Shadow of the Vampire

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intothenitrate
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Shadow of the Vampire

Post by intothenitrate »

I thought this forum could use a little love. I had seen Shadow of the Vampire (2000) a long time ago, when my interest in film was still pretty cursory. And, although it was released in the year 2000, it's a historical picture, referring back to the making of the Nosferatu by FW Murnau in 1922. I rented it again and admired it even more the second time around.

The premise of the film is pretty nifty: What if the lead actor in Nosferatu was in fact an actual vampire? Fleshed out, this little twist gives rise to a highly engaging and uniquely chilling drama. In the story, Murnau keeps his crew in the dark about the true identity of "Max Schreck," claiming that he's a "method actor from the Stanislavsky school." The crew is impressed by his "dedication" but can't help being seriously creeped out by him.

I won't rehash the plot--to be sportsmanlike--but I would like to point out a few things that I felt made it "Oasis-worthy."

For one thing, the filmmakers show a lot of respect for the silent cinema. (As opposed to some historical movies-about-movies that seem to have the attitude "Here's what it was like before they knew any better." Great care is taken to capture the intrepid, questing spirit of the film pioneers. I particularly love the quote (by the Murnau character): "We are scientists engaged in the creation of memory, but our memory will neither blur nor fade." I wouldn't know if this quote is directly attributable to Murnau (I tend to think not), but it does highlight the fact that film is an enormously impactful medium, perhaps in ways we still do not fully understand.

The disc I rented has supplemental features--some interviews and a Director's commentary track--which attest to the care, respect and thoughtfulness that went into the production. Of particular interest was the silent film technique of the director talking his actors through a scene while the cameras were rolling, a function that obviously went out with the advent of sound. Malkovich (Murnau) really draws this out in his performance.

Also noteworthy is the artwork in the opening credits. They're a series of illustrations done in a lovely sepia tone--very art nouveau--that suggest the decor of a 1920s movie palace. The images communicate a new power arising in the consciousness of humanity--the world of film--as both a creative and destructive force. At least that's what I got out of it. It's so brilliant. Beyond words.

So anyway, despite its title, this is a movie you don't have to wait until October to enjoy. It's a good thriller, but it also puts you into contact with other minds that love film as much as we do.
"Immorality may be fun, but it isn't fun enough to take the place of one hundred percent virtue and three square meals a day."
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MichiganJ
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Re: Shadow of the Vampire

Post by MichiganJ »

I love Shadow of the Vampire and Willem Dafoe is great (as well as funny) as Max Schreck. It's a lot of fun watching the entire cast as they recreate the classic scenes from Nosferatu, Eddie Izzard being a particular standout (and it's interesting that his next role was that of Chaplin in The Cat's Meow).
"Let's be independent together." Dr. Hermey DDS
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intothenitrate
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Re: Shadow of the Vampire

Post by intothenitrate »

Is he the actor who plays the actor who plays the Renfield character who's name isn't Renfield?
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Re: Shadow of the Vampire

Post by MichiganJ »

Izzard plays the actor who plays Hutter (aka: Harker). It's been awhile since I've seen the film and I'm not sure who played Knock.
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intothenitrate
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Re: Shadow of the Vampire

Post by intothenitrate »

Yes yes. It's very funny to watch him play a bad actor. That must be pretty hard. And then the Murnau character praises him after every take.

You know, it wasn't until I watched it twice (it was a rental so I wanted to get my money's worth) that I saw the word "comedy" on the DVD jacket. I had watched it very seriously thinking it was supposed to be scary and dramatic. And it was.

You could tell Dafoe had really thought about what it would be like for a creature to actually live that kind of existence. Particularly poignant was that scene where the producer and the other guy were sitting outside drinking schnapps. Shreck joins them and they ask him what he thought about the Bram Stoker novel. He says that he thought it was sad...that the Count had no servants...that he had forgotten how to buy food...that he had to figure out all over again how to entertain a person from the world of the living. That was some brilliant writing/ad libbing. It was, for me, a huge contribution to the whole film-vampire canon.
Last edited by intothenitrate on March 10th, 2011, 4:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Immorality may be fun, but it isn't fun enough to take the place of one hundred percent virtue and three square meals a day."
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Re: Shadow of the Vampire

Post by MichiganJ »

I remember as a kid reading, I think it was in Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, that Max Schreck really was, or at least lived like a vampire. Allegedly there were no photos of him without the Orlok makeup (indeed, it supposedly wasn't actually makeup at all), and that even the word shreck in German meant "demon" or "evil" (which, I believe is actually true!).

Alas, last year I watched the Murnau "comedy", The Finances of the Grand Duke, and there's Max, in a small roll with no makeup, and clearly not a vampire.

Oh, and despite helming some of the greatest films of all time (including what is still the best version of Dracula), comedy was not Murnau's forte.
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intothenitrate
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Re: Shadow of the Vampire

Post by intothenitrate »

Too bad about that urban legend, although it's so much more entertaining than the truth. Michael Blake has fairly well dismantled the myth that Lon Chaney was a bizarre, secret masochist. Also.
"Immorality may be fun, but it isn't fun enough to take the place of one hundred percent virtue and three square meals a day."
Goodnight Basington
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