BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA – DVD MovieFrancis Ford Coppola’s 1992 Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a feverishly inventive movie that often overwhelms its own narrative flow, yet proves irresistible to watch. In the high-definition transfer on this two-disc Collector’s Edition, Coppola’s baroque, operatic set design, costumes, and cinematography look as lavish as they did on the film’s first release. The director’s grab-bag of visual effects are still bold and unabashed, if often over-the-top, and the actors still appear caught up in a certain hysterical pitch that feels a little forced but can be a lot of fun to watch. Gary Oldman’s imaginative performance as the titular vampire carries the weight of Coppola’s vision of Count Dracula as a tragic-romantic hero with Christ-like overtones. Keanu Reeves still looks a little lost in the pivotal role of Jonathan Harker, the London clerk who finds himself a prisoner in a Transylvanian castle while a 400-year-old vampire makes a play for his fiancée back home (Winona Ryder). Anthony Hopkins is fearless as a daft Von Helsing, and Sadie Frost is very good as the doomed Lucy.
The second disc in this set includes several good documentaries, including a featurette on the making of the film, involving past and present interviews with the principal artists involved. (Coppola and screenwriter James V. Hart speak persuasively about their commitment to bringing Stoker’s vision to the screen, rather than another revision.) Another documentary, “In-Camera: The Naïve Visual Effects of ‘Dracula,’” is a fascinating overview of Coppola’s sometimes-frustrated effort to get the timeless special effects he was seeking. There are also quite a few deleted scenes among the special features, the best of which is an alternative cut to the film’s bloody ending. –Tom Keogh
Rating: 
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November 7, 2010
#1
Review by Lawrance M. Bernabo
Rating:
“Bram Stoker’s Dracula” or, more properly, “Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula”? The assumption was that the title was chosen to stake a claim to being the film adaptation closest to Bram Stoker’s original gothic novel, but the reason was more mundane. Another studio had the rights to the title “Dracula,” so a qualification was necessary. Since this 1992 horror film would have the same characters along with the same general plotline as the novel, this seemed reasonable enough. But screenwriter James V. Hart added a significant element to Stoker’s novel that justified the movie’s potent tagline, “Love Never Dies.” As director, Francis Ford Coppola provides the stylistic flourishes, which are this movie’s best parts, but Hart is the one who is responsible for the derivations.
In the novel Count Dracula only makes vague reference to the historical Vlad the Impaler, son of the prince known as Dracul (the Dragon), hence the name Dracula (son of the Dragon), when he tells his guest Jonathan Harker of the history of his family. Hart takes advantage of what we know about the historical figure to craft the film’s prologue. Vlad (Gary Oldman) is fighting the Turkish invaders, not simply as a prince of Wallachia, but rather as more of a true Christian knight. He succeeds, but the exaggerated rumor of his death reaches his beloved Elisabeta (Winona Ryder), who throws herself to her death from the castle walls. As a suicide she cannot be buried on consecrated ground, and an outraged Vlad renounces God and is somehow transmorgraphies into a vampire as a result of his blasphemy. Then we get to the beginning of the novel.
Harker (Keanu Reeves) is traveling to Transylvania to Dracula’s castle to complete a series of real estate transactions that will allow the Count to come to London and live in style. Something not very nice happened to the previous member of Harker’s firm to make this trip (can you say Renfield?), but the old Count only seems eccentric. However, when he sees a picture of Harker’s fiancée, Mina Harker (Ryder), the Count knows that she is the reincarnation of his beloved Elisabeta. Now Dracula has reason to not only travel to London, but to make himself young again so that he can woo his woman.
Once we move from Transylvania to London, we meet the rest of our cast of characters. Mina’s best friend, Lucy Westenra (Sadie Frost), is being courted by Dr. Jack Seward (Richard E. Grant), who runs his own little asylum, Lord Arthur Holmwood (Cary Elwes), a handsome nobleman, and Quincey P. Morris (Bill Campbell), who hails from the American West. However, before Lucy can choose from amongst her beaus, she becomes the new bride of Dracula instead. Fortunately, Professor Abraham Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins) knows more about medicine than what is found in science books and knows what is to be done in this situation. Meanwhile, Count Dracula manages to run into Miss Mina, and the seduction is on.
