Rating: 
Summary: Great premise but runs out of steam.
Review: I had looked forward to seeing this movie for a long time and after I was finally able to watch it on video I was distinctly under-whelmed. While the original silent film "Nosferatu" is deservedly considered a classic, a movie about a classic doesn't guarantee great results. Willem Dafoe is in creepy fine form as Max Shreck, the actor who played the vampire in the original silent and John Malkovich turns in yet another fine performance. However, the strangely anti-climactic ending leaves one feeling let down.
Rating: 
Summary: "Shadow" is sure to be a classic
Review: I made the very wise decision to watch "Nosferatu" before going to see this film in the theater. It enhanced (if that's possible) my experience ten-fold, as it explained some of the interesting and multifacete turns this movie took. John Malkovich is (as always) terrific as the eccentric and obsessed director and Willem Dafoe is amazing as Count Orlock. Several times throughout the movie, I kept reminding myself that I was watching an actor and this wasn't a real person! I am truly in awe of his incredible talent, especially in this role. The DVD has some great features. There is a version of the movie with director Elias Merhige commentating that is very interesting and explains many aspects of the film and the dedication of the actors and crew. The only thing I found disturbing with the film were the two scenes of drug abuse.
Rating:
Summary: Nottin much hetre
Review: i getz hopw smart and sly thiz flicks wantz to bea but it getz to da points ofz beaing dum! it getz boreing afte a while. the direvcting isz okey and so isz da actting bute the movie just getz breingt thatz all iz can says. don't wastez two muche time onz thisz 1.......peace!
Rating:
Summary: Smart, scary, and unforgettable.
Review: SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE is an amazing film. It operates on three separate levels. On one level it is a story of a filmmaker, F.W. Murnau (John Malkovich), obsessed with his own ambition and vision. He is remaking the Dracula legend, changing the name of the vampire to Count Orlock. His film will be called 'Nosferatu'. He has hired the 'ultimate method actor' named Max Schreck to play his vampire. Schreck is said to get into character and stay there, only wanting to be filmed at night and only responding to the name 'Count Orlock'. But as filming progresses, the truth becomes clearer and clearer... Schreck really IS a vampire, agreeing to star in Murnau's film in exchange for the chance to dine on the leading lady. It's a delicious concept, even more so after you've seen the classic, silent original. It's easier to believe that Schreck was some kind of monster then it was to believe he was simply an actor in makeup. That's how effective Schreck's performance in the 1922 German film is. The second level of the film is more familiar. It is a horror film. It has all the elements of a vampire film and it acts on all of them, actually reaching a degree of creepiness that you wouldn't expect from a film this (excuse the phrase) 'artsy'. And finally, SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE is a seething satire, one where the lead actor cannabalizes the cast and crew to get what he wants and the director is so focused on his vision that he ignores the fact that the people around him are falling ill, they are merely meat puppets (Hitchcock and Kubrick would have been proud). This is a fun little film, with aspirations towards greatness that it all but reaches. The production design and brilliant cinematography allow for an accurate reproduction of the settings of the 1922 film. So dead-on, in fact, that when actual footage of the silent film is inserted into the film, we can't tell the difference. Director E. Elias Merhige work beautifully with an amazing casy which includes Malkovich, Udo Kier (of 'Andy Warhol's Dracula' fame). Eddie Izzard, Catherine McCormack, Cary Elwes, and Aden Gillett. But the real star here is Willem Dafoe, whose performance of Max Schreck as long suffering and desperate monster is so accutely creepy and inventive that it'll make your skin crawl.
Rating: 
Summary: Shadow of the Vampire
Review: Certainly an interesting (and surprisingly intelligent) movie for the vampire genre. The actors were brilliant; particularly an almost unrecognizable Willem Dafoe as the vampire Count Orlock, or Max Shreck (it's worth it to watch him, if nothing else). He certainly does portray a decrepit, aging vampire who is at once both pitiable and powerful. He is a shadow of what once was; a remnant of a gothic, old world.One of the best scenes is the vampire's (Dafoe) conversation with a furious Murnau (played by John Malkovich), who is the director of his movie "Nosferatu." Malkovich is delightfully explosive as an obsessed, selfish,..director who will stop at nothing at producing "memories" on film. He is both a laughable and frightening figure; particularly when he shows the viewer what lengths he will indeed go to make his picture. The movie, however, is brief and doesn't really bother going into the depths it really could have. The only things that really save it from being completely shallow and boring are the actors themselves, who use what little time they have to bring the thin story to life. Another great thing that makes it a good movie is the way it draws from the movie ("Nosferatu") it revolves around. The blending of the classic black and white with color brings the viewer back into the gothic realm of a time gone by. Watching the characters as they film their movie creates an almost surreal atmosphere, making the watcher almost wonder which is the real world and which isn't. All in all, a fitting tribute to both the vampire world and the film it honors. It's brief and at times vague; but the actors and the clever blending of new and old makes it a movie worth remembering.
Rating:
Summary: Great acting saves this film.
Review: Without all of the great talent in this film, Vampire might have been just another movie. Defoe is absolutley stunning as Nosferatu. His every move is frightening. John Malkovich, as always, brings an intensity that is unrivaled. You will certainly like this movie if vampires are your cup of tea. Not quite as good as Interview with the Vampire but much better than Bram Stoker's Dracula. This movie, I believe, could have been longer to build more suspense. That alone might have kept this from being a 5 star review.
Rating:
Summary: great fun, especially for Nosferatu fans
Review: A great film by any means, of course, not without its flaws. This movie has 90% of the makings of a cult classic. Perhaps a bit too short and leaving a few holes in the plot. As most reviewer's have noted, William Defoe as Max Shreck is absouletly astounding, he captures the essence of the vampire we saw in the 1922 Nosferatu, yet, creates a whole new depth of character on the side. In the end, we see Shreck as both a horrifying demon, and a lost soul, who in a few scenes, will gain empathy fromt the audience. Dafoe's perfect mimic of orlock's unusual body posturing and facial contortions are every bit worthy of the critical acclaim he's recieved. Anyone who is a fan of the original Nosferatu will absolutely love this film, and film lovers in general will admire its original wit and style. The supporting cast (including the always on point John Malcovich) is great, and in no way contribute to the few flaws in the film. Although the ending could have been drawn a bit more, the film is still quite entertaining (if not solely for Defoe's role), and the movie is a definite must see for the advanced film viewer.
Rating:
Summary: Endless fun!
Review: What a pleasant surprise and acting tour de force. Dafoe is simply sublime!.
Rating:
Summary: Holy... this is some freaky stuff...
Review: This movie is one of the freakiest thing I've ever seen. I think Willem Dafoe plays one of the chilling characters ever on screen. He plays with romantic view of vampires that is played up in all other films. We see a very lonely, miserable vampire that has seen the centuries drag on until he is confronted with playing this roll in Murnau's creepy classic, Nosferatu. The last scene of the movie is one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever seen. Murnau's attempt to capture as much realism as he can makes the entire audience shift in their seats. I also liked the way the 35mm movie would transform into the older 16mm from that time.
Rating:
Summary: Well worth watching!
Review: Though this movie falls short of its potential, it is given an incredible boost by Willem Dafoe's performance. Watching this movie you'll agree it's not much of a horror film, but more of a drama with extremely comical bits provided by Willem's performance.
|
