Shadow of the Vampire

Shadow of the Vampire

9/10/2000 1h 35m 6.7/10

Overview

Director F.W. Murnau makes a Faustian pact with a vampire to get him to star in his 1922 film "Nosferatu."

Director

E. Elias Merhige

Top Billed Cast

Willem Dafoe

Willem Dafoe

Max Schreck

Catherine McCormack

Catherine McCormack

Greta Schröder

Cary Elwes

Cary Elwes

Fritz Arno Wagner

John Malkovich

John Malkovich

F. W. Murnau

Udo Kier

Udo Kier

Albin Grau

Eddie Izzard

Eddie Izzard

Gustav von Wangenhein

Reviews

John Chard

10/12/2015

6/10

Did I kill one of your people, Murnau? I can't remember. F.W. Murnau (John Malkovich) is filming Nosferatu (1922), but isn't reclusive star Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe) taking his role of the vampire way too seriously? In some ways it's a curate's egg of a film. It certainly helps if you are a lover of old classic film and have some knowledge of the source material at the film's core. It's a fabulous concept that the screenplay is based around, that the star of the film may actually be a real vampire, and the whole production is executed with consummate skill (Dafoe was deservedly Oscar nominated as were make-up artists Ann Buchanan & Amber Sibley). But come the end it fizzles out and proves to not have delivered on its devilishly intriguing premise. Fun, though, and tech credits all round keep one well involved. 6/10

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