intertwined with her unwanted desires, as she struggles to escape his hold.

However, Eggers’ vision falls short in capturing the essence of romance. Despite his skill in creating atmospheric setpieces, his portrayal of romance lacks depth. For the film to succeed, it needs a two-sided depiction of the attraction between Orlok and Ellen, which is lacking. This version of Nosferatu focuses more on technical precision than on immersing the audience in the central relationship, resulting in a shallow sense of sensuality.

The film begins with Ellen having a nightmare and begging Thomas to stay in bed, foreshadowing her inner conflict between her loyal husband and Orlok’s perverse charm. Thomas dismisses her request and unknowingly becomes entangled in Orlok’s plans. Thomas’s boss, Herr Knock, is already under the control of the Count and conspires to bring him to Wisborg, thus bringing him closer to Ellen.

For Ellen, Thomas represents stability and protection from the supernatural presence in her dreams. When Thomas leaves town, her mental health deteriorates. People around her view her as hysterical, but her madness unveils a deeper truth. Apart from Professor Eberhart Von Franz, who is obsessed with the occult, the educated men of Wisborg require concrete evidence of Orlok’s powers before believing Ellen’s claims.

Eggers is known for his commitment to historical authenticity, and Nosferatu is no exception. The film delves into the mindset of the 19th century, portraying Ellen as a tragic and hypersexual figure trapped in a gothic fairytale. The contrast is evident between Ellen and Thomas with their modern sensibilities and the wealthy characters surrounding them with their English accents. Orlok, on the other hand, is portrayed as a filthy ancient interloper, speaking in a thick Eastern European accent and bringing disease and bloodlust into their home. The film also nods to Bram Stoker’s Dracula with Thomas encountering superstitious Bohemian peasants and Romani musicians.

Eggers takes inspiration from early European vampire folklore in his depiction of Orlok. Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal emphasizes Orlok’s repulsiveness, with decayed features and a revolting appearance. Unlike other vampire movies that rely on sex appeal, Nosferatu positions Orlok as unattractive and abhorrent.

Nosferatu’s approach to eroticism primarily focuses on Ellen, a conventionally beautiful young woman. We witness her in nightgowns, sweating and moaning while bound to a bed, dreaming of the monster. While Orlok’s motives are lustful, the film fails to create sensuality in his character. His voice, often shouting or roaring, detracts from his role as a seductive figure.

Other vampire movies have successfully crafted seductive atmospheres around offbeat vampire characters. Guillermo del Toro’s Cronos evokes vampire desire without relying on conventional elements such as hot actors and sexual tension. Eggers’ Nosferatu, however, falls short in this regard. It lacks the same originality and creativity as his previous films, failing to offer a fresh take on the vampire genre. The gendered eroticism in the film feels cliché in comparison to the complex and multifaceted relationships depicted in gothic romance stories.

While Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu boasts technical precision and atmospheric setpieces, it falls short in capturing the depth and complexity of romance. The film lacks an equal portrayal of the attraction between Orlok and Ellen, resulting in a shallow sensuality. It does little to differentiate itself from previous adaptations and relies on tropes and clichés already established in vampire and gothic romance genres.

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