Nosferatu’s Final Scene Explained & What Robert Eggers Has Said About It

At the end of Nosferatu, Ellen sacrifices her life to defeat the vampire, Count Orlok, but this finale is just as symbolic as it is devastating, and director Robert Eggers has stood by it. Nosferatu centers on Ellen Hutter, a young newlywed who begins to be haunted by her childhood visions once again when her husband, Thomas, travels to see the mysterious Count Orlok. Ellen soon discovers that a pact she made as a young woman now has dire consequences for her, the ones she loves, and the entire world. Nosferatu originated as a silent film in 1922.

In typical Eggers style, Nosferatu has an overwhelmingly dark atmosphere and unique lore that is just as important as any character. As much as Eggers pulls from the original Nosferatu story and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, this 2024 film feels completely distinct and refreshing. Eggers succeeds at peeling back the layers of this twisted story, and bringing it to a tense and shocking climax. Though it may take more than one watch to understand the inner workings of Nosferatu, the subtle story behind Ellen and Orlok’s final scene makes the movie that much better.

Nosferatu’s Final Shot Of Ellen & Count Orlok Explained

Why Ellen Had To Sacrifice Herself In Nosferatu

In the final moments of Nosferatu, Thomas bursts into his home to find that Orlok and Ellen are dead. After luring Orlok into her home, Ellen makes love to him, distracting him while Thomas, Dr. Sievers, and Professor Von Franz burn Orlok’s coffin. Once daylight breaks, Ellen urges Orlok to drink more of her blood, keeping him distracted but risking her own life. The sun finally rises and Orlok begins to die, blood running from his eyes and mouth. Ellen, sucked of all her blood, dies beneath him just moments after Thomas arrives.

Although Ellen’s death is disappointing, it makes the ending of Nosferatu that much better. Eggers never frames Ellen as a victim, but as a woman who struggles with a darkness that no one else can see. By the end of the movie, Ellen takes control of this darkness and allows herself to be sacrificed for the greater good. Her death proves her bravery, while also putting into relief her unexpected relationship with Orlok. In the end, Nosferatu’s ending shows that Ellen is the true hero of this story, even if she summoned Orlok in the first place.

The Meaning Behind Nosferatu’s “Death & The Maiden” Visual

Nosferatu Is A Love Story More Than A Horror Tale

The ending of Nosferatu creates a gorgeous and haunting image that is reminiscent of a Renaissance motif known as the “Death and the Maiden.” In these visuals, a beautiful young woman is visited in the night by death, sitting at the end of her bed or lying over her body. This parallels the dream Ellen has at the beginning of the movie, and the final image of the film, where Orlok’s shriveled corpse lies over Ellen’s. What “Death and the Maiden” represents is the ways in which darkness haunts and overwhelms innocent young women.

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In the context of Nosferatu, it is clear that Death is Orlok and the maiden is Ellen. However, as much as Orlok scares and repulses Ellen, she also has an irrepressible bond with him. He is her first love, no matter how evil he is. In this way, Nosferatu twists the “Death and the Maiden” into an unexpected love story. Ellen must move on from Orlok’s manipulation and try to hold onto her true love, Thomas. While Nosferatu is certainly scary at times, and unabashedly gothic, it is more like Wuthering Heights than it is Dracula.

What Director Robert Eggers Has Said About Nosferatu’s Final Scene

Eggers Wants Audiences To Be Strangely Touched

Of course, following the premiere of Nosferatu, director Robert Eggers made comments about his final scene. In an interview with USA Today, Eggers confirmed his “Death and the Maiden” motif, and went on to say, “When you see Lily-Rose looking like a doll and Bill looking like a skull with a mustache, it’s a powerful contrast.” Depp and Skarsgård went on to add that the scene was meant to evoke some fear, but also a feeling of sensuality and desire. This is what gives the ending such a bittersweet tone.

Ultimately, Nosferatu stands out as a vampire movie that audiences may be surprised by. Although Count Orlok is undoubtedly a villain, his connection to Ellen does make a difference. Furthermore, Ellen is not a mere victim of circumstance, but has real power and motivation in the movie. All in all, Nosferatu’s strangeness is what makes the movie so captivating.

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Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name from director F. W. Murnau. Robert Eggers is crafting his own version of the story for the reboot as writer and director, with Bill Skarsgård stepping into the shoes of Count Orlok. Nosferatu tells the tale of a young woman who falls victim to a vampire utterly infatuated with her.

Release Date

December 25, 2024

Runtime

132 Minutes