Rent Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
3.3 of 5 from 118 ratings
1h 31min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Somewhere in Eastern Europe 1922… Filming F. W. Murnau's classic vampire movie, Noferatu, is being disrupted not only by funding problems, but by rumours of disappearances and deaths amongst and cast and crew. On the first night of shooting, the cameraman mysteriously takes ill and collapses… Some days later, his replacement falls into a trance and never recovers… Leading man Max Shreck (Willem Dafoe) is never introduced to the cast and crew and he is never seen out of character. Hapless actor Gustav (Eddie Izzard) thinks his sinister co-star is the ultimate method actor. In fact, director Murnau (John Malkovich) has sealed a pact with Shreck offering him the neck of his leading lady (Catherine McCormack) at the end of the shoot if he delivers the ultimate performance for the camera. Stranded on an island, the crew must finish the film before Shreck's bloodlust becomes incontrollable. - Actors:
- John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Udo Kier, Cary Elwes, Catherine McCormack, Eddie Izzard, Aden Gillett, Nicholas Elliott, Ronan Vibert, Sophie Langevin, Myriam Muller, Milos Hlavac, Marja-Leena Junker, Derek Kueter, Norman Golightly, Patrick Hastert, Sascha Ley, Marie-Paule von Roesgen, Jean-Claude Croes, Christophe Chrompin
- Directors:
- E. Elias Merhige
- Producers:
- Nicolas Cage, Jeff Levine
- Writers:
- Steven Katz
- Others:
- Ann Buchanan, Amber Sibley
- Aka:
- La sombra del vampiro
- Studio:
- Prism Leisure
- Genres:
- Drama, Horror, Thrillers
- Collections:
- 100 Years of German Expressionism, A History of Films about Film: Part 1, Cinema Paradiso's 2022 Centenary Club, Film History, Films & TV by topic, Films to Watch If You Like..., Getting to Know..., Horror, Memory Lane: Films Set in 1920s, Nosferatu Times Three, The Coppola Clan: Hollywood's Most Creative Family, A Brief History of Film..., What to Watch Next If You Liked Dracula
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Reviews (3) of Shadow of the Vampire
Perfect for those of us who love vampire movies - Shadow of the Vampire review by CW
Loved it. John Malkovich is very convincing as director of the silent movie who will do ANYTHING to get his film made, even sacrificing his actors. Willem Dafoe is brilliant as the vampire pretending that he is an actor playing the part of Count Orlok. Eddie Izzard is marvellously campy as the young man trying to make a deal with the count. What contributed to the grand fun was that it seemed as though the actors were throughly enjoying their roles. The “business” of Count Orlok - hissing, smearing, clicking his nails, sucking in his breath - were perfect. Dafoe nailed the role. Campy, compellingly, delightfully fun.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Lights, Camera, Nosferatu? - Shadow of the Vampire review by griggs
A clever idea doesn’t always make for a compelling film. Shadow of the Vampire spins a juicy premise—what if Max Schreck really was a vampire?—into a self-aware behind-the-scenes riff on Nosferatu. It’s bold, it’s arch… and unfortunately, it runs out of bit long before the lights come up.
The concept starts strong but quickly sags. The satire—of moviemaking, obsession, and method acting taken to, bloodthirsty extremes—feels like a one-joke sketch padded out to feature length. Once you’ve clocked the gag, there’s not much left to discover.
That said, Willem Dafoe is the reason to watch. Hidden under layers of prosthetics, he give Schreck a twitchy, reptilian charm—equal parts menace and pathos. He’s funny, creepy, and oddly touching, even as the rest of the film flounders around him.
Atmospheric but slight, Shadow of the Vampire promises a feast and delivers a curio—sharp teeth, but not much meat.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
NOT IMPRESSED - Shadow of the Vampire review by warlock
EXCELLENT ACTING,SET IN 190S,SILENT FILM,ERA. SUPPOSSED BE BEHIND SCENCES MADE FILM OF NOSFRERATU(LOOKS BIT LIKE IDS).KLAUS KLINSKI & OTHERS DO EXCELLENT JOB.BUT FOUND IT SLOW UNEVENTFUL.PREMISE IS ACTOR PLAYING A VAMPIRE IS A REAL VAMPIRE-
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.