The production design on this film is fantastic. When it first came out on DVD I would use it as a prime example of what could be down with sets and decor: Thomas E. Sanders and Garrett Lewis were nominated for an Oscar. The film won Oscars for Eiko Ishioka’s Costume Design, and the Makeup of Greg Cannom, Michèle Burke and Matthew W. Mungle, as well as the Sound Effects Editing by Tom C. McCarthy and David E. Stone. Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus deserves to be mentioned despite similar notice. The bottom line is that this is a great looking film, which is one of the things we come to expect in Coppola’s work.
Oldman’s performance as Dracula is interesting. Given all the actors who have come before from Max Schreck and Bela Lugosi to Christopher Lee and Frank Langella, it is hard to stake out new ground in the role. But Oldman bases his characterization on not only the romantic but also the tragic elements of this particular Dracula. Unfortunately, the performances of the cast are the weakest part of the film. Reeves is far and away the most wooden, but Ryder does not create a woman worth waiting for as far as I am concerned, which is the true weakest point of the film. Hopkins follows Laurence Olivier in the Van Helsing role and in a similar vein creates an eccentric ethnic know-it-all who spends a lot of time basically telling the gang of fearful vampire slayers to shut up and do what he says.
When “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” is over you will be struck by how gorgeous the film is from start to finish. That will make up for so many of the actors being as wooden as the stakes used to dispatch the vampires. Hart’s twist on the tale helps improve Stoker’s original ending, which was basically a race to kill Dracula before the sun sets. The tragic element established by the prologue is adequately played out in the ending. This film might be another example of the triumph of style over substance, but given the depths that some vampire movies can reach, it is nice to have one that aspires to such artistic pretensions.
November 7, 2010
#2
Review by Marc Ruby™
Rating:
When I first saw this film I was completely carried away with Francis Ford Coppola’s dark and brooding presentation of the novel that created the modern vampire. The visual composition, the use of color as theme, and the music overloaded my senses to the point that I barely noted the movement of the plot. After all, I had read Stoker’s tale often enough to recite it word for word. Why pay too much attention? Going back over the film 10 years later revealed much that I missed the first time.Of course, the film really tries to capture the feeling of the book rather than be a literal copy, which may bother some aficionados. Coppola has chosen to gradually shift emphasis from a horror tale to the tragic story of an impossible love, without ever losing either thread. By shifting Dracula (Gary Oldman) back and forth from Rumanian hero to terrible monster, and allowing each persona to have its emotional context, he forces a foreboding dilemma on the viewer. Dialog and narration is sparse, just enough rather than florid. Again, nothing is allowed to distract from the building tension.What completely escaped me on the first viewing was Coppola’s vision of a creeping corruption that infects almost all of the characters. British social mores fare little better than those of the vampires. Jack Seward (Richard Grant) is a morphine addict and Lucy Westenra’s (Sadie Frost) sexual intensity proves her Achilles heel. Even Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins) is subject to eerie, almost degenerate moments. This is a less pure, more disturbing world than that of Bram Stoker’s imaginings.Coppola keeps the film working on many levels – foreboding horror, grand romance, sharp social commentary, and transcendental morality play. If love redeems, it only does so at a terrible price. Well worth viewing – several times.
November 7, 2010
#3
Review by Shelley Gammon
Rating:
Not since Bela Lugosi has there been a Dracula this sexy, handsome, ugly, lovelorn and pure evil at the same time. Whether portraying the young count in the 16th century or playing himself as a late 19th century ogre of a man with a big white bufont hairdo (with a handsome window’s peak to boot) and Edward Scissorhands fingernails, Oldman makes this film what it is. His acting is exquistite as the tortured soul who longs after his lost love and lusts after the taste of human blood.Post-Lagosi vampires in cinema have always seemed to get the best of the good guys, but in this film taken from Stoker’s 19th century novel, good does triumph over evil. Copola endeavored to stick with older cinema effects and he did a superb job. There are some scenes that you will never forget … a marriage between simple effects and creativity gone wild… especially when the elder count’s shadow acts on its own accord. More suave than gory, but there is gore… this is the best production of the tale of Dracula since the invention of color film. If Anne Rice’s spin on the vampire tale is more your speed, this film will probably not be up your alley. Violence and sexual inuendo make this a film not suitable for kids.
