Review of Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) by Filipeneto — 12 Feb 2018

Dracula revisited ... and revalued.

This film tells the story of Dracula, the notorious vampire created by the imagination of Bram Stoker, based on the life of the king Vlad Tepes of Wallachia. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, James V. Hart has script and the participation of Gary Oldman (Dracula), Winona Rider (Mina Murray and also Elisabeta, first wife of Count), Anthony Hopkins (Van Helsing), Keanu Reeves (Harker, Mine groom) and Monica Bellucci (one of vampire brides of Dracula).

The film seeks to tell the story faithfully Dracula to Stoker's novel, which is obviously one of the main attractions of the film. Indeed, Dracula's character has never been well treated by cinema: we almost only see this character in trash or low-budget films, unless the laudable exceptions of the Bela Lugosi's movie (1931) and some (few) movies with Christopher Lee. In this film, the gloomy atmosphere is stilted for photography and soundtrack, written by Wojciech Kilar. Make-up is also wisely used in various situations, highlighting some of the changes that the Count suffers, assuming grotesque shapes. The sensuality is also present in various scenes and characters. We cannot forget that, thanks to traditional bite in the neck, Dracula is one of the horror characters more directly linked with sexuality and lust.

I don't feel able to make negative comments. The little that could be bad is well compensated by many highly positive characteristics. For all this, that is one of the best vampire movies of recent years and the best film about Dracula in decades. An opportunity to revisit and upgrade the character, giving him again a seriousness that he had lost, and that was very well used by Coppola.