Search - Shadow of the Vampire on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Profanity, Sexual Situations, Drug Content Movie Release: 2000 DVD Release: 05/29/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Edition: Dual Layered Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 31 mins Studio: Universal Studios Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Drama, Horror, Showbiz Drama, Costume Horror, Gothic Film

The torturous production of the classic 1922 vampire film Nosferatu is recreated in this stylized account of director F.W. Murnau and his obsession with creating realistic horror by any means necessary -- even if those means include actual bloodletting. The film begins as Murnau (John Malkovich) is ready to take his unauthorized interpretation of the Bram Stoker tale on location in Czechoslovakia. There, the director has arranged for his cast and crew to live in the same castle in which they will shoot their parts, as they all wait for their co-star, Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe) -- Murnau's choice to play Count Orlok -- to arrive. Their leader has warned them that Schreck is a student of the Stanislovsky method of performance and will not respond to them out-of-character. Nothing, however, can prepare them for the real thing: when the actor arrives, he's already in full Gothic regalia, asserting that he is indeed a vampire. Schreck makes good on his claims by terrorizing the cast and crew, attacking Murnau's original cinematographer (Wolfgang Muller) and plucking bats out of the air for midnight snacks. Director E. Elias Merhige previously made his name with his experimental theater productions and with his horrific film school thesis, Begotten. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide

John Malkovich - FW. Murnau
Willem Dafoe - Max Schreck
Cary Elwes - Fritz Wagner
Eddie Izzard - Gustav Von Wangerheim

Though it didn't survive for long at the box office, E. Elias Merhige's Shadow of the Vampire receives commendable treatment on DVD courtesy of Lions Gate Films.
Presented in a beautiful 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, the image is remarkably clean and clear. Though the color scheme of the film is often muted, skin tones are accurate, blacks are solid with little notable evidence of artifacting, and colors are rich and vivid throughout. For such a lovingly photographed film, the care put into providing a suitable transfer was essential, and it comes off as a visually rewarding experience. Presented in English and French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, as well as DTS 5.1 Surround, the audio is full and encompassing, providing clear dialogue and atmosphere, and nicely complementing Dan Jones' hauntingly hypnotic score. Subtitles are offered in English only. The easy-to-navigate title menu is simple and elegant.
Though not technically a "special edition" disc by Universal standards, the DVD contains numerous memorable and insightful extras that fans of the film will find exciting. In an audio commentary track, director Merhige discusses the fusion of the old and new in storytelling, the thought processes in bringing the story to life, and his curious choices for composition and design and their psychological effect on the viewer. Interviews with Willem Dafoe and producer Nicolas Cage give insight into Merhige's vision compared to that of F.W. Murnau in the original Nosferatu (1922), and Cage, functioning as producer, explains how he helped to bring together the numerous talents required to complete the demanding film. Photo galleries, a theatrical trailer, production notes, filmographies and biographies of the cast and crew, a makeup montage detailing Willem Dafoe's transformation into Nosferatu, and an amusing and short behind-the scenes featurette round out the DVD. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide