John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Udo Kier

The filming of Nosferatu is hampered by the fact that the star is taking his role far more seriously than what seems humanly possible.

Flixster Users

69% liked it

6,421 ratings

Critics

81% liked it

132 critics

R, 1 hr. 24 min.

Directed by: E. Elias Merhige

Release Date: December 29, 2000

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DVD Release Date: May 29, 2001

Stats: 979 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (979)


  • August 3, 2008
    Very quirky, interesting movie - a gem for fans of classic horror. Slow, atmospheric, and delightfully entertaining.
  • June 15, 2008
    Interesting approach to the material, Dafoe truly impresses here.
  • May 13, 2008
    I REVIEWED THIS SHIT TWICE and it didn't save either time. Fucking go to hell, Flixster. Here are two things I liked about the movie that I copied from a totally different post I made because I'm lazy and I don't feel like writing about it anymore.

    + Atmosphere. This movie, in ...( read more)terms of composition, is unlike few others. As dumb as this will surely seem, it's like a silent movie with sound - the image is placed at the forefront and what the characters are saying is secondary. Some of the best scenes of the movie come when Murnau is filming his movie and what we are seeing is shown in grainy black-and-white film, interwoven with the "real" scenes in color. I think it's a reminder of some of the things that we take for granted about black and white film...The stimuli are different, sure, but the starkness of the image can make what you're seeing all the more visceral. The first time this technique is used, Murnau is filming the vampire's first appearance, and it is downright chilling to watch him emerge from the shadows.

    The movie is very Gothic, not in the meaning of the term that most of us know, but in that it's evocative of crumbling European castles and creatures lurking in the shadows. It successfully captures two tones: that of the original Nosferatu, and something completely new, bleak and haunted and totally beautiful. It seems shallow to praise a movie so heavily for its aesthetic, but Shadow of the Vampire is truly remarkable work.

    + Willem Dafoe. This is the role that really brought Dafoe to the forefront for me. To be honest, I never paid any attention to him in anything else he's been in, even though people claim he's a real acting chameleon and stuff like that. His work in Shadow of the Vampire as Max Schreck, however, is too good to be ignored. It is a truly incredible immersion of an actor into his role, standing well among the work of DDL's much loved Daniel Plainview or any other transformative performance in recent years. Frankly, for him to have lost the Supporting Actor Oscar to Benicio Del Toro's work in Traffic is a travesty; Benny is good, but it was a boring role and he's done far better work in a lot of other movies. Dafoe is unforgettable. He is the only actor to have nailed his accent, for one. Regrettably, a lot of the other accents are God-awful; between this and Mary Reilly, John Malkovich seems unable to do much with his voice.

    Dafoe must have watched Nosferatu a hundred times to prepare for this role. He moves like a vampire, looks like a vampire (thanks in part to the awesome makeup), talks like a vampire (a great feat considering Nosferatu didn't have any sound) and acts like a vampire, in more meanings of the term than one. There are so many dimensions to this role: black humor, longing, primal fear, vengeance, theatrics... the character is compelling enough as it is, and Dafoe nails every single one of these aspects effortlessly. You simply forget that it is a person playing this creature.


    I think this movie is an acquired taste, and no matter how much I praise it, there are going to be people who it doesn't quite gel with. I don't really have a problem with that; it just depends on what you're watching a movie to see. But if you're looking for something of dark, fundamental beauty, Shadow of the Vampire is tough to beat. And for those concerned, it is only 86 minutes long, so you really don't have much to lose.
  • September 15, 2007
    I love revisionist horror movies and this is a really noteworthy entry. I love how Murnau is portrayed as so completely dedicated to his movie that he's willing to feed this actress to an actual vampire for the sake of realism. This movie is almost like an inside joke for old hor...( read more)ror nerds as much as it is a love letter to the source material. This is so great.
  • September 9, 2007
    Another disappointment. Not that the film was bad. It was actually OK, although nothing spectacular. And I enjoyed the reworking of Nosferatu. But this film is WAY too short. The beginning credits seem to go on forever, which makes it seem even shorter. And near the end, just whe...( read more)n it started to pull together, it just ends. Maybe there will be a director's cut that is better.
  • November 8, 2009
    Nosferatu, creepy as the original
  • October 26, 2009
    A brilliant movie with John Malkovich trying to direct the film Nosferatu but having to overcome many difficulties during its filming. One of his main ones is the fact that his leading man does not like the sunlight and will not mix with the other cast and crew. It doesn't help...( read more) that one of the crew goes mad and that the director has promised the leading lady to his vampire at the end of the movie without her knowledge. Willem Dafoe is brilliant as the Count and Malkovich brings his malevolent humour to the proceedings. I want to watch the original movie after seeing this as I'm sure I'll view it differently.
  • October 24, 2009
    This is the film that famously looked at the making of the 1922 classic Nosferatu and posed the question: ?what if Max Schrek were actually a vampire.? Such a concept could easily lead to a one note novelty film, but the people behind it have actually delivered a pretty intellig...( read more)ent take on vampirism and filmmaking. Willem Dafoe received an Oscar nomination for his work in the film. Dafoe?s performance is indeed interesting, especially if you?re familiar with what Dafoe normally looks and sounds like, but I?m not sure I?d be as impressed otherwise. This is actually a pretty deliberately paced and quiet film, this gives the film a unique feel but it also kind of made the film a bit harder to get into. Perhaps I just wasn?t in the mood for this when I popped it in the DVD player, but I sort of respected this more than I liked it.
  • October 21, 2009
    a great film within a film.....
  • September 27, 2009
    I liked it and ii dont care if noone else did anything with malkovich has got to be worth watching to see his skills

Critic Reviews


September 25, 2007
David Edelstein, Slate

The screenplay, by Steven Katz, suffers from arch, almost unspeakably theatrical dialogue, and, as Murnau, John Malkovich recites his lines as if monomania were synonymous with monotonic: He drains th... full review

February 6, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

A shockingly funny spellbinder. full review

January 26, 2001
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Never less than amusing.

January 26, 2001
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The movie does an uncanny job of re-creating the visual feel of Murnau's film. full review

December 28, 2000
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Shadow of the Vampire has a weird, flickering magic that is hard to dispel. full review

View more Shadow of the Vampire reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • sandycow45
    March 27, 2007
    Dafoe is brilliant, as always!! And John is amazing. I also love Eddie Izzard!! He is fabulous!! This is a great , creepy, and intense movie!!

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Shadow of the Vampire Trivia


  • I've starred in films like Mystery Men, Shadow of the Vampire, Five Children and It, and My Super Ex-Girlfriend...plus I like to dress in womens clothing. Who am I?  Answer »
  • Willem Dafoe portrays a real vampire with a bad habit of eating the crew members in this movie about the making of the German film Nosferatu.  Answer »
  • This cross-dressing stand-up comedian has been in Mystery Men, Shadow of the Vampire, All the Queen's Men, and My Super Ex-Girlfriend.  Answer »
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