History Film / ShadowOfTheVampire

** Seems like the shutter door mechanism will be one, but this is not the case as [[spoiler: Schreck sabotages it before his final scene, cutting the counterweight out of an excess of caution.]]

** The obvious one: the film's premise is that the urban myth that Max Schreck was a real vampire is ''not'' a myth. Any reputable source will attest to Schreck having been an accomplished stage actor for over a decade when he was cast as Orlok, and he continued to appear on the German stage and screen until he died of a heart attack in 1936. The myth, however, makes for a much more entertaining story. (It didn't help Schreck himself was an eccentric, solitary man who delighted in being scary.)

** Creator/EddieIzzard as Gustav. She basically uses the same German accent she uses for her stand up routine about the Heimmlich Manoeuvre.

** Creator/EddieIzzard as Gustav. He basically uses the same German accent he uses for his stand up routine about the Heimmlich Manoeuvre.

* MonsterSobStory: Schreck.

* AllThereInTheManual: When Albin Grau and Henrick Galeen ask Schreck how he became a vampire, Schreck states it was a woman and the film doesn't go into detail about it. The original script revealed that it was his wife, a child bride who died while giving bearth. He would only ever see her at night as she was slowly turning him into a vampire. She eventually left him and over the centuries Schreck forgot what she even looked like.

* AllThereinTheManual: When Albin Grau and Henrick Galeen ask Schreck how he became a vampire, Schreck states It was a Woman while the Film doesn't go into detail about it. The Original Script Reveals that it was His Wife who was A Child Bride who died in Childbirth. He would only ever see her at Night as she was Slowly Turning Him into a vampire. She Eventually left him and over the Centuries Schreck has forgotten what she even looked like.

->'''F. W. Murnau''': I will not allow you to destroy my picture!
->'''Max Schreck''': This is hardly your picture any longer.

'''Max Schreck:''' It was woman... We were together|in the night, and then she left me. At first, I had a painting of her in wood, then I had a relief of her in marble, and then, I had a picture of her... in my mind. But now, I no longer even have that. What was I saying? This Schnapps they make in these parts... I haven't tasted it in --...

** Gustav von Wangenheim, the actor cast as the hero Thomas Hutter, can't even fake a yawn without looking hilariously over the top.

** Schreck is hyped up as an insanely dedicated method actor who toured with a prestigious company. However, his actual performance is stilted line readings, dialog screwups and looking at the camera. Of course, it makes sense because he isn't really an actor and was cast for the overwhelming creepiness and legitimacy he brought to the role.

** One of the themes of the film is that film is a vampire of its own. The celluloid of film itself is destroyed by sunlight -- just like a vampire. When Shrek dies, the film melts.

* WhamLine: [[spoiler:"There is no Max Shreck."]]

** The obvious one: the film's premise is that the urban myth that Max Schreck was a real vampire is ''not'' a myth. Any reputable source will attest to Schreck having been an accomplished stage actor for over a decade when he was cast as Orlok, and he continued to appear on the German stage and screen until he died of a heart attack in 1936. The myth, however, makes for a much more entertaining story. (It didn't help Schreck himself delighted in being scary.)

** The obvious one: the film's premise is that the urban myth that Max Schreck was a real vampire is ''not'' a myth. Any reputable source will attest to Schreck having been an accomplished stage actor for over a decade when he was cast as Orlok, and he continued to appear on the German stage and screen until he died of a heart attack in 1936. The myth, however, makes for a much more entertaining story.

* NotSoDifferent: One of the themes of the film is that film is a vampire of its own. The celluloid of film itself is destroyed by sunlight -- just like a vampire. When Shrek dies, the film melts.
-->'''Greta:''' A theatrical audiences gives me ''life'', while this... thing ''(indicates movie camera)'' takes it from me.

* NotSoDifferent: One of the themes of the film is that film is a vampire of its own.

'''Greta:''' [[spoiler: An audience gives me life. This... thing only takes it from me.]]