In the haunting shadows of Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024) a gothic horror gem, the story of Count Orlok, a terrifying vampire unfolds dramatically. His story is at the center of the movie’s dark atmosphere. Based on the famous 1922 silent movie Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror—which was a retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula—Eggers brings the scary story to life in a new way. The movie has a hauntingly beautiful setting, stunning visuals, and a great cast, led by Bill SkarsgĂĄrd as Orlok. It’s about love, sacrifice, and the never-ending battle between good and evil. But how does this horrible vampire, the Nosferatu, end his life? Let’s find out how this gothic story ends in a thrilling way.
Nosferatu (2024) Plot Summary:
In the early 1830s, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), a young girl who is lonely, calls on a supernatural being to help her feel less alone. Count Orlok wakes up to her plea and makes her promise to always keep her promise. Ellen is now married to Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), and the two of them live in the German town of Wisburg. Ellen has bad dreams all the time about getting married to Death. These dreams make her feel a strange mix of fear and pleasure.
Thomas wants to make sure he has enough money, so his boss, Herr Knock—gives him the job of selling the run-down Grünewald Manor to the mysterious Count Orlok. Ellen begs Thomas to stay, but he leaves, leaving Ellen with their wealthy friend Friedrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his family. What comes next is a scary journey.
In Transylvania, Thomas meets Count Orlok, who scares him. It’s clear that the people in the town are scared of the vampire, and their scary warnings soon come true. Thomas is hurt by Orlok, who locks him in the castle and drains his blood. Orlok sets sail for Wisburg with a load of rats infected with plague. He brings death and despair with him. At the same time, Ellen starts to have sleepwalking episodes and seizures, which her doctor at first thinks are caused by an unknown illness but which turn out to be Orlok’s influence.
When Orlok comes to Wisburg, he brings disease and destruction. When Orlok tells Ellen that their fates are linked, their bond grows stronger. He tells her that if she doesn’t give in within three nights. He will kill her husband and destroy the town if she doesn’t. Ellen has to make a terrible choice to save the people she cares about.
The death of Orlok: A Sacrifice of Light and Love
The most important part of the movie’s ending is Ellen’s bravest act. Ellen learns from Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz (Willem Dafoe) that the Nosferatu can only be stopped if a good-hearted maiden gives her life willingly. This kind act will not only kill Orlok, but it will also get rid of the plague that has been spreading through Wisburg.
Ellen is set on her choice, so she works with Albin to keep Thomas from finding out about her plan. While Thomas, Albin, and Dr. Wilhelm Sievers (Simon McBurney) look for Orlok in GrĂĽnewald Manor, Ellen does something to get the vampire to come to her room. In what she does, she is both challenging and giving in. Ellen confronts Orlok in a scene that makes you feel strongly about who really has power in their relationship. Orlok gives in to Ellen’s willing sacrifice because he is obsessed with her.
Orlok doesn’t notice that dawn has come because he is so drunk on his hunger and her submission as he feeds on her blood. As the sun comes in, it hits Orlok right in the face and kills him. His body starts to burn and turns into ash. Ellen has fully given up everything, but it costs her her life. She dies with Orlok’s horrible body lying on top of her. It’s the most beautiful and horrifying scene possible.
Visual Poetry in Orlok’s Death
Robert Eggers’s idea for how Orlok should die is full of art and symbols. The last picture of Ellen and Orlok’s bodies tangled together is based on the Renaissance theme of “Death and the Maiden,” which looks at the connection between death and beauty. Eggers carefully planned this shot to make it look like a painting from the Middle Ages. The stark difference between Lily-Rose Depp’s dreamlike appearance and Bill SkarsgĂĄrd’s horrifying makeup makes for a hauntingly beautiful composition.
The scene takes place among Ellen’s purple flowers, which makes it more moving. The flowers represent both death and rebirth, just like Ellen gave up her life to save Wisburg from Orlok’s plague. The sunlight, which is often seen as a sign of purity and salvation—kills Orlok in the end, showing that light wins over darkness.
How Does Ellen’s Sacrifice Reframe the Story?
The story is more than just a battle between good and evil after Ellen dies. She is showing how powerful love and selflessness are by giving herself to Orlok. In most horror stories, the main character is a passive victim. But Ellen is an active character who chooses her own fate. The fact that she chose to face Orlok directly and give up her life; shows how strong and independent she is.
In Eggers’s adaptation, Ellen’s actions provoke intriguing questions about the complexities of love and the fine line between affection and obsession. Orlok’s obsession with Ellen intertwines longing and ruin. Despite being a being of the night, Orlok is irresistibly attracted to Ellen’s innocence, a stark difference that ultimately leads to his downfall. The film wraps up with a powerful message that even the darkest villains can be vanquished through acts of bravery and selflessness.
A Haunting Past
Orlok’s demise in Nosferatu (2024) serves as a poignant finale to a narrative rich in gothic horror and sorrow. Ellen’s sacrifice not only rescues her town but also weaves a beautifully poignant conclusion to the story. In her last moments, surrounded by her vibrant purple flowers and Orlok’s charred remains, the scene is both haunting and stunningly beautiful.
Eggers’s take on the tale honors the essence of the 1922 original, infusing it with intricate depth and stunning visuals. By reinterpreting Orlok’s demise as a moment of sacrifice and redemption, the film creates a powerful impact, demonstrating that even amidst darkness, light can triumph.