Bram Stoker’s Dracula

The setting is ancient Transylvania, the aristocracy is living well, the town is bustling with activity and somewhere in the mountains a dark castle sits. Within it’s walls lives an ancient man, more ancient than others, in actuality his age defies mortality, and he holds a secret. His name is Vlad Dracul, more commonly known as Vlad The Impaler.

I have always been a fan of movies with well written monologues and theatrical similarities. Bram Stoker’s Dracula falls into this category, with it’s cinematography, well scripted monologues and accuracy to the original novel. The soundtrack is absolutely moving as scene to scene you are taken along for an insane ride through Vlad’s obsession with Elizabeta. The special effects though dated (even at the time of it’s release) even seemed theatrical versus realistic and only adds to the artsy look of the overall film.

Gary Oldman owned his role as Vlad and brings across the monologues with unbridled passion… “I am the last of the Draculs!”, or in a final scene with his beloved “I LOVE you too much!” The depiction of Dracula in this movie is unique because you are made to feel sorry for him rather than fear him. Nothing is removed from the legend of blood-sucking, impaling and changing shape but Vlad is cast as a cursed Zealot versus a conniving monster.

Winona Ryder is delicately beautiful as Wilhemina Murray/Elisabeta and her courtship by Vlad is convincing and filmed well. Anthony Hopkins ever the powerful actor as he is, takes the role of Dr. Van Helsing and turns him into a ruthlessly brave Vampire Hunter. His lines were the most memorable of the movie “We’re going to chop off her head and drive a stake through her heart”. Van Helsing brings it continuously, I almost felt sorry for the bloodsucker once this man was on his trail, no-one else could play this part in my opinion.

My gripes with Bram Stoker’s Dracula are very few, firstly Keanu Reeves as John Harker was not very compelling, his lack of emotion for the part was very noticeable and I wasn’t feeling the character. The side characters that courted Wilhemina’s friend Lucy were comical and the movie seemed too rushed towards the end.

If I was to recommend a vampire movie, this would be at the top of my list, it is very well done. Go out and buy it, buy it for the impaling, buy it for the accuracy and most of all buy it for the wolf scene (easily the most memorable of the movie). You’ll laugh when you remember me saying that… The wolf is awesome.

  STAR RATING: (8/10)   ★★★★★★★★★★

Reviewed by Greg Dragon on Monday, March 1, 2004 
Filed under Horror, Romance, Spicy Favorites · Tagged with anthony hopkins, bram stoker, gary oldman, keanu reeves, vampire, vlad the impaler, winona ryder