Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

Halloween Movie #2 (Yup, those are Blockbuster Video stickers on the VHS jacket)

Synopsis: Violent, cold-blooded sociopath preys on movie crew. Oh, there’s a vampire, too.

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “In his quest to create a vampire film to die for, F.W. Murnau (Malkovich) hires the mysterious Max Schreck (Dafoe) to play Count Orlock in his masterpiece Nosferatu. Murnau introduces Schreck as the 'ultimate method actor' - one who will appear only in character, in make up at night."

What Did I Learn?: If your leading lady give you any lip during a film shoot, whip out a syringe and dope her up for awhile.

You Might Like This Movie If: You know that vampires are nothing but trouble.

Really?: 1) I’m a bit surprised that anyone would agree to continue working with “Max Schreck” after they find him sucking the cinematographer’s blood, and he dies soon afterward. 2) Wait, do vampires drink schnapps? Come to think of it, wouldn’t Schreck have enjoyed a nice opium kick after sucking Greta’s blood?

Rating: Shadow of the Vampire is a stylish, cleverly-written and sometimes wryly funny take on the vampire film genre, and movie-making in general. John Malkovich is superb as the obsessed (and not terribly nice) filmmaker, while Willem Dafoe steals the movie with a very memorable performance as an old, and decidedly un-cool undead. Somehow, Malkovich and Dafoe manage to play their characters in larger-than-life fashion without seeming hokey or unbelievable (see: Interview with the Vampire). 8/10 stars.  

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0189998/