How Classic Folk Vampires Inspired ‘Nosferatu’ Director Robert Eggers’ Version of Count Orlok

Much has already been teased about Bill Skarsgård’s Count Orlok in terms of appearance in Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, a new take on the classic 1922 vampire film from F.W. Murnau. But there’s a lot more to Count Orlok than his shocking look; the film’s central villain also has a unique bite that’s accompanied by a gag-inducing sound.

Set to release in theaters on Christmas Day, the R-rated Nosferatu “is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.” 

Skarsgård previously teased that he “worked with an opera singer to bring his voice down to its lowest possible pitch” and “spent three to six hours every day in makeup and prosthetics.” But transforming the actor so fully went beyond altering his voice and appearance. Writer/Director Robert Eggers drew from folkloric origins when creating his vision of Count Orlok, which didn’t just reflect in the character’s design but in the way his vampire would feed.

We won’t spoil the details, but let’s just say that this version of Count Orlok eschews convention when it comes to movie vampires and the way they feed on their victims.

“,” Eggers tells Bloody Disgusting. “They would sometimes suffocate people. They would sometimes return to their widows and fornicate with their widows until they died from being oversexed.