Synopsis:

In 1928 F.W. Murnau created what is arguably the best vampire movie ever filmed. Unable to procure the rights to Bram Stoker's Dracula, Murnau penned a similar epic and named the protagonist, Count Orlock as opposed to Count Dracula. In a storyline that mimics Stoker's Dracula almost to a "T", Murnau assembled the best talents he had worked with to create his opus on the theme that is vampirisim. Deep in the mystical backwoods of Luxemburg, the team begins filming its principal characters. But to everyone's surprise, Max Schreck (Orlock) has yet to appear. Then in the first of many night shoots, Orlock emerges from the darkness to beckon the unwitting realtor (Eddie Izzard) into the bowels of his dilapidated castle and …end. Shadow of the Vampire is not so much the telling of the story surrounding the making of Murnau's seminal work in as much as it's a re-telling of the tale with a twist if you will. Here, the story is told that Murnau didn't just hire an enormously talented actor to portray the vampire Orlock, rather he actually hired a vampire to play an actor playing a vampire. Pretty decent twist don't you think. Anyway you can imagine what kinds of bizarre happenings occur on and off the set. Truly, Shadow of the Vampire is a chilling yet humorous look at one of cinematic horror's, greatest entries.

Audio/Video:

The audio presented for the film is in three separate and unequal formats. English DD2.0W/Director's Commentary, English DD5.1 and DTS. For the record, the DTS track was far louder and provided a wider listening space than that of the DD5.1. In both formats, the dialogue was clear and easily understood and the surround effects in Chapter 11 especially (A Bat's wings directional effect from right rear to right front) are quite enveloping. The LFE is used merely as punctuation and is not a driving force within the film's aural themes. The DD5.1 did all of this and very well however, the DTS track felt fuller. The Director's Commentary track plays a lot like cinematography 101. E. Elias Mehridge has an all encompassing knowledge of cinema and it's genesis that's quite staggering and he brings it all to bear in his comments on and about the film. What I like most about his commentary is his ability to become caught up in the events that are unfolding onscreen. On several occasions, he would have to pause, as he was so enthralled with the actions of any actor in a given scene. Of most note where the actions of titan actors Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich. Not only did they ignite the screen with their performances, they took Mehridge's breath away on more than one occasion. The only gripe that I have regarding his commentary is, he mentioned deleted scenes and pointed some of them out however; they never ended up on the disc as a supplement. I would have preferred to see them rather than just hear about them. In all an Excellent track. The video was incredible. The viewer is segued from the most brilliant of color schemes to a B&W pallete that works tremendously well in creating a viewing experience like no other. To add a measure of credibility and to blend his and Murnau's works, Mehridge incorporated scenes and footage from the original 1928 film within his own and made nothing short of a masterpiece. The film's widescreen transfer is remarkably beautiful. The added original elements from 1928 notwithstanding, the images are dead on in every regard. Colors were well-saturated and true to life and the blacks were deep and true as well. Picture perfect presentation.

Extras:

The extras include interviews with Mehridge, Producer Nicolas Cage (yes, that Cage) and Willem Dafoe. Each lasts no more than 7-8 minutes a piece. A Making of Featurette is included that while playing for only six-minutes seems as though it plays for at least 10. It features interviews with the cast and crew as well as featuring backstage shots and outtakes. Nicely done, just could have been longer. A Makeup Application montage is also included that takes actor Willem Dafoe from human too inhuman in only a matter of minutes. Coupled with Dan Jones eerie orchestrations it makes for compelling viewing. Lastly the trailer and the obligatory production notes and filmographies round out the extras.

Overall:

How this film was missed at the Oscars is beyond me. The performances by DaFoe and Malkovich are mesmerizing. This has got to be one of the best movies that I have ever seen. Under appreciated on the large screen hopefully, it will develop a following on the DVD side. If ever a film demanded a wider audience, this is that film. Highly Recommended