Shadow of the Vampire: Review By Vamp

OK, so I'd never heard of this movie before until it was mentioned a couple of times on the thread that said Willem DaFoe would be cast in the upcoming movie Cirque Du Freak. Well ever since I heard that I immediately wanted to see this movie. The only problem was that every time I went to the movie store to rent movies, I forgot about THIS one. Well yesterday when I was at the movie store I walked down an isle and looked over to find this movie sitting there on display. Immediately I grabbed it and rented it to take home and watch. I'm glad I did too! It was an incredibly strange yet intense movie. It had sort of an old movie feel to it, which is really neat in the effects of the movie. I definitely enjoyed this movie!

E. Elias Merhige directs this movie with the help of the writer, Steven Katz. Together they bring us one of the most strange and eerie movies ever, that is even intense in parts. They definitely knew what they were doing when they put this movie together, and their teamwork is not put together for nothing because the ending result is really different, yet it's amazing!

The visuals in this movie are actually very incredible. Willem DaFoe's makeup and overall look is done brilliantly, it's so creepy, and it looks almost exactly like the creature from the old black and white film, "Nosferatu," which fits perfectly for this storyline. The blood is another thing that is very cool in this movie. It's done very realisticly, which is something that has been on and off in movies. It either looks fake or it looks real, and in this movie, it actually looks real. Another thing that I like about this movie is the overall look and feel of the movie. The camera angles and filters used make it actually look like it's a movie that was filmed in the seventies and/or early eighties, which is another thing that's hit and miss in the newer movies. It either looks cool and eerie and intriguing, or it looks incredibly dumb, and in this movie it's definitely very cool and eerie and intriguing.

The storyline is one that I think is incredibly interesting, as well as very original. It's very different and strange, but I definitely mean that in a GOOD way. It's definitely a new spin on things for the vampire genre of movies. A director who is bent on making the most absolutely perfect vampire movie cannot find the right man to play the vampire in his movie, that is until he finally casts a person, who ends up actually being a vampire, and soon crew and cast members begin to go missing. This story is one that is so out of the ordinary and different that at the moment you begin to watch it, you can't stop because everything unfolding is new and awesome. I know that I was definitely held in my place by this movie, and overall I really liked it!

John Malkovich stars in this movie as Murnau. Murnau is a director who had attempted to get the rights to film a movie version of Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula," but when he is refused he just changes around names and places, and goes ahead with the whole thing. Everything is going according to plan, except one thing. They can't seem to find a man to play the vampire. That's when Murnau announces Max Schreck, a mysterious actor who will be playing the part of the vampire. The thing is, Schreck is an actual vampire who cut a deal with Murnau so that Murnau could get his movie, but Murnau, in his extreme greed and obsession with making the PERFECT vampire movie, offers up one of the lead actresses to the vampire. John Malkovich does an excellent job in this movie as Murnau. However, soon people begin to disappear. His character is such a driven and sometimes neurotic one, but John Malkovitch has that down very well, and that what makes his character so convincing, and the movie so believable. He was definitely a great casting choice.

Willem DaFoe, who is one of my favorite actors, stars in this movie as Max Schreck. Max Schreck is a centuries-year-old vampire who meets a director named Murnau one day. They cut a deal and Shreck is promised the right to feed on the lead actress in the movie, whom Schreck has fallen in love with. Schreck agrees to this offer, but only under certain conditions. He will only appear in full costume and makeup, and he will only film his scenes and parts at night, but the thing is, he only films at night because he cannot walk or stand in the daylight, and it's not his costume and makeup, but his actual appearance and clothes because Max Schreck is really an actual vampire. However, it appears that Max Schreck cannot control his hunger, and soon crew members begin to disappear one by one. Willem DaFoe does such an excellent job in this movie, and his character is just so creepy and even menacing. He does an excellent job of capturing these essences and it's so convincing and believable. He was really another GREAT casting choice for this movie.

Udo Kier stars in this movie as Grau. Grau is the Producer of Murnau's vampire film, and though it's against his better judgement, he agrees to produce it, but when Murnau announces that Max Schreck is going to be playing the vampire part, Count Orlock, as well as announcing his demands, Grau is angered because Murnau did not come to him to discuss the casting of Count Orlock first. However, Grau goes along with it, and generally finds that Max Schreck is a very creepy man. He then realizes that Schreck may not even remember who he is, and that he is just plain crazy. That's when people and crew members begin to disappear one by one on the grounds, and Grau thinks that Murnau's ideas are going too over the top, and that they should stop filming the movie, but Murnau refuses to listen to Grau's warnings. Udo Kier does an excellent job in this movie. He makes the character's fright level so convincing, and it's just so believable. He was yet ANOTHER great casting choice on this movie. I'm starting to notice a pattern.

Cary Elwes, whom I've never heard of before, plays Wagner, a photographer. When the old movie photographer, Wolff, suddenly, mysteriously, and out of nowhere becomes deathly ill, Murnau must head back to Berlin and find a new photographer and send him back so that they can pick up where they left off and finish filming the movie. Wagner is who is found and sent to finish up the movie. His methods are quite strange and different to all the others, he definitely seems to know what he's doing, although Grau doesn't really trust him all that well. Cary Elwes does an excellent job as the spit fire young man who is Wagner. He just has the attitude down, and it makes the character all the more convincing, and the movie all the more believable.

All in all this is definitely a movie for those fans, like me, of vampires, as well as the fans of the horror movies. This is also a good one for those people who love the old fashioned feeling of the older horror and vampire films because this movie definitely has that down. Another thing that makes this movie so awesome is that it's based on the production of an actual movie, the black and white production called "Nosferatu," and it's an interesting twist on the production that makes for a great movie. I know I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good creepy movie, or just something mysterious to watch!!!!!