Warning: This article contains plot spoilers from the new “Nosferatu” remake (currently in theaters). If you haven’t watched it yet and want to avoid spoilers, you might want to stop reading.

For a long time, filmmakers have been captivated by the tale of Dracula, creating interpretations of the story since the horror genre began.

The newest version is Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu,” which is a reinterpretation of the silent classic from 1922, an unauthorized take on Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.”

Though some viewers may anticipate a completely new approach, they might be surprised at how closely Eggers’ film adheres to the original narrative. The director emphasizes the sexual elements, develops supporting characters more fully, and introduces several critical changes to give his adaptation a fresh edge.

Changes to Ellen and Orlok’s relationship in the ‘Nosferatu’ remake

The most notable alteration in the remake reveals that young newlywed Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) unwittingly summoned Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), who then returns years later like a jealous former lover after she has married Thomas (Nicholas Hoult). In the original 1922 film, there’s no suggestion that she played a role in awakening the count. While Ellen is pursued by Orlok in the classic film, there is no prior, dark romantic link between them, nor does she have a backstory involving dreams or “spells.”

In the remake, Friedrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his wife Anna (Emma Corrin), the couple that Ellen stays with while her husband is absent, have more developed roles. In the original, Ellen stayed with Harding and his sister, neither of whom had substantial screen time. The character of Harding wasn’t portrayed as a skeptical figure before, and there were no arguments with Ellen, nor did Orlok harm his children. Additionally, Thomas’ boss Knock (Simon McBurney) has a more complex relationship with Orlok, including a new scene where he worships the count amid candlelight.

Willem Dafoe’s character, Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz, who hunts vampires, is entirely absent from the 1922 film. The closest counterpart in the silent original is Professor Bulwer, a minor character who studies nature’s secrets but appears very briefly and has little impact on the plot.

While the general plot remains similar in both iterations, many details have been altered. For instance, Thomas witnessing a corpse burial is a new addition. In the original film, he leaves the inn in the morning without discovering it was deserted. Orlok’s attraction to a locket containing a strand of Ellen’s hair is uniquely introduced in Eggers’ version; he had only been drawn to a picture of her in the original. The hair becomes a tool for Orlok to communicate with Ellen. When Thomas finds Orlok in his coffin, Eggers’ version portrays the count trying to kill him; in the original, he simply fled.

Another notable change is that Orlok attacks victims in the chest rather than the neck, which was typical in the original. Eggers notes that this choice was inspired by vampire folklore, where blood drinking often occurred from the chest.

“For a story that is a gothic romance filled with themes of obsession and love, there is something poetic about the symbolism of feeding from the heart,” he explains.

Both versions culminate with Ellen’s self-sacrifice, but the remake adds an additional plotline focused on defeating Orlok. The original does not include this; instead, it primarily revolves around Knock’s escape and his being hunted by the townsfolk, who blame him for a plague. In the remake, Knock’s escape becomes less emphasized, and instead, he meets his demise inside a coffin. In the original, Knock dies in his cell after Orlok is vanquished.

Bill Skarsgård’s updated portrayal of Count Orlok in the ‘Nosferatu’ remake

Eggers builds suspense regarding Orlok’s appearance, intentionally keeping the character obscured for extended periods. This contrasts with the 1922 version, where Orlok is shown clearly without much buildup.

When Orlok finally appears, the new portrayal resembles a decaying zombie more than the tall, pointy-eared figure played by Max Schreck. This aligns with Eggers’ approach of grounding the film in folklore.

“In folklore, early vampires were often depicted as decomposing corpses,” the director explains. “Thus the question arises: what would a deceased Transylvanian nobleman look like? And that’s the answer.”

According to Skarsgård in an interview with YSL News, Orlok’s outfit is designed to resemble a decayed version of what a Hungarian or Romanian nobleman might have worn in the 1500s.

One of the most notable changes is that Orlok now sports a mustache, a shift from his traditionally clean-shaven look. Skarsgård explains that this new hairstyle and facial hair were influenced by “actual paintings from that era.”

How is ‘Nosferatu’ different from ‘Dracula’?

The original “Nosferatu” was essentially an unauthorized adaptation of “Dracula,” which meant that character names were altered. Significant differences include the portrayal of the female lead who defeats the count through self-sacrifice. Unlike Dracula, Orlok does not transform others into vampires, while Dracula is not vulnerable to sunlight as Orlok is.

Still, the narratives of both films share many similarities, which is why Eggers’ “Nosferatu” echoes “Dracula,” particularly in the depiction of Orlok. Notably, in Stoker’s work, Dracula also has a mustache, akin to Skarsgård’s portrayal.

While Dafoe’s character does not appear in the 1922 classic “Nosferatu,” he clearly resembles Van Helsing from “Dracula.” Both characters are called upon by a former student to assist a sick woman, provide vital details about the vampire, and join a quest to stop him.

Furthermore, the friendship between Anna and Ellen in the film mirrors the bond between Mina—whose fiancé ventures to sell land to a vampire—and her companion Lucy in “Dracula.” In both tales, this friend ultimately meets a tragic fate. However, in “Dracula,” she first becomes a vampire.

A scene in the reboot where Knock bites the head off a bird draws from Stoker’s novel, where Dracula’s servant Renfield consumes birds. Additionally, Orlok’s act of killing the children of the Hardings recalls the scene of Lucy in vampire form attacking children in the text. Lastly, the film’s ending, which focuses on a mission to kill the count, parallels the climax of “Dracula,” although the book culminates in the successful death of the count.

Thus, much like many fantastic adaptations, Eggers’ retelling blends various influences to craft a visually compelling experience.