Bram Stoker's Dracula

Director - Francis Ford Coppola (Dementia 13, The Godfather)

Starring - Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight, The Fifth Element), Winona Ryder (Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice), and Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal)

Release Date - 1992

Genre - Horror/Romance

Tagline - "Love Never Dies"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      Since the initial release of Bram Stoker’s iconic novel Dracula there has been countless adaptations. Most were unofficial adaptations like the classic Nosferatu and the countless indie productions that spring up every Halloween season. However, there has been several official adaptations over the years like the classic Bela Lugosi lead Dracula and the underrated Spanish production that was filming on the same set as Dracula after hours. When I was a kid, I remember my grandmother buying Bram Stoker’s Dracula on VHS one year and we watched it a few times. I remember loving the sets, costumes, creature design, and the suspense the film delivers but thought it was a little too long for my childish brain to focus on for its entirety. Since then I’ve snagged the film on DVD and revisited it ever so often and I find myself loving it more and more with each viewing. Sometime back I received the press release that the film was getting an UHD Steelbook release. I quickly reached out to request a review copy and when it arrived, I had to work it into my month-long October horror binge. 

      The film follows Dracula Oldman), a former warrior for the church, who renounced God when his young bride killed herself thinking he lost his life in battle. We move forward several hundred years and Jonathan Harker (Reeves) travels to Transylvania to finish the process for Dracula to purchase property at Carfax Abbey. However, during Harker’s visit Dracula finds a locket with his fiancé in it. Her likeness to his lost beloved leads him to believe that she is the reincarnation of his lost love. 

     Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a fabulous film. Everything about this movie is amazing aside from the visual effects which I’m sure looked great at the time but did not age well. The locations, scenery, and costumes are amazing while the story delivers some fantastic atmosphere and tension. The acting in this one is legendary. The film has one of the biggest cast of stars that I’ve seen especially for a horror film. We have names like Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Waits, Cary Elwes to name a few. Everyone here delivers a legendary performance and there is no weak links. The cast is absolutely historic and they bring these literary characters to life in big ways. The original Universal Dracula is a great film and known for it’s performance from Lugosi but this film is the best acted Dracula adaptation to date. The story for this one truly fantastic. It’s a horror film but it also has a huge influence from fantasy and romance. The romance and fantasy influence is not overpowering. They leave their marks on the film but it doesn’t take center stage however. Also, it does follow the novel to a certain degree while taking liberties to make the story feel more genuine for film. I love it and think that the stand out changes works. Not only does it throw the viewer that has read the novel but it gives some good eerie moments and a lot of suspense. Finally, the film has a lot of blood, some amazing make-up effects, and dates visual effects that come together to create something that will entertain for generations. It’s not a gory flick but we have some seriously bloody moments and the creature make-up is fucking top notch. I love the looks we get in this film and the blood is just the icing on the cake. Overall, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is one of the most popular pop horror flicks of all time and for good reason. It’s massive budget is noticeable but not wasted. It’s a beautiful horror film that blends in fantasy and romance in a way that it doesn’t feel forced on you. I cannot recommend this one enough. Check it out.