Shadow Of The Vampire (DVD)

F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent horror ‘Nosferatu’ is a genuine classic of must-see proportions, but the same regrettably cannot be said of this oddity based loosely on events surrounding the original production. Shot against the backdrop of a convincingly decadent looking 1920s Berlin, the premise is relatively straightforward – Mernau, (played by a somewhat one-dimensional John Malkovich), having been refused the rights to film Dracula by Bram Stoker’s estate, decides to shoot his own version of the same story, changing the Count’s name to Orlock and casting a mysterious actor Max Schreck in the title role. The rest of the cast and crew ...  Read the complete review

E. Elias Merhige's 'Shadow of the Vampire' is a very original film indeed. It takes the premise that Max Schreck (the guy who played the incredibly creepy 'Nosferatu' back in 1922) was actually a Vampire himself. The film is set during the making of Nosferatu and explores the lengths which the cast and crew went to in order to get Schreck's co-operation as an actor. However, having a vampire on set can lead to dire consequences... If you're a fan of F.W Murnau's Nosferatu, then this movie is an absolute must-see. Although the events portrayed are largely fictitious, many of the filming methods shown are grounded in reality, and as such, give us a ...  Read the complete review

'Shadow of the Vampire' is a horror film regarding a German vampire, that takes the interesting turn of expanding on an ancient (and unfounded) view: that Max Schreck, the actor who played the eponymous vampire in the 1922 silent classic 'Nosferatu,' was himself a vampire. The film is set in Germany in 1921 and follows director Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, his production crew and the actors from Nosferatu as they attempt to film their controversial motion picture. NOSFERATU: BACKGROUND In the 1910s-20s, ...  Read the complete review

Murnau: "Why him you monster, why not the...script girl?" Orlock: "Oh yes, the script girl. I'll eat her later." You'll notice that 99% of what they're serving up at the cinema right now is tripe. It's that time of year, it's always pants just after Christmas. Apparently now I'm supposed to be looking forward to watching the cream of the current crop Dare Devil in a few days time...erm yeah, that's why I'll be watching DVDs instead for at least another month. Mostly tripe I tell you. Still, there's always video, not quite the same thrill of course but cheaper and there's plenty of stonkingly good ...  Read the complete review

This is an odd film! Directed by E. Elias Merhige it is based on the making of the silent horror classic 'Nosferatu'. The original film made in 1921 was directed by F W Murnau and starred the German actor Max Schreck. It was basically the Dracula story transposed in Germany. There was a more recent remake Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979) directed by Werner Herzog and starring Klaus Kinsky and Isabelle Adjani. THE CAST John Malkovich - F.W. Murnau Willem Dafoe - Max Schreck/"Count Orlock" Cary Elwes - Fritz Arno Wagner Aden Gillett - Henrick Galeen Eddie Izzard - Gustav von Wangenheim/"Thomas ...  Read the complete review