November 7, 2010
#4
Review by trashcanman
Rating:
I’ve waited and waited for this collector’s edition while scoffing at the bare-bones release for the better part of a decade. Come on, this is legendary director Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of the most iconic vampire story of all time, surely they could do better. Well, my prayers have finally been answered. 30+ minutes of deleted scenes, director’s commentary, documentaries; this is what I’m talking about! The cover is rather silly, as if someone caught Drac without his makeup on and he’s shielding his face from the camera, but it’s the movie that counts, right?
The film itself is a visual masterpiece that suffers both from it’s overwrought, big-budget nature and it’s annoying lack of faithfulness to the original work. I mean, if you’re going to call it “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” the least one could reasonably expect is for the story to stick as closely to the book as possible. Sure, there are plenty of lines from both the novel and the classic Bela Lugosi film as well as plenty of other faithful details, but that isn’t necessarily enough. The biggest chink in this film’s shiny armor is the baffling romantic story that is shoehorned into what was a classic horror yarn. I’m not talking about the romance between Mina Murray and Jonathan Harker, nor Lucy Westenra and her three suitors -those were in the book- but the romance between Mina and the undead monster that kidnapped her fiance, raped and murdered her best friend to bring her back as a soulless creature that feasts on children in the night. Not a good foundation for any relationship. And let’s face it, the whole “vampire searching for his reincarnated lost love” storyline is a terrible cliche that never fails to make an otherwise good horror film drag. This was a bad move on Coppola’s part that compromises the film’s integrity in an attempt to appeal to the Anne Rice set. The time spent on Mina and Dracula’s romance would have been much better spent on sequences that were left out of the film, such as Drac’s wolves tearing apart a mother who comes looking for her child that was stolen in the night by the vampire, or the fate of the ship’s captain who ties himself to the steering wheel with a crucifix attempting to avoid sharing his crew’s fate and is found dead that way when the ship docks. And then there’s Jonathan Harker’s attempt to end Dracula’s life with a shovel while he sleeps in his coffin. These are three of the most memorable scenes in the novel (the latter, at least, is available as a deleted scene) and they would have been amazing on film.
The performances are uneven at times, but are overall quite good. Keanu Reeves will always be Keanu Reeves, but his performance doesn’t detract from the film as much as it could have since his blandness certainly helps the Mina-loves-Dracula story seem a little more believable. Anthony Hopkins gives an enthusiastic performance as the original vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing; commanding at times, and at other times bizarre and off-putting. There is a scene which was deadly serious in the book where Van Helsing is attempting to explain the gravity of the threat Dracula’s influence poses and Hopkins delivers lines like “We are dealing with forces beyond all human experience, and enormous power. So guard her well. Otherwise, your precious Lucy will become a bi+ch of the Devil! A whore of darkness!” to Lucy’s lover while attempting to suppress hysterical laughter. Real classy, Abe! Speaking of Lucy, Sadie Frost plays her as an extremely sexy, charming, and eventually horrifying tragic character. Spot on. Not much needs to be said about Gary Oldman; he is an unbelievable actor who goes so far into his characters that he is often unrecognizable. As the 19th century vampire lord who has lived for centuries, this one is no exception. Wynonna Ryder plays Mina with an interesting mix of innocence and sexual curiosity and though she comes off as clueless in the end, I’ll let it slide since she wasn’t the brightest bulb in the book either. Dracula’s three brides are portrayed in very memorable fashion: seductive, beautiful, and terrifying. Perfect.
