Shadow of the Vampire

The film, Shadow of the Vampire, is about the making of the 1921 silent film classic, Nosferatu, with a wicked twist.  This movie's premise is, what if the actor Max Schreck really was a vampire?  What if he were a vampire, playing an actor, playing a vampire?  It also supposes that the famed director, F. W. Murnau knows Max's secret and has made an unholy pact that if Schreck can suppress his appetites through the filming, he may dine on the neck of the lead actress in their final on-camera scene.

The director, played by John Malkovich, explains to his crew that Max, played by Willem Dafoe, is an actor so dedicated to his craft that he will only appear in character, he is to be addressed as Count Orlok, and will only be filmed at night.

Unfortunately, the production begins to unravel soon after they arrive at their Czechoslovakian location, as the Count is not quite up to the task of resisting the temptation of feasting on human flesh.  He begins dispatching of crew members and Murnau soon discovers that he has less control over the Count than he believes.  During one confrontation, Max counters the directors threat by saying, " ... how can you hurt me when I do not even know how to hurt myself?"

Ultimately, members of the crew catch on to what is happening and somewhat reluctantly join in Murnau's macabre goal of creating his art, even at the risk of the lives of all involved.  Who indeed is the monster in this film?

Both Malkovich and Dafoe are highly capable of playing creepy roles and they deliver here.  The movie has its comic moments and hints of camp while it also moves easily between the color, real-life footage to the black&white world captured on film.

1-29-2001