Ripley and i were both not feeling that great this weekend (thanks to intermittent rain and hot-no-cold-no-hot-really-cold-nah-hot weather the past couple of weeks in Ohio), so we rented some movies.
first up was Shadow of the Vampire which was an odd, but enjoyable movie. Willem Dafoe was just fantastic as the not-Dracula Dracula. superb. i can't say enough about him. the facial tics, the gestures
he was "Count Orlock". why he didn't win an award for this is beyond me. he has to have turned in one of the best performances for 2000. Malkovich was also great as the cruel and calculating (almost more inhuman than the vampire) director who wants authenticity at any cost.
the story centers on Malkovich's character, F.W. Murnau, who is making his 'masterpiece' Nosferatu, but really it's about the lengths that some people will go to in order to achieve their own desires as he offers up one of his own stars to the vampire as his reward for making his movie
the film had flaws, but they were minimal. the opening credits seemed to last a solid 5 minutes. there was a little overacting, but overall this is minimized by some excellent direction, wonderful sets and a smart and somewhat tight script.
i'd recommend this to anyone who likes a non-slapstick sometimes comedic sometimes horrific look at the monster that is within all of us.
4 and quacks out of 5.
