Rating: Summary: A mixed response Review: Though there is much to admire here, this is not an entirely satisfactory retelling of the Dracula legend. The film suffers from a tendency to take itself far too seriously. Laurence Olivier, as Van Helsing, really hams it up with some utterly banal dialogue of the sort that simply cannot be uttered nowadays without tongue firmly in cheek, which has the effect of turning him into a delusional and laughable old man. The attempt to turn the Dracula story into a lavish, sumptuous, sweeping romantic-drama does not sit well with the risible script. What was needed was a less grave (pardon the pun) approach, which would have enabled the film's darker and more poignant aspects to have deeper impact.On the other hand, there are a few things about the movie that shine. Visually, the film harks back to the Hammer Dracula movies of the '50s and '60s. Even the woodlands in and around the castle could be the very same location at which most of Hammer's output was filmed. Langella's Dracula, as he is filmed walking swiftly along, his cloak flapping behind him, has more than a touch of Christopher Lee. At the same time, however, Langella has a character of his own as the dreaded Count, at once as charming and romantic as he is dastardly and terrifying. Dracula's demise is one of the most memorable in the history of Dracula movies: in his death throes he is a struggling animal, a demon fighting death to the last, even managing to elicit a certain degree of pathos in his attempts to resist the inevitable. For these excellent touches, this is worth viewing.
Rating: Summary: scary! Review: This movie is very well done and pretty scary. It stars Frank Langella,whos film beginning startled me when Dracula's wolf transformation came out of a ship's compartment and killed a man by clawing his neck to pieces. That was chilling! The film though,was extremely sexy,but that does not matter,as the movie was scary enough to make up for that though! I also enjoyed the part when Dracula abruptly twisted and broke pitiful Renfield's neck,killing him!!I was mostly scared when Mina,after being bitten by Dracula,rose again and tried to bite a person's neck. The end was also very suspenseful,as I thought that they would never be able to kill Dracula. At the end Van Helsing died, but the other man killer Dracula!!Very nice movie!!
Rating: Summary: The Sexiest Dracula Ever Review: This is the sexiest version of Dracula you'll ever see. Frank Langella reprised his role from the stage version of Dracula and sets the screen on fire. One of the major deviations from the classic tale is Dracula openly professes his love for Lucy. Lucy is portrayed as a strong willed and modern thinking woman, not a victim. She falls in love with Dracula and when their relationship is threatened he attempts to take her WITH him back to his home. Even then, he is more concerned for her safety than anything else. When she joins him to go to the boat he tells her she must remain a creature of the light for a little longer until those who would destroy them are behind them. Overall . . . this version of Dracula will have ladies leaving their bedroom window open at night hoping he'll come by and pay them a visit. Frank Langella comes across as sexy, intelligent and believable. Co-starring Laurence Olivier and Kate Nelligan, this 1979 version of the classic story set the bar for everything that would be produced in the genre from that point on.
Rating: Summary: DRACULA Review: When I saw this movie several years ago as a kid, I was really impressed. I just bought it several days ago, and I love this movie! Unlike most other versions of Dracula, the whole movie was both exciting, terrifying, and mysterious. Langella is surpassed only by Lugosi. Both deliver suave,sinister, mysterious, and charismatic performances. Langella brings a slight sympathetic element to Dracula, though. The plot was fabulous and original. It begins with the doomed schooner crashing into Whitby's shores, where Dracula has purchased Carfax Abbey. From there, the film is somewhat like the Lugosi version, but still keeps originality. The special effects were wonderful! My personal favorite scene is when Harker and VanHelsing confront Dracula is Carfax. They find his coffin empty, and suddenly Dracula appears out of thin air behind them. The music by the legendary John Williams was fabulous and perfect for the movie. All the acting was great, but Renfield could have used a bit more polishing. This and the Lugosi original are the BEST Dracula's ever!
Rating: Summary: best love story Review: of all the dracular movies seen by me this one portrayed by Frank Langella is the best. He's good looking, sexy , stronge and very much in love. Lucy portrayed by Kate Nelligan is a stronge woman figure. What a great match. How disappointing that this movie did not get the high acclaime it deserved. I was hoping for a Dracular 11 with the same actors, to live forever in love {feeding on them} what better plot than that. Who says Dracular has to be ugly and repulsive looking I don't agree. I've been a fan of Lanfella since this movie. I'm ready of more of the same.
Rating: Summary: Not as good as I had heard Review: I was a little disappointed in this movie. I kept hearing that this version of Dracula was the best. I think that it could have been a lot better. I think it definitely is one for the library if you are a hardcore Dracula film buff, but I don't think the average Joe would enjoy it too much.
Rating: Summary: Dracula - in disguise as David Copperfiled, magician Review: Once I got over the shock of how like the magician David Copperfield this 70's Dracula looked, with his flowy white shirt, tight black pants, blowdried and hairsprayed hair, I actually enjoyed the movie. Definitely made in the Hammer genre -women in flowy white dresses, overacting in the van helsing role from Laurence Olivier, too much mist and plastic bats -all this adds to the atmosphere - but the biggest surprise was that Frank Langella in the title role brings a sensuous sexiness to his Dracula, never quite achieved by good old Christopher Lee
Rating: Summary: EXCELLENT!!!! Review: ok,ok the color is...well bad,but the movie is good.frank langella and kate nelligan steal the spotlight.Good movie if your a love and dracula fan.
Rating: Summary: The Play Was 100% Better! Review: I saw the wonderful Play Dracula that this movie was based on or should I say loosely based on? This incredibly bad movie is nothing like the wonderful play that was a mixture of horror and humor with clever and witty dialogue, I saw this Dracula movie with Frank Langella thinking it would be a mixture of horror and wit like in the play but I was very disappointed, it wasn't the same story at all! I hope someday someone decides to really make a movie version of the play and makes it the way it is supposed to be, spooky and witty and excatly like the play. Even a filmed version of the actual play would be great!
Rating: Summary: Where's the color? Review: The color is so washed-out that the film is very disappointing. I have liked the movie over the years, but this DVD leaves much to be desired. The video tape is a better viewing even though it is not widescreen.
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