Some characters enjoy dozens of actors' unique spins while others have to make do with only one or two. Some icons of fiction are immortalized by one actor’s performance while others have a different face every time they appear. But, what about the characters who only appear a couple of times? If a character manages to become iconic in only a couple of appearances, they become one of the hardest casting choices.
Robert Eggers is oneof the most popular art-house directors in the world at the moment. He exploded onto the scene with the groundbreaking historical horror filmThe Witchin 2015 before breaking the mold again withThe LighthouseandThe Northman. His next project is a modern take on F. W. Murnau’s 1922 classicNosferatuwith a familiar star in the title role.
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Nosferatuwas intended to be an adaptation of Bram Stoker’sseminal vampire novelDracula. Murnau changed a lot of the fine details, including the setting and all the character names, but the story remains essentially the same. Despite the changes, the Stoker estate sued, forcing the producers to burn most prints of the film. The production ofNosferatuwas a bit messy, leading to the immediate bankruptcy of its production studio. In 2000, director E. Elias Merhige pitched a thrilling concept. What ifNosferatufeatured a real vampire in the role of the villainous Count Orlok? Nicolas Cage was the first name suggested for the role, as he was one of the film’s producers, but Cage happily stepped asideand named Willem Dafoethe perfect actor to portray Count Orlok.
Shadow of the Vampireis a film about the 1921 production ofNosferatu. John Malkovich portrays Murnau as a dictatorial auteur who ruthlessly pursues his perfect vision. To capture theunauthorized version ofDraculahe desperately desires, he casts the actual vampire Max Schreck and refuses to tell the other performers. The production gets extremely weird within the first few minutes. The rest of the performers are introduced to Schreck with the knowledge that he’ll only appear in character and at night. He’s pitched as a slavishly devoted method actor. As the cast and crew slowly discover the truth about their co-worker, they must struggle to survive a ridiculously dangerous scenario while the director demands authenticity. It’s a film about the violent self-servingurge of the auteur, mirrored by the vampiric urge to drain from others for their own benefit. The premise is extremely clever, but the execution is gloriously strange.
There’s not an ounce of irony inShadow of the Vampire. The film charges forward like a valiant monster hunter without the slightest fear of seeming absurd. Since the story follows the production of a silent film, Merhige saw fit to borrow a lot of techniques from that strange era of cinema. The gimmick becomes clear through its constant use of irises to enter and exit scenes, but the film’s use of title cards are stunning in their commitment. It’s a love letter to silent film in many ways. The plot seems to lampoon the unfairlylauded ideal of the driven auteur, despite Murnau being known in real life as a kind and sensitive soul. One could imagine a series of films in which universal monster movie creators force their teams to deal with real threats. Imagine the on-set torture Hitchcock could’ve come up with if he’d had access to a few real serial killers.
There’s a lot to praise aboutShadow of the Vampire, but every critic of the era celebrated Dafoe’s performance. He’s never been known to give less than 110%, but Max Schreck is a special kind of crazed. Cary Elwes, Eddie Izzard, Catherine McCormick, and the rest of the cast are happy to play along, but Dafoe carries this film. It’s one of the best cinematic impressions of all time, so convincing that actual scenes from the 1922 film feel seamless when they’re cut in. Beyond pastiche,Dafoe finds humanity inSchreck from both perspectives. Both as a monstrously steadfast consummate professional and an actual monster, Schreck is a layered character. He juxtaposes perfectly against Malkovich’s Murnau to create a beautiful back and forth. It’s a struggle between the aesthetic and the primal, but as the production goes on, the line begins to blur.
With a performance like this under his belt, Willem Dafoe was the obvious choice for Eggers' upcomingNosferatufilm. The director can borrow more than the cast fromShadow of the Vampire. His love of cinematic anachronism will likely lead him to use some silent filmmaking techniques for hisadaptation of the 1922 original. Willem Dafoe has experienced 23 years of his stellar career since his last turn as Count Orlok. He’s starred in massive blockbusters and weird little art-house passion projects.Nosferatumight be the perfect showcase for Dafoe’s growth over the years. Or, it might just be another chance to see the actor chew the scenery with a massive pair of fangs. Either will be great.
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