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Character actor that is a vampire playing an actor playing a vampire. Is that anything like a woman playing a man playing a woman? In Shadow of the Vampire, directed by E. Elias Merhige we are treated to an interesting take on German Expressionism. Willem Defoe (from American Psycho) stars as Max Schreck, a character actor discovered by famed director F.W. Murnau, played by John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich). As it turns out Defoe is not really a character actor but truly a vampire living in caves, tunnels and run down castles outside of Germany. Director Murnau wanted to make a film about Dracula, but was not able to obtain the rights from Bram Stoker's estate. So Murnau changed the name of his vampire to Count Orlock and titled his film Nosferatu. To make his film the most realistic and horrific film ever made he secretly hires a real vampire and cuts a deal. The unsuspecting cast begins shooting and the German Expressionism is at its most bizarre. Defoe was fabulous as well as humorous as the vampire. There would be nothing romantic about Count Orlock. In fact this version of vampirism was dreadful. The film was not dreadful but the life of the monster. He was old, decrepit and almost appeared rotting. His long dirty talon nails looked painful. He did not possess super human powers like flight, vision or speed. He did not retain eternal youth or beauty, all these concepts Hollywood has glamorized over the years. The life of this vampire was pitiful. The effort to recreate how Nosferatu was made and embellish its merits while adding another twist to the esoteric culture of Expressionism made for a remarkably unique and thought provoking film. The film is dark, literally, physically and metaphorically speaking and the sound quality crackled as if was being shot in 1921. Or the mood was so convincing I really felt like I was on the set of Murnau's film. The performance's are over the top, but well within quality of writing and directing. I rate, Shadow of the Vampires a nine in the About-movies rating. It could have been a 10 but the nudity of Greta (Catherine McCormack, Dangerous Beauty), the monster's love interest was ewwwhhhhhh. Last updated: Saturday, October 28, 2006 05:37:39 PM |
