Malkovitch and Dafoe hamming it up against each other. What more could you want? Malkovitch is having a blast portraying a mad director more in the lens of a comedically exaggerated Herzog than the real life Murnau. And Dafoe lives up to Nosferatu as a beast chained to his nature, but one aware of that fact deep down, sad and lonely even as he gives in it to it with glee and catharsis. And in turn, he reflects how Murnau is the same. He sacrifices people for the same pleasure and need of his nature, his own immortality- the perfect film. The film stagnates a little when the two aren’t against each other. Despite Cary Elwes, a man happy to go big when even slightly asked, being among the ensemble none of them get to match the energy the two leads bring. There are touches of old school filmmaking here like the interstitials, the camera format, and the lenses, but I still wanted a little bit more. For such a great concept, it doesn’t get as much play as they could’ve gotten out of it. Still, it’s a very fun time and meta commentary on filmmaking, and a great way to prep for the Nosferatu remake Dafoe also stars in.

Did I kill one of your people, Murnau? I can't remember.

F.W. Murnau (John Malkovich) is filming Nosferatu (1922), but isn't reclusive star Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe) taking his role of the vampire way too seriously?

In some ways it's a curate's egg of a film. It certainly helps if you are a lover of old classic film and have some knowledge of the source material at the film's core. It's a fabulous concept that the screenplay is based around, that the star of the film may actually be a real vampire, and the whole production is executed with consummate skill (Dafoe was deservedly Oscar nominated as were make-up artists Ann Buchanan & Amber Sibley). But come the end it fizzles out and proves to not have delivered on its devilishly intriguing premise. Fun, though, and tech credits all round keep one well involved. 6/10