- Directed by E. Elias Merhige
- Written by Steven Katz
- Stars John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Udo Kier
- Run Time: 1 Hour, 32 Minutes
- Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B15iesNMa8
Spoiler-Free Judgment Zone
There was a real silent movie called “Nosferatu,” made in the 1920s, and this movie portrays many of the real people involved in the process. This film is all about that event, but it’s a horror movie take on it, with a director, crew, and cast wondering if they might have hired a real vampire in the lead role. It’s offbeat and entertaining, with a bit of dark humor. We thought it was really good.
Spoilery Synopsis
After the credits, we see that it’s Berlin in 1921. Friedrich Murnau was denied the rights to film the book Dracula, so he changed a few names and made it anyway.
We watch as Murnau directs some actors in the silent film. The star, Greta, complains that films are stupid and she’d rather be in the theater. Albin, the producer, wants to know who Murnau has cast as the vampire for the film, but Murnau says nothing.
They’re packing up to move the production to Czechoslovakia since they can’t film in Transylvania. They hear about the actor Max Shreck, who has been living there for weeks. He absorbs himself in the character and will only appear to them at night, in full makeup, as he’s always in character.
The crew arrives at the location, and Murneau is very tight-lipped about everything. Night falls, and someone drops off a weasel in a cage, which is promptly eaten by Schreck.
Filming begins, and there is a bit of trouble from some of the locals. They shoot the scene where Gustav, playing the main character, meets Count Orlock for the first time, and this is the first we see of him as well. Gustav is legitimately terrified.
Not long after the scene is finished, they find one of the cameramen, Wolf, passed out in a hallway. Orlock watches in amusement. One of the locals sees Wolf, crosses herself, and says “Nosferatu,” much to Murnau’s amusement.
The next evening, it’s time for more filming, and Schreck shows up, growling and monstrous. He wants some makeup, but Murnau refuses. The scene goes well. Later, the men talk about Schreck’s weird Method acting.
As they film the next day, the power goes off, and Schreck actually bites Wolf. Some of the men want to wrap the production and end the film. After the film crew leaves, Schreck plays with the projector and watches the sun rise on film. Murnau yells at Schreck, “You agreed not to hurt my people!”
Schreck refuses to film his scenes aboard the ship, and they argue about that. They end up building a replica ship on the grounds of the castle.
Albin and Henrik get drunk and ask Schreck a bunch of “vampire questions.” They ask him about the book, Dracula, and Schreck has a unique take on the book. In the middle of the conversation, Schreck grabs a living bat out of midair and eats it. “What an actor. Dedication!”
A new cameraman arrives to replace Wolf as the production moves to a small town. Greta joins them there, and she’s not a fan of small-town life. Schreck senses that she’s arrived in town, and he wants her. Murnau insists that he stay away from her until the ending scene. Murnau is clearly afraid of the actor.
We see that most of the crew is on drugs of one kind or another, except for Schreck, who’s just plain insane (or a vampire). Murnau, while high, confesses that there’s no Max Schreck, he just found him; he’s a real vampire, and he promised Greta to him.
It’s time for the big finale, and Greta wonders why everyone looks so depressed. “Who died?” Then she meets Orlock/Schreck. She sees that he doesn’t have a reflection in the mirror and freaks out, so they sedate her with more morphine; she calms down quickly. They film Orlock’s death scene, and it’s perfect.
Filming down, Schreck wants Greta. As he bites her neck, for real, they continue filming. The men have set a trap for Schreck, but he threatens to kill them all. Fritz shoots Schreck, and Schreck kills him and Albin. The sun comes up, and Murnau continues to film as Schreck melts in the sunlight.
Murnau is pleased with his results.
Brian’s Commentary
Obviously, this is based on the back-and-white, silent, 1922 version of “Nosferatu,” but it’s no documentary. The whole gimmick here is whether or not Schreck is really a vampire or not. Max Schreck was said to be really weird in real life, so it’s not a huge stretch.
I like how the film crew all wears lab coats as if this is some kind of science. Murnau talks the actors through the scenes as it films; it’s a silent film anyway, so why not?
Willem Dafoe uses only some very subtle prosthetics here, Orlock is mostly just… him. He’s really the highlight of the film and steals every scene that he’s in.
Very weird!
Kevin’s Commentary
Max Shreck went on to make several dozen movies after “Nosferatu,” so it appears he was not a real vampire who died for real at the end of the production as this movie would have us think. It was a fun take on things though, and very entertaining with strange characters. Especially Defoe as Shreck.
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