SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE (2000) / ** 1/2
Directed by E Elias Merhige. Screenplay by Steven Katz. Starring John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Cary Elwes. Running time: 90 minutes. Rated AA by the MFCB. Reviewed on April 8th, 2001.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
Though it may seem hard to believe, movies have now been around for more than a century. One of the interesting phenomena accompanying this venerability is that the dawn of film history has begun to pass into modern mythology; names like Valentino and Griffiths seem as ancient and as far removed from the present day as Abraham Lincoln and Queen Victoria. As a result, cinema's early years have become fair game for speculative fiction: stories that wonder "what if" things had been just a little different.
"Shadow Of The Vampire" is just such a movie, depicting the making of the 1922 German classic "Nosferatu", one of the earliest and most renowned horror pictures. Although "Nosferatu" does not quite date from the start of the film era, its mystique was amplified when the estate of Bram Stoker successfully sued its makers, claiming (quite rightly) that "Nosferatu" was a thinly-veiled reworking of Stoker's seminal novel "Dracula". An effort was then made to purge all extant prints of "Nosferatu", and while some copies have (fortunately) survived, it has helped give the movie a legend all its own.
Even without it, "Nosferatu" would still be an ideal subject for this kind of film. It is, after all, a vampire movie made in the very Eastern European locales where vampire myths first arose. It features a rivetting, convincing performance by Max Schreck as the bloodsucking Count Orlok (or Orlock, a spelling disparity given sly reference -- one I can only assume was intentional -- by the makers of "Shadow"). And so effective was the make-up transforming Schreck into the baleful Orlok that it stands up even by today's standards.
In "Shadow", then, writer Steven Katz asks the obvious question: what if Max Schreck really was a vampire -- or, more specifically, "a vampire playing an actor playing a vampire"?
To explore the notion, Katz focusses on director FW Murnau (played by John Malkovich), who is painted here as a zealous, almost fanatical artist. Katz's point is clear: the medium of film can be every bit as life-draining as a vampire, and the director's fangs are far more deadly than those of any creature of the night. Murnau stalks about his sets and locations, often clad in dark glasses, looking every bit as fearsome as his star. For Murnau, there is nothing more important than the realisation of his vision. He will take any measures necessary to ensure that "Nosferatu" is completed, even making a deal with the devil; and, for all intents and purposes, he has.
In the fictional reality of "Shadow Of The Vampire", Murnau has sought out a genuine vampire (Willem Dafoe) living in the wilds of Hungary. Murnau christens him "Max Schreck" and pretends he is an old acting acquaintance. He explains Schreck's idiosyncrasies and bizarre appearance by claiming that Schreck is a consummate performer who totally immerses himself in his role, to the extent of not even removing his "costume". Schreck, meanwhile, has his own motivations, and soon begins to prey upon the cast and crew of "Nosferatu", putting not just the production at risk, but also the lives of all those involved.
Malkovich is terrific as the obsessed Murnau, but it is Dafoe who steals the show. His realisation of the vampire is unforgettable, neatly capturing the essence of the real Schreck's performance and extending it naturally to flesh out a full character. Dafoe completely eschews the suave modern vampires of Anne Rice and Joss Whedon; his Schreck is barely removed from vermin, constantly clicking his enormous claws and thinking of little more than his hunger. It would be an oversight not to also mention the work of make-up designer Pauline Fowler and her team. They have done a phenomenal job recreating the original "Nosferatu" design and, moreover, making Schreck seem like a real, (un)living creature.
Under the guidance of director E Elias Merhige, "Shadow" successfully transports us back to the 1920s. This is particularly evident in Merhige's use of clips from "Nosferatu" itself. Rather than contrasting with Merhige's own footage, this material fits into "Shadow" seamlessly. And while "Shadow" is ultimately a dark comedy, Merhige does not let this interfere with the fearful, oppressive atmosphere he crafts: the two aspects of the picture work together to impact the viewer instead of diminishing each other.
Consider, for example, a terrific sequence in which Schreck joins other crewmembers who are drinking around a fire. The crew, still believing that Schreck is merely an actor who has immersed himself in his vampire "character", asks his opinion of "Dracula". Schreck responds that he views the novel as a tragedy, and cites the seemingly innocuous scene where Dracula prepares his dining room for Harker's arrival. Schreck views this with sadness because he sees it as a reminder of all that Dracula (and, by extension, himself) has forgotten in the centuries since he lost his humanity. And then, if this weren't bizarre enough, he grabs a bat out of the air and feasts upon it. Should we laugh? Should we be frightened? Merhige successfully inspires both emotions, no mean feat to be sure.
It is unfortunate, then, that "Shadow" gradually loses its way as the movie progresses. Like a particularly grotesque "Saturday Night Live" sketch, Katz and Merhige seem to run out of ideas of where to take their premise next. As a result, the film's final reel feels distinctly fragmented, with ideas and new characters (such as Cary Elwes' cinematographer, introduced when Schreck feeds on his predecessor) coming seemingly at random.
The ending is particularly disappointing, its unrelenting savagery delivering a poor climax to an original and intelligent concept. It also represents a major deviation from established movie history. The best speculative fiction leaves us with the lingering suspicion that maybe, just maybe, such events really could have taken place. "Shadow Of The Vampire" just makes us glad that they didn't.
Copyright © 2001 Shannon Patrick Sullivan. Archived at The Popcorn Gallery, http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies/ShadowOfTheVampire.html
| Shannon Patrick Sullivan | shannon@mun.ca | +----------------------------------+----------------------------------+ / Popcorn Gallery Movies Reviews www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html \ | Doctor Who: A Brief History of Time (Travel) /drwho.html |
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