In Dracula,
the Bram Stoker tale told by Francis Ford Coppola, every subtle change
in color, music or scenery adds to the mystery and intensity. This one
appeals to horror fans, classic movie fans and theater fans alike, and
is as close to the original literary work as we have seen yet.
Written by BHM Contributor
Dr. Chills December 14, 2007
Release: 13
November 1992 Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola Written by: Bram Stoker (novel) and James V. Hart
(screenplay)
Starring:
Gary Oldman as Dracula Winona Ryder as Mina Murray / Elisabeta Anthony Hopkins as Professor Abraham Van Helsing Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker
Three words come to mind as I write the review for the movie,
Dracula, as told by director Francis Ford Coppola…
“I’m not worthy!” This stunning
collaboration between Coppola and James V. Hart took my breath away by
the sheer beauty, magnificence, power and genius of the film. You will
not be disappointed with this one.
You can never judge a book by its cover, a movie by its title, nor
spirit of the undead by its eating habits. There is so much more to
Count Dracula (Gary Oldman) than meets the eye. When the movie opens
up, we find that the vampire’s human predecessor was a devout
religious man, a fierce warrior for the Holy Roman Empire and a
dedicated husband.
Our "hero" only sojourned to the
dark side of life (well death) after experiencing a life changing
tragedy and a broken heart. The love of his life, had taken her own
life through a deceptive act by the enemies of the church. As fate
would have it, according to the priests’ doctrine,
Mina’s soul could not be saved. That simple and cruel act by
church officials of playing God and damming Mina (Winona Ryder) to hell
unleashed a century’s long karmic journey for not only
Ryder’s character, but for that of Dracula (Gary Oldman) and
Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) as well.
Upon
learning of his dear Mina’s death and her sentence by
church officials to burn in everlasting fire, the holy man disavows
everything holy. He gives up his membership in the Order of the Dragon,
a secret organization of knights and nobles banned together to fight
heresy, and instead becomes the ultimate heretic and the Dragon
himself.
Four
hundred years later, we find an unsuspecting Jonathon Harker
(Keanu Reeves), a bright eyed new attorney, about to embark on a
journey to Transylvania that will change his life forever. As luck
would have it, Jonathon Harker’s Fiancé is really
the reincarnation of The Vampire's long lost and tragically
deceased wife.
From that point forward, this epic film is filled with non stop suspense,
sensuality, esoteric knowledge, blood, guts, chase scenes and more.
Anthony Hopkins does a tremendous job as vampire slaying Professor
Abraham Van Helsing. The movie culminates with a race against sunset,
and a battle against the very powers and principalities that rule the
dark universe.
Coppola
takes the viewer through a cinematic journey where the winds
talk, where every subtle change in color, or music or scenery adds to
the mystery and intensity of the movie, and where the viewer is on the
edge of their seat until the redemptive end.
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