Bram Stoker's Dracula (Superbit Collection)

Rating:
Summary: "We've all become God's madmen"
Review: In an exercise of cosmic madness, the essence of vampire lore is born with Count Dracula and his centuries-long yearning for the deceased Mina, an erotic love story lost in a netherworld of dreamless musings.

In this sensual feast of images, saturated with thick, red blood, an epic struggle is waged, a battle for eternity. Count Dracula purchases real estate in Victorian London, transferring crates of Transylvanian earth, where he will rest by day, pursuing the reincarnated Mina (Winona Ryder) by night. Mina is engaged to Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves in a particularly wooden and unctuous performance), the young man sent to transact business with the Count in Transylvania. Trapped in the Dracula's castle and unable to return to London, Dracula's three ex-wives petulantly drain the young man's blood to ensure his passivity. If they drained much more fluid, the insipid Harker would be dead, his acting so inanimate as to appear purposefully comedic.

Not to worry. Gary Oldman, as the Count, makes up for any flaws in Coppola's vision of Bram Stoker's Dracula, resplendent as the wizened vampire with taloned fingers, his eyes cloudy with memory. Appearing in London to claim his prize, Oldman is a suave boulevardier, who has no difficulty attracting the damsel's attentions (consider the alternative), eventually siphoning off a quart or so of her blood, his eyes rolling back in an ecstasy of content.

As Dracula's lost love, Mina (Ryder) at first appears as stiff as her intended (Reeves), passionless and prim, a perfectly repressed Victorian. However, once infused with the elixir of immortality, the lady perks right up and shows her mettle (and incipient fangs), writhing in vampiric agony, tormented by her blood lust for the Count.

The cinematography is excellent, but especially stunning when the fleshly concupiscence of the female form is contrasted with a dark need for transfusion. One particularly memorable character is Sadie Frost as Lucy Westenra. Thrashing with urgency, the titian-haired Lucy's throat is nightly bared to her seducer, sinking inexorably toward death, yet glowing in her new-fanged vulnerability, only to be reborn in the crypt. Unfortunately, this juicy morsel falls victim to the vampire slayer's sword, post-mortem. Two other impressive roles are filled by Tom Waits as the bug-crunching, straight-jacketed Renfield and Richard E. Grant as his hollowed-eyed, drug-addled doctor/keeper.

For all the mist-shrouded roads and menacing packs of wolves, it is Mina who rocks when calling forth the storm's fury in a bid to shield Dracula from the burning rays of the sun, shouting incantations as a posse rides to cut the Count off at the proverbial pass. Led by an overweening Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins), the do-gooders, including the pale visage of Jonathan Harker, plan Dracula's ultimate destruction: a stake through the heart and off with his head. At the moment of truth, Mina confronts Jonathan, asking if this is to be her fate as well. But the men withdraw on the order of a pontificating Van Helsing, "We've all become God's madmen!" It is left to the compassionate Mina to free her decadent love, releasing them both to the land of myth: "Our love is stronger than death." One can only hope. Luan Gaines/2005.




Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Dracula Films - Unforgettable
Review: This film is a brilliant one. It is sophisticated, engaging, and scary as hell. The special effects were done strictly on camera, I am told, and there are no cutting-edge CGI here... it's all careful editing and camerawork, which is amazing.

The way the story is told will be difficult for some, but it is filmed as though it were a book, although not particularly Bram Stokers book. Not to worry.

Gary Oldmans Dracula, though different from Lugosi and Langella, is frightening. He really pulls out the stops and displays some truly horrific mannerisms... and he makes this character his own.

Unfortuanately, the performance by Ryder seems stiff, pretentious and her accent is an absolute mockery, but the rest of the cast and the visuals are so strong, she can't bring the film down by much. Though young for the part, Keanu Reeves does a good job as Harker, and his accent is more credible. Anthony Hopkins and Sadie Frost, however are nothing short of brilliant and their characters are real standouts.

Lastly, hair stylist and wig maker Stuart Artingstall stole the show with his miraculous hair creations for Gary Oldman. He should have won an Oscar for them. I first saw this film in 1991, and the image of those head dresses were the one thing I remember above everything. It helped make this film memorable in a visually way and I still can't take my eyes off of them. It helped to make Oldmans character so memorable and so totally unique to him. It is said they are inspired by the Japanese Kabuki Theater in Japan, and in some ways, that very style mirrors the continuity and narriative of the script. Brilliant.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining despite its flaws
Review: As a true fan of the book, I will say that the movie is the closest adaptation around. However, it is NOT Bram Stoker's "Dracula": as found in a book cover. Rather, it is an adaptation and should be viewed as such. People who criticize it for taking too much creative license need to realize this.

I will spare you the plot-spoiling fodder and just say that if you like vampires and can ignore the fake British accents of Keanu Reeves and Wynona Ryder (who are bearable), this movie will entertain you. You have to see it to understand how difficult it is to review this movie.