I’m going to be looking at a Sirius (see what I did there?) Dracula movie depicting the love and loss that lead Vlad the Impaler to become the blood-sucking Count. This is one of the movie adaptations that follows the original novel more closely. If you want to find out more about Dracula adaptations and which ones are more faithful to the book, then check out James Rolf’s video here. It’s really interesting and may point you in the direction of other Dracula movies that are unknown to you.
Starting in 1462. Vlad Dracula (Gary Oldman), after conquering the Turk army, discovers that his wife, Elisabeta (Winona Ryder), has committed suicide after receiving false news of his death. He then renounces god and promises to return from the grave for revenge.
Skip forward to 1897. Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves), a young solicitor from London, travels to Transylvania to meet with Count Dracula to discuss his new acquirement of Carfax Abbey in London. The Count insists that Jonathan stays with him for a month. While Jonathan is shaving, Dracula sees a picture of his fiancée, Mina Murray (Winona Ryder), who is the spitting image of his late beloved wife, Elisabeta. During his stay he is fed upon by Dracula’s brides, while the Count boards a ship and heads for London. He arrives, but has changed from an old man to a much younger version of himself.
Mina has been staying with her rich, socialite friend, Lucy (Sadie Frost), while Jonathan is away. Dracula transforms into a beast-like creature and lures Lucy outside into the extensive grounds that surround her house, and into a maze where he rapes and bites her. Mina follows her and witnesses the event, until Dracula notices her and disappears. As Lucy starts to change, Professor Abraham Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins), is summoned to check on her unknown condition. He identifies it as the mark of the vampire.
Meanwhile, Mina has made friends with the young Dracula, and starts to spend a lot of time with him, until she hears word from a convent that Jonathan has been staying there after he escaped Dracula’s castle. She then travels to Romania, where they marry. Devastated by this news, Dracula transforms Lucy into a vampire, so Van Helsing has no choice but to kill her by staking her through the heart in her coffin.
When Mina and Jonathan return to London, Jonathan identifies Dracula. Van Helsing and Jonathan, along with Dr Jack Seward (Richard E Grant), Sir Arthur Holmwood (Cary Elwes), and Quincey P Morris (Billy Campbell), go to Carfax Abbey to find Dracula. Mina is taken to Dr Seward’s asylum for safe keeping while they are away. Here, Dracula comes to her and changes her into a vampire. The men burst into the room, where Dracula flees to his native Transylvania. They follow.
After killing the brides, Dracula awakens and is eventually stabbed in the heart. He and Mina retreat into the chapel where he had renounced God. Mina pushes the knife further into his heart and then decapitates him, freeing herself from the vampire curse.
Although this movie was critically acclaimed, critics panned Keanu Reeves for his performance. I will admit it was an odd choice. Going from Bill & Ted to Dracula was a rather strange move. And this was before he became the more serious actor we know him to be today. Although to be fair, in 1988 he co-starred in Dangerous Liaisons, with a role that was slightly similar to his Jonathan Harker. Winona Ryder was criticised also for her accent attempt.
Gary Oldman was great as usual. His portrayal showed that Dracula wasn’t just a blood-sucking killer, but an emotionally damaged man who lost the love of his life. After finding her reincarnation, he did whatever it took to get her back. It’s essentially a love story as well as a horror. Romantic horror if you will. The relationship between Dracula and Mina is more focused on than most adaptations of the story I have seen.
Anthony Hopkins’ role as Van Helsing was also brilliant, almost on par with Peter Cushing’s portrayal in the Hammer versions. Both he and Oldman were able to perform their required accents flawlessly. Mr Hopkins also played the role of a priest in the beginning and served as narrator throughout.
Visually, the movie is stunning. Francis Ford Coppola made it look authentic with so many vivid colours. From the scenery to the costumes, everything looks fantastic. The music score is both menacing and beautiful. Each piece fits its scene perfectly.
If you want an accurate version of the book, this is one to watch. It’s not a perfect movie by any means, but it’s definitely a good movie if you have 2 hours to spare. Give it a try this Halloween month. You might just like it.
Linsey Loves Horror 