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Dracula

Dracula

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Universal Dropped the Ball
Review: The DVD transfer of this John Badham (Sat Nite Fever, War Games) conversion of the Broadway hit with Frank Langella is abysmal at best. Not only has Universal completely botched the transfer, putting a ton of video noise on the DVD, then had no one check the color levels during the transfer, which practically fade to black and white in most of movie, making it totally unwatchable unless you crank your color level to the max. The only reason you would want to buy this version is the incredible score by John Williams (ET, Star Wars, etc.) The end credits alone are worth the price of the DVD, if you love film scores. Otherwise, the entire film is waste of time. Frank Langella has brought his sweeping persona from his successful run on Broadway, where he had women swooning in the isles from this new "sexy" Dracula, sucking on women's necks in their boudoirs. Unfortunately, neither he, nor the great Lawrence Olivier can save this adaptation from sheer boredom by the second reel. Based on the original play written for Lugosi (penned by Hamilton Deane) which in turn is based on the Bram Stoker book, almost becomes a parody by film's end. Nuff said.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Best 'Dracula'!
Review: Out of all versions of this story that I've seen, this ranks as the most elegant. I always thought Christopher Lee as the ultimate Dracula, until I saw Frank Langella in the role. A very classy, beautifully photographed interpretation of the vampire tale. The ending especially was intriguing, if not entirely accurate to the original story. Laurence Olivier never disappoints as the vampire hunter. Good cast all around. The reason I gave 4 instead of 5 stars is because the colors tend to wash out on occasion. A good remastering is in order to bring the coloring back to life.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: major letdown
Review: Rinjiro was on honeymoon at St Michael's island offshore Cornwall, SW England, which served as the set for Castle Dracula while the exteriors were filmed. The evenings included watching the count's carriage being raced up and down the beach by sinister coachmen obviously under instruction to whip up publicity. So Rinjiro faithfully trooped in to see the film on its first night and regrets it. A major letdown after the book, and a letdown as a film. None of the beautiful exteriors, spectacular sundowns or landscape of the Cornwall coast make any appearance, while much effort is wasted on fake atmosfere; and as for the acting, observing the furniture had more merit. Sorry.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best Revision
Review: Out of all one million Dracula movies, that follow the Bram Stoker Vision, this is the best one. I myself, have always found a little bit of remorse for the old guy and this keeps the dream alive. Frank Langella plays the perfect Dracula, he's very subdued yet very powerful at the same time. This movie doesn't have alot of uneccessary blood and gut sceens yet it tells the story perfectly. The scenes and backdrop are perfect for the time and give the movie an eerie feeling. Being made in the late seventies, this movie has pretty good effects. If you want to pick one movie out of the hundreds that have been done about Bram Stokers Dracula then this one should be the one to pick.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Pathetic excuse for a film...
Review: Frank Langella plays an unmenacing vampire with a bad haircut in this cheesy Dracula rehash. The film starts out with the count showing up in England. It's not long before he sinks his fangs in to Mina Westerner and turns her into a walking corpse. Meanwhile, Lucy Harker (notice the name switch) falls under his spell. The rest of the film is about how Lucy actually falls in love with the count and starts to become a vampire herself. Unlike Stoker's damsel in distress, this Lucy is actually drawn to Dracula out of free will. This is made evident in the seemingly endless scenes where she and Dracula stare at each other like stoned apes. Meanwhile, Johnathan Harker is trying to save his wife from the fate of the Undead, not wanting to except that Lucy is falling in love with Dracula.

This film is not very appelaing, and blood-sucking vampires are the least disgusting. The film is packed with close-ups of the characters and their blank faces. Every line snatched from Stoker's text is regurgitated with flat, emotionless verbatum. To top that off, the film is loaded with cheesy special effects, including a rubber bat that attacks people and love scenes that look like they were part of a 1980s punk music video. Personally, I couldn't decide which was more loathsome: watching Renfield eat cocroaches or a slathering John Steward eat raw liver. Bela Lougosi's woodeny acting was BroadWay compared Langella's fiendish nancing. It was, however, funny listening to him snarl like the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: dark child of vampires impressed
Review: it's amazing that langella doesn't once use fake fangs in the movie, yet still completely manages to emulate the count (based of course on vlad dracula/vlad tepes/vlad the impaler) in both bloodthirsty nature against enemies and noble public image. his acting style bridges the gap between the fictional count dracula and the real prince dracula of walachia. although the other actors/actresses also performed magnificently in their roles, the special effects were by no means able to compete with modern technology, yet the theatrical-style performances by all actors (langella mostly) gave the film a much more truthful sense to it. i must admit that despite the special effects found in modern renditions, i tend to still prefer this older version of dracula as the most "realistic" portrayal and closest interpretation of the real dracula portrayed as the fictional count. my thanks to langella for his (again, counting theater)entrancing performance as the count.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Just How I Picture Dracula
Review: Frank Langella is the perfect Dracula; he embodies abosolute charm, yet a rage/hatred straight from hell. The acting is top notch and the dark "eerrieness" of this Dracula film is UNMATCHED by any others. The special effects still hold up to this day. If you're a "Dracula fan" or horror movie fan - this one is for you.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: SO romantic!
Review: I have been enthralled with this movie since I was a kid. It's definitely one of the more romantic takes on the Dracula theme. The music is wonderful! I like the story line, even if it does deviate from the novel.

The story of a love bordering on obsession that flowers between Dracula and Lucy is riveting, and, I think, the best part about this movie, but the ending is anti-climatic; I WANTED Lucy and Drac to make good their escape! I can't understand why Jonathan Harker insisted on holding onto a woman (Lucy) who was so obviously in love with someone else (Drac).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best Dracula ever--to me:)
Review: In my opinion this is the finest version ever. The sinfully
...Frank Langella takes the title role--and makes it his
own:0) The entire cast has a lot of heavy hitters including
the incomparible Sir Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasance and one of my favorite actresses Kate Nelligan. This movie
has it all--romance,scary elements, and John Williams
completely haunting soundtrack. I love it--hopefully you will
too.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Best Drac ever, but not best DVD
Review: I must have seen this film a dozen times in the theatres when it first came out, and probably know most of the dialogue! Frank Langella was every woman's dream as Dracula, the Hunk. Even though the screenplay didn't accurately reflect the novel, it was nonetheless engaging, beautifully filmed and acted, and parts are truly frightening. It's one of my favorite films of the genre.

But alas, I am so disappointed with the DVD. I don't know if I'm the only one, but the copy I bought is very washed out color-wise. I distinctly remember the film in beautiful, "living" (ahem)color. The DVD was almost in sepia tone, except for the infamous "Bat Love" scene. Has anyone else noticed this? Curious minds would love to know!


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