[HorrorScience] Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

There are quite a few movies Dracula that I have commented in this section and the truth is that there are so many based on this character that it would be an impossible task to search and comment on all of them in which he appears.

That's why in the end I decided to talk about the ones I like the most and their sequels, like the Universal versions of Dracula of 1931 (both the american, like the one made for the Spanish-speaking public) and its sequels (Dracula's daughter and the Son of Dracula) as well as his appearances in other films of the company such as house of frankenstein and House of Dracula.

Recently I have resumed the work of commenting on the films of the Dracula saga created by Hammer Productions that began with Horror of Dracula (1958).

For me, Lugosi and Christopher Lee would be on a Dracula podium, not because their films are excellent, but because of the fact that they popularized the vampire, to the point that the costumes sold for him are mere copies of the clothes those actors wore.

However, there is a third vampire for whom I feel fascinated and it is none other than Count Orlok, the vampire who starred in the film. Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922) by director F. W. Murnau.

It is curious that this film, despite being the oldest, is the one that I find most disturbing, and the same could be said of Orlok, whose appearance I find much scarier than the other Draculas.

This time I'm not going to talk about the movie. Nosferatu directly, but from a film that bases its story on how said film was shot, obviously without being based on real events, as these would be too boring.

Year 1921, film director F. W. Murnau is trying to shoot his new film, which will be a loose adaptation of the book Dracula, since it has not obtained the rights to make an authorized adaptation.

Part of his team is worried about the film, which does not seem like it will be a great success. Furthermore, Murnau's extravagances drive his colleagues crazy, as he plans to finish the film in another country, using an unknown actor named Max Schreck, without having consulted anyone.

In the end, the entire team travels to Schreck, who has been described by Murnau as an actor who prepares his roles conscientiously, so that he will act only at night, will not need makeup and will at all times behave like his character, a vampire known as Count Orlok.

What no one on the team seems to know is that Murnau and Orlok actually have a nasty secret, which will be very difficult to hide as the film progresses.

I think what I like most about this film is the very original approach it has: it is not a remake (or reboot or anything like that) and I would not consider it a totally new film either, it is a film that shows how another film based on a real film is shot. It may not be perfect, but I take my hat off to the approach.

Many people consider that remakes are necessary for a younger audience to see films that have many decades behind them, but I think that more than one, upon seeing The Shadow of the Vampire, was left wanting to see the original film. Nosferatu and for that reason alone, the existence of this film is more than justified.

Another thing that must be applauded is that this film uses black and white scenes imitating the limitations of the 1920s, supposedly to try to show the viewer what whoever sees the film will see once it is released, but at the same time the color limitation makes those scenes much scarier than the rest of the film.

To tell the truth, the film itself has some things that I don't like, such as the fact that we don't know how Munrau met Orlok and why he didn't kill him when he saw him to drink his blood (I imagine that Munrau negotiated with him by proposing a much more attractive main course, but it still seems strange to me that Orlok accepts orders from the director as if it were nothing). Another thing that bothers me is that the actors continue shooting the film when it has already become quite clear that Orlok is either a real vampire or he is not right in the head, and I am not referring to the part of the final scene, but to the moment in which the first member of the team dies due to the vampire's actions. There are a few more things like this that make you think this movie could have been much better.

The Shadow of the Vampire is a very curious film, it pays homage to Nosferatu and at the same time it allows you to watch a new movie. The confrontation between the two monsters (Murnau and Orlok) is very interesting and even makes you wonder which of the two is the true antagonist of the film, the director, who is capable of doing absolutely anything to make his film, or the vampire, who strongly desires to drink everyone's blood.

I think it is a highly recommended film for any film fan, even if you are not interested in vampire films.

Curiosities:

• Willem Dafoe was shorter than many of the other actors, so he asked that they put lifts on his shoes to make him appear taller, since he felt that otherwise Orlok would look too ridiculous.
• To turn Dafoe into Orlok it took about 3 hours of makeup.
• Although Murnau is shown as ruthless and determined, many actors actually described him as very attentive and kind.
• The initial title of this film was Burned to Light.
• Esta película fue producida por Saturn Films (propiedad de Nicolas Cage) y permitió a fans dar donaciones a cambio de salir en los créditos.