The classic 1920s vampire film "Nosferatu" is one of the most highly regarded horror films of all time. This year's "Shadow of the Vampire" imaginatively proposes that "Nosferatu's" behind-the-scenes story was a horror itself.
Aside from the obvious fact that the movie is fictional, there are glaring historical inaccuracies. These blend with the intentional twists on the truth to create a uniquely surreal atmosphere.
Here's the real story: Little-known German director F.W. Murnau planned to adapt Bram Stoker's "Dracula" to the big screen in 1921. After being denied permission from Stoker's estate, he quietly changed the name of the movie and its characters and released it as "Nosferatu." Local actors were cast for the film and production went smoothly, with a great deal of the filming taking place outdoors to capture nature at its purest.
Here's the "Shadow" story: World-renowned director F.W. Murnau (John Malkovich) scandalously films Stoker's novel as "Nosferatu." He causes widespread controversy regarding not only copyright infringement, but also his outlandish desire to film most of the movie outdoors and on locations far outside German studios. He is treated like a king and constantly claims to be a genius.
Murnau casts German actors for most of the characters but finds an actual vampire (Willem Dafoe) in the Carpathian Mountains to portray his screen vampire, Count Orlock. Murnau gives him the false name Max Schreck (the name of the actor who actually played Orlock) and passes off Schreck's nasty habits and aversion to sunlight as "method acting" to his cast and crew. When people working on his film start dropping off like flies, it gets harder and harder to disguise Schreck's true nature.
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Although it is mentioned, "Shadow" downplays Murnau's homosexuality while emphasizing his drug addiction. Murnau spends a great deal of the movie cranked up on morphine or in a debilitated state. It is impossible to sympathize with his character; he does not really care who lives or dies on his crew, as long as he gets his film finished. He takes his inhuman attitude to extremes towards the end of the production, leading to some hideous surprises.
This lack of any moral center is pervasive throughout "Shadow." Murnau and Schreck (we never discover his real name) are both monsters, and their motives equally are sinister. It's difficult to decide who is worse: the one who doesn't care who must die to achieve glory or the one who just wants to suck your blood.
Malkovich gives a passionate performance as the director, filled with intense ranting and hell-bent determination to realize his vision. Yet, Dafoe's Oscar-nominated turn as Max Schreck is the core of the film. Dafoe seems to be having a ball with his role, and he succeeds brilliantly.
With these two stars in the spotlight, it's easy to overlook the rest of the cast, but the other actors turn in some incredible performances as well. Cary Elwes deserves a great deal of praise for his boisterous, intense performance as cinematographer Fritz Arno Wagner. Udo Kier, who portrayed Dracula in "Andy Warhol's Dracula" 30 years ago, also is excellent as producer Albin Grau.
"Shadow" benefits from its unconventional narrative structure. The narrative doesn't really build up and resolve itself; it just flows along. Even after the film ends and everything is tied up, things still seem to be up in the air. This works in that it leaves the viewer wondering and it makes the brutality more emotionally resonant. But it also detracts from the desire for catharsis and justice that the intense atmosphere demands.
This should be expected from director E. Elias Merhige, whose previous film, "Begotten," was a grotesque avant-garde effort that wallowed in bodily mutilation and torture. He tones down his violent tendencies for this film and manages to build tension through the characters. His style is bold and distinctive, marking almost every frame with his dark vision.
Credit should be shared with cinematographer Lou Bogue for creating such memorable images. His ornate, claustrophobic photography adds an air of impending doom to even the scenes that occur in daylight.
"Shadow" is dark, indeed, and may alienate viewers not willing to take a plunge into the depths of some very perverse characters. This vampire may leave you feeling drained, but don't be afraid of the dark.
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