After how terrifying he was as Pennywise in the two It films, it was perfect casting to bring in Bill Skarsgård to play another iconic horror monster in Robert Eggers’ version of Nosferatu. Just as his portrayal of Stephen King’s killer clown looked a little different from what Tim Curry did, we knew Skarsgård’s Count Orlok wouldn’t be an exact recreation of what came before with Max Schreck, Klaus Kinski, and Doug Jones. Focus Features crafted mysterious trailers that didn’t show what the vampire looked like. If you wanted to see it, you had to go to the theater. For me, I was going anyway, but this added to the anticipation. Then, after hiding his face for much of the first act, Nosferatu showed Bill Skarsgård in all his undead glory with one of the biggest, most unkempt mustaches I’ve ever seen. It would have made Yosemite Sam proud. And whether you liked the choice or not, you’re not going to forget it.
Count Orlok Had a Distinct Look In Other ‘Nosferatu’ Films

One of the first-ever horror films was 1922’s Nosferatu. A loose (and not fully legal) adaptation of the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, the film dealt with a vampire named Count Orlok. Played by Max Schreck, Orlok’s look became iconic with his pointed ears, rat-like teeth, thick eyebrows, and long, monstrous fingers. That look was recreated by Willem Dafoe for 2000’s Shadow of the Vampire, a film about the behind-the-scenes creation of Nosferatu.
In 1979, Werner Herzog rebooted Nosferatu with Nosferatu the Vampyre, giving more complexity to the original silent film. This time it was Klaus Kinski who played Orlok. While his appearance remained the same, with the bald head, pale skin, and long fingers, Kinski’s monster was a bit toned down, with his ears and teeth not so long. In 2024, just a few months before the release of Eggers’ film, Doug Jones starred in a little-seen version of Nosferatu. This time, the more angular, pointy Schreck-like features returned, but that’s not the vision Robert Eggers had in mind when it was his turn.
Robert Eggers’ Count Orlock Was a Tribute to Vlad the Impaler and the Original Dracula

In a recent interview with Variety, Robert Eggers was asked why he chose to change Count Orlok’s look and add a mustache. Eggers’ reasoning was that he wanted to make a scarier vampire unlike what we’d seen in a long time. He wanted his villain to feel real, so he looked back at folklore and what a Transylvanian nobleman of the time would have looked like. That meant big Hungarian costumes, including that big furry hat, which only adds to Bill Skarsgård’s shocking portrayal. Eggers added:

“It also means a mustache. No matter what, there’s no way this guy can’t have a mustache. Try to find a Transylvanian person who’s of age who can grow a mustache that doesn’t have a mustache. It’s part of the culture.”

Eggers also brought up how Vlad the Impaler has a big mustache, and although we might see Bela Lugosi’s clean face when we think of Dracula, in his novel, Bram Stoker described the character as having a mustache.

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Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’ stays fairly similar to the 1922 original, but the director does make a smart update to this story.

Bill Skarsgård’s Version Works Once the Shock Wears Off

Image via Focus Features

Bill Skarsgård’s Count Orlok looks different from the other versions in more ways than one. Every depiction of the character has looked sickly, but those past portrayals showed Orlok as having a ghostly complexion. For Robert Egger’s Nosferatu, the vampire is a rotting mess. You can even hear it in his voice with how heavily he breathes. It feels like Orlok could collapse at any moment. However, while his flesh is falling apart, that glorious mustache sure isn’t.
David White, who did the prosthetics and makeup for Nosferatu, told Variety that he wanted Orlok to look ageless. He kept how old he was vague by limiting the number of wrinkles on the skin and by choosing not to put bags under his eyes. All right, Orlok might not look elderly and sleepy, but his skin is still falling off! White added, “He also has to be appealing and charismatic to Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) and able to disguise his filthy rot and decay by keeping in the shadows as cover.”
I don’t know, maybe the rotting flesh wasn’t the only reason he was hiding in the dark. It could have been that big squirrel growing above his lip too. I mean, he could have shaved it, but imagine taking a razor to that skin. Yikes! It makes you wonder if it got in the way. When Orlok bites someone, is he getting a mouthful of hard, bristly hair that’s decades or centuries old? And imagine the smell! How’s Ellen supposed to be attracted to that?!
All jokes aside, the risk works. From his voice to the makeup, and yes, that mammoth mound of hair centered over his mouth, Bill Skarsgård disappears into the role. Nosferatu was one of the best horror films of the year for many reasons, and that includes the ‘stache.
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In Nosferatu, a reclusive vampire’s presence disrupts a small European village, drawing an unsuspecting young couple into a battle against an ancient evil. As fear spreads, the villagers must confront the terrifying legend and their own beliefs, leading to suspenseful confrontations and chilling revelations.

Release Date

December 25, 2024

Runtime

132 Minutes