The deleted scenes are a mixed batch, featuring some truly ghastly acting from Reeves in an otherwise grand alternate opening, much more of the film’s awesomely elaborate sets, and at least one scene that should have stayed in (discussed previously). Throw in four solid documentaries and commentary from the director and you’ve got a DVD done right.
Other than the few major quibbles I’ve discussed, “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” is the most faithful and visually impressive Dracula adaptation to date. There are scenes that will thrill, repulse, titillate, and creep you the hell out, sometimes all at once. It also features some of the coolest edits ever in a horror film and plenty of shocking imagery. While it fails to capture the charm, iconic performances, and legendary status of the original “Dracula” (still my favorite vampire film) this is a worthy update and, with the bonus features, this is an no-brainer for horror and vampire fanatics. If you haven’t seen this film you’ve missed out on a unique, visually staggering, and atmospheric take on the greatest vampire story ever told and you shouldn’t hesitate to pick this up.
November 7, 2010
#5
Review by dv_forever
Rating:
For months people have been complaining about the visual quality of this particular Blu-Ray title. I’m a Blu-Ray enthusiast and I do enjoy this film so I wanted to find out for myself if all the attacks about it’s visual quality had merit. Here are my thoughts…
I bought the Superbit Collection standard DVD of this movie and compared it to this Blu-Ray version. For me, it’s a no-brainer, the Blu-Ray is superior. The Superbit version actually looks more garish and brighter than any version I’ve seen before, be it on TV or VHS. The overly bright colors give the movie a fantasy feel. Rarely did the night scenes in the castle look dark or disturbing. It was all very garish, color wise.
In this Blu-Ray version, Coppola’s people, acting on his instructions, toned down the color scheme and made it darker, far more sinister and realistic. I enjoyed the look of the film very much. Those night scenes in the castle are eerie and dangerous in comparison to the overly bright Superbit version. The movie has a more horror like atmosphere to it. In a couple of short scenes, the color is drained and the picture has a nearly black and white look to it. It’s strikingly beautiful. On Blu-Ray, instead of the garish haze, the color of Dracula’s wardrobe for instance, blood red, leaps off the screen unlike the Superbit DVD.
Although most of the scenes don’t have the sharpness or detail you’ve come to expect from Blu-Ray, I still say it’s a very good purchase. Obviously this movie is not going to look like the Blu-Rays of Pixar’s Cars or Blade Runner or 2001: A Space Odyssey. I didn’t expect it to. The audio quality is just fine. Top notch. Some of the most hilarious features on this Blu-Ray are the multi-language tracks. They have Russian, Romanian and several others. I speak Russian and had a blast watching Dracula in Russian! It’s goofy watching Keanu Reeves in Russian at first but soon enough you realize this is very high quality dubbing. Not done as some afterthought at all. Very nice.
The special features have many documentaries and of course Coppola’s commentary. This Blu-Ray certainly warrants a purchase for those who like the film. If you’re unsure because of the controversy of the color scheme, I suggest buying the Superbit alongside the Blu-Ray and contrasting them for yourself. Perhaps you’ll like the Superbit DVD better. Compare them on your widescreen TV in a dark room at night and I think you’ll find the Blu-Ray is a better experience. Yes, there is grain and dirt and the picture is not perfect by any means. It’s an older catalog title. If it doesn’t get a full on restoration, it’s not going to look any better than this.
Now, as to the movie itself. I always enjoyed this Coppola treatment of Dracula. The atmosphere and art direction, the costumes, sets, music are all first class. The script, acting and pacing can be a bit stiff. That and Keanu Reeves hamper this movie. It’s still about as good as “Interview with the Vampire” or any of the other big-budget Hollywood vampire spectacles. Don’t forget that vampire movies are typically all exploitation and titillation with nothing remotely serious about them. I can point to dozens of examples. How about “John Carpenter’s Vampires” for one? Or the abysmal “Blade” trilogy for another?
The fact that Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Interview with a Vampire take things a tad more seriously than 95% percent of vampire flicks counts for something. The ultimate vampire film is yet to be made but Gary Oldman’s portrayal of Dracula makes him one interesting bloodsucker!