Shadow of the Vampire and Harpoon Leviathan

31 Days of Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!

"Shadow of the Vampire" (2000)

Tonight's entry is a moody tale that time has forgotten too soon. I find that surprising, as the film offers an interesting meta-horror take on a classic. It also carries some strong star power. I'm not sure I'd call "Shadow of the Vampire" a horror movie in the purest sense. It's more of a drama/horror, but it explores an interesting idea that I've yet to see another scary movie replicate.

Even if you've never seen the original "Nosferatu", chances are you're familiar with the look of the character. This is no Dracula. Nosferatu isn't out to charm or seduce his prey. He is a hunched, sinister creature with twisted claws and goblin-like face. His presence on screen alone is enough to make him creepy even before he starts gulping blood.

"Shadow of the Vampire" asks an very intriguing question: who better to play a vampire in a vampire film than a real-life vampire? And at what cost will that authenticity come?

The Plot:

Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (John Malkovich) is not the sort of director to let limitations hold him back. He's the sort that takes a sledge hammer to them. Often at the cost of his personal relationships. We meet him in Germany, circa 1922. Mr. Murnau is struggling to get the rights to film his adaptation of "Dracula" from Bram Stoker's widow. She denies him the rights, but he doesn't let that stop him.

Stubbornly, Murnau decides to simply rename all the characters and shoot his own 'original' vampire movie with the lead bloodsucker now going by the name of Count Orlock (Willem Dafoe). Ever a stickler for authenticity, Mr. Murnau sets out to make the most terrifying film imaginable, beginning with his star. Once shooting begins, Friedrich informs his cast and crew that the actor portraying the Count, a withered old man by the name of Max Schreck, is a method actor to the extreme.

Schreck is only on set when shooting his own scenes, and even then only at night. Murnau claims Schreck will constantly be in character, never breaking from his creepy persona to maintain the illusion. As the filming begins, strange accidents start occurring on set. Some of the crew are injured. A few turn up dead. Might Murnau have been too accurate when selecting the lead to play his vampire?

Most disturbingly of all, Murnau barely seems phased by all the calamity. His obsession to finish "Nosferatu" takes precedence over all. But how much of the horror is still fictional?

The Flavor:

While "Shadow of the Vampire" has ample bloodshed, the film's heart is more centered on the relationship between Murnau and Schreck than it is over vampirism. It's no spoiler to say that Orlock is indeed the genuine article. The movie doesn't try to hide the fact that, yea, he's a vampire. And all that bad stuff that's happening? Of course that's Orlock.

That point is that Murnau knows all this. Everyone else - the cast and crew - only suspect, but Murnau's the one that sought Schreck out in the first place. His desire to shoot the perfect vampire movie goes far beyond reason. Or even sanity. The need for authenticity, true and real horror, has led the director to employ an actual vampire. And pay all the costs that come with that.

Though Orlock is hideous, his character has a note of sympathy behind him. This is no uber-powerful vampire, but a weak and jaded immortal who's spent the last few decades surviving off rats. Murnau offers Orlock the one thing he desires most as payment. The director pays his star with the lives of his cast and crew, preferably in order of least-to-most relevant to getting the film finished. Thus, when Orlock feeds off the photographer, Murnau's pissed. The script girl? Not so much.

Ultimately, the question of the film boils down to who's the true monster. Most of the movie plays out as dialogue between Murnau and Orlock, and it's here that the obvious answers blur. The vampire is the one doing the killing, but Murnau essentially holds the leash. Or at least believes he does. The poisoned promise of fresh blood motivates Orlock, who's more tired of an eternal existence than eager to feed. For him, it's a compulsion. For Murnau, it's show business.

Best Paired with:

"Shadow of the Vampire" is more of a vampiric character study than it is a pure scary movie. The pace is slower, letting the characters really reflect on what's going on, and takes small steps towards the inevitable conclusion. With a moody atmosphere and imagery, plus a fantastically creepy performance from Willem Dafoe, it's a great Halloween movie. 

Just go in knowing it's more brains than bloodshed.

Accompanying Brew:

Something intense and brooding. Something with class, but also bite. 

Name: Leviathan IPA

Brewery: Harpoon

Where Brewed: Boston, MA and Windsor, VT

ABV: 10%

Style: Imperial IPA

Color:  A deep, golden shade. The hue borders on rich yellow/orange.

Aroma: A crisp hop scent is the first thing you pick up. Piney and slightly grapefruit-like. Sort of reminds me of a West Coast-style IPA. After a few sniffs, your nose gets accustomed to the hop profile and the scent of the sweeter malts show up.

Taste: Boldly flavorful in both hop profile and accompanying sweetness. Right off the bat, your mouth is filled with an array of citrus (grapefruit)/slight pine/slight spicy hops. Very fresh tasting and bright. The sweet character of the malts and higher ABV actually arrives fully alongside the hop flavor, so that the two blend into one delicious taste simultaneously, rather than have the taste change throughout each sip. I really enjoy how balanced the sweetness is with the hop. Neither one overpowers the other. They harmonize well. The cirtus/pine profile up the hops shows up early-to-mid taste, with the bittering hop bite coming in towards the end.

Aftertaste: The bitter hoppy bite extends into the aftertaste, leaving the bitter character on the tongue. A bit of the sweeter character also clings, but  it's nowhere near cloying. Rather, the remaining sweetness is quite mild. Alongside the bite, the experience is 70% bitter / 30% sweet.

Body: Only around medium in body, and likely then due to the higher ABV. Higher ABV beers tend to have a more velvety mouth feel, but Leviathan is surprisingly light in character given its high ABV. While its bold flavors make the beer less of a chug-worthy entry and more of the 'savor and enjoy' style, the body is light enough that one could theoretically down quite a few of these in quick succession. Granted, the remainder of their night would, let's say, be unfun.

Pair:  The tight balance of flavors almost wants to make me recommend trying this all on its own, with no other flavors to distort the dance of hop and sweet. If I were to recommend foods, I'd say something mellow, perhaps slightly salty, though that may overpower the beer's flavor. Fish, perhaps? Or a mellow cut of pork.