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| Genre: | Horror |
| Year: | 2000 |
| Rating: | R |
| Length: | 1 Hour 33 Minutes |
| Cast: | John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Cary Elwes |
| Credits: | Director(s): E. Elias Merhige |
An ingenious and surprisingly effective narrative gimmick is employed in this hard-to-classify film, which purports to tell the "real" story behind the making of Nosferatu, the 1922 German horror film that brought director F. W. Murnau international acclaim. According to Steven Katz's devilishly clever script, Murnau (played by John Malkovich with his customary intensity) brings verisimilitude to his unauthorized screen version of the Dracula legend by casting an authentic vampire, Max Schreck (a nearly unrecognizable Willem Dafoe), in the title role. Only trouble is, Schreck can't restrain his unholy urges -- and his periodic feedings on cast and crew members outstrip Murnau's ability to replace them. Director E. Elias Merhige (Begotten) replicates certain images from Nosferatu with uncanny accuracy, but fidelity to cinematic history isn't his primary aim; he's interested in exploiting a lunatic notion that provokes chuckles as well as chills. Although Shadow swings from suspenseful horror to black comedy, Merhige maintains an eerie, unhealthy atmosphere throughout. Malkovich portrays Murnau as a perpetually annoyed, arrogant, frustrated artist, and Dafoe -- who earned an Oscar nomination for his performance -- makes Schreck alternately terrifying and ridiculous. Shadow of the Vampire deserves one look solely on the basis of its audacious concept, but it's a deliciously macabre movie that begs for repeated viewings. Merhige provides a commentary for the DVD, which also includes an interview with producer Nicolas Cage, a featurette covering the film's inspiration and production, and a gallery of stills. Ed Hulse
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