Germany, early 1920s. The great German expressionist director Friederich Wilhelm Murnau (John Malkovich) wants to make Nosferatu the Vampire, the greatest silent horror film ever. To make his film as realistic as possible, the director offers the part of the vampire Count Orlak to a real vampire, Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe). The vampire, before accepting the part, asks as a reward the neck of the actress playing the female role, a known drug addict.
The crew moves to Czechoslovakia to begin filming, but Schreck becomes overwhelmed by his own nature and the group is slowly decimated. Staff and actors, one by one, mysteriously disappear, but Murnau wants to finish his masterpiece at all costs. The survivors begin to distrust Schreck's strange appearance and mysterious ways, but the director reassures them by saying that the actor follows his own very particular method of acting. Eventually, during the shoot with the girl and the vampire, Schreck gets full of her as well, with Murnau filming everything almost in ecstasy. He made the most realistic vampire film of all time.
L'Ombra del Vampiro by E. Elias Merhige is presented as a Making-off of the mythical Nosferatu by Murnau in '22, made eighty years later, and is based on the legend that the actor Max Schreck, who played the vampire, was really one. Excellent idea, good cast, with a John Malkovich in fine form and an Oscar-worthy Willem Dafoe. The makeup and costumes are also very good. Absolutely suitable settings and music. Overall everything appears very successful, except the final result. The film starts well, and there are all the makings of a great production, but during the viewing the viewer is left with the feeling that the film's charm gradually goes cold and then fades away altogether. In any case, The Shadow of the Vampire remains a curious, at times entertaining film. In conclusion, not a masterpiece, but definitely a film to recommend.
Review by Wonderboy85
