Count Orlok's New Appearance In Nosferatu Creates A Very Weird Plot Hole

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Nosferatu (2024).

While 2024’s Nosferatu sees director Robert Eggers pick and choose different elements of vampire lore from various sources and cultures, one change to Count Orlok’s appearance is tough to countenance. Nosferatu is very different from 1922’s iconic silent horror movie Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, but director Robert Eggers clearly holds this classic in high regard. His retelling of the Dracula story borrows from both director F.W Murnau’s influential movie and Bram Stoker’s novel while also adding a few new elements of his own to the mix. Most notably, the ending is almost entirely unrecognizable.

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However, that is not the only thing that viewers might deem tough to recognize. Nosferatu’s Count Orlok looks very different from Max Schreck’s original depiction of the ghoulish vampire. Bill Skarsgård’s take on the famous Count shares Schreck’s long nails and slender fingers, but he wears a furry hat that is absent in earlier movie depictions. Eggers’ take on Orlok also sports a sizable mustache, something the director defended in an interview with Variety. Eggers argued that, as mustaches were “Part of the culture” for men’s fashion at the time, there was “no way this guy can’t have a mustache.”

Nosferatu’s Count Orlok Moustache Prompts A Reflection Plot Hole

Mirrors Break In Count Orlok’s Castle But His Moustache Is Perfect

These claims have historical evidence to back them up, so it is not surprising that Eggers told skeptical viewers they should “Try to find a Transylvanian person who’s of age who can grow a mustache that doesn’t have a mustache.” However, the creative choice is harder to justify in practical terms since Orlok is a vampire. Throughout Nosferatu’s runtime, it is not clear how Count Orlok could possibly maintain his perfect mustache without using a mirror. Viewers might reasonably argue that Eggers’ version of vampires isn’t averse to mirrors, but the movie itself refutes this argument early on.

Orlok is no less averse to mirrors than most depictions of Dracula, which makes it difficult to discern how he keeps that mustache so consistent.

Not only are there no mirrors in Orlok’s castle (a detail that protagonist Jonathan Harker notes in Stoker’s original Dracula), but Thomas Hutter’s own shaving glass shatters in the castle. It is clear that Eggers’ take on Orlok is no less averse to mirrors than most depictions of Dracula, which makes it all the more difficult to discern just how he keeps that mustache so consistent throughout the movie. This didn’t hurt Nosferatu’s positive reviews, but it is a tough plot hole to explain. That said, the almost boundless supernatural abilities of Eggers’ villain mean Orlok has a catch-all excuse.

Nosferatu’s Moustache Still Makes Sense Despite This Logical Hiccup

Orlok’s Extensive Powers May Include Shaving Without A Mirror

Not only is Orlok’s mustache historically accurate for the era, as Eggers noted, but it also makes sense for the character to have an unseen paranormal ability to regulate his facial hair. After all, Orlok is seen causing a citywide plague, commanding the minds of people like Herr Knock and Ellen even when they reside in other countries, and displaying superhuman strength. He seems nigh-on immortal until Nosferatu’s ending, so the idea that he can also shave without a mirror isn’t especially tough to believe. As such, Nosferatu gets away with its mustache/mirror plot hole thanks to the titular villain’s powers.

Source: Variety