Year:
2000
Studio:
Lions Gate Films/Saturn Films
Movie:
4/5
DVD:
3/5
Nosferatu is one
of the classic vampire films. It was made in 1922 in Germany during the
silent film era. Shadow of the
Vampire is a movie about the filming of Nosferatu. It poses the question:
what if Nosferatu had starred
an actual vampire? We have a fictional story based on history, with
real people played by actors.
John Malkovich plays director FW Murnau, an obsessed filmmaker who
knows that film is the new medium of storytelling. Murnau is a
perfectionist who wants to make the perfect film and is willing to
sacrifice cast and crew to get it all in the can. For his vampire movie
he brings in the perfect man to play the vampire, Max Schreck (Willem
Dafoe), an unknown method actor who submerses himself in the role.
The rest of the production company don't know what to make of Schreck.
Producer Albin Grau (Udo Kier) has his hands full keeping the crew
calm. New cameraman Fritz Wagner (Cary Elwes) has a devil-may-care
attitude and unconventional filming techniques. Lead actor Gustav von
Wangenheim (Eddie Izzard) and lead actress Greta Schröeder
(Catherine McCormack) are unknowing dupes, ready to be sacrificed to
the vampire.
|
The movie
depicts how silent movies were made back in the day. Didn't realize how
much the director participates. Since there is no sound the director
can constantly feed the actors directions and talk up the mood and
atmosphere. Everybody is wearing lab coats and goggles because the film
stock gives off a toxic dust.
It's a pretty good movie. Sort of nostalgic at times and more
conventional at other times. Malkovich plays obsessed and angry quite
well. Dafoe is creepy in a role that requires subtlety. There are black
and white parts to show the actual "film" being made and there are even
some shots taken from the original film.
Director E Elias Merhige is featured on the commentary track. In my
opinion the commentary was a bit too philosophical and kind of dry.
There is a short behind the scenes bit, some interview segments with
Willem Dafoe, producer Nicolas Page, and Merhige. There are also photo
montages of Dafoe getting made up into the vampire and another one of
the production.
What I liked: good plot, good atmosphere, authentic look for the time
period.
|