Count Dracula (1977) (TV)

Director:

Philip Saville

Writers:

Gerald Savory (adaptation)
Bram Stoker (novel)

Release Date:

22 December 1977 (UK)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

For those familiar with Bram Stoker's novel, this adaptation follows the book quite closely in most respects...

Plot Keywords:

Dracula | Vampire | Transylvania | Negative Footage | Infra Red

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Louis Jourdan	...	Count Dracula
Frank Finlay	...	Abraham van Helsing
Susan Penhaligon	...	Lucy Westenra
Judi Bowker	...	Wilhelmina 'Mina' Westenra
Jack Shepherd	...	Renfield
Mark Burns	...	Dr. John Seward
Bosco Hogan	...	Jonathan Harker
Richard Barnes	...	Quincey P. Holmwood
Ann Queensberry	...	Mrs. Westenra
George Raistrick	...	Bowles
George Malpas	...	Swales
Michael Macowan	...	Mr. Hawkins
Susie Hickford	...	Dracula's Bride
Belinda Meuldijk	...	Dracula's Bride
Sue Vanner	...	Dracula's Bride

Also Known As:

Great Performances: Count Dracula (USA) (series title)

Runtime:

150 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

The film is notable for being extremely faithful to Bram Stoker's novel, although several liberties were taken, including: The characters of Quincy P. Morris and Arthur Holmwood are combined into a single character named Quincy P. Holmwood; Mina and Lucy are sisters in the film and friends in the novel; Dracula in the novel begins as an old man and becomes younger as he feeds on blood, and in the film this does not happen; Dracula is killed in the film by Van Helsing who drives a stake into his heart, while in the novel he is killed when Jonathan Harker cuts his throat with a knife and, at the same time, Quincey Morris thrusts a knife into his heart.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The shaving mirror scene: when Harker moves, there is a slight but noticeable delay, with his reflection moving just before he does. This occurs a few times, and makes it obvious that a trick mirror (possibly a Chromakey screen) is being used.

Quotes:

Renfield: I'm not a lunatic in a mad fret. I'm a sane man, fighting for his freedom.
Dr. John Seward: Now come, Mr Renfield. No more of this. Come, go to your room and behave more discreetly.
Renfield: Doctor Seward. I trust you will do me the honour to remember that when this night is out, I did what I could to convince you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook (1991)

Best "Dracula" I ever saw

This English version of the classic Stoker novel played on PBS in the late '70's and was one of the better shows that I remember watching on public television at that time. It has a quality that gave it more substance than other versions that I have ever seen. Even the Copella "Dracula", which is centerpieced by a fabulous performance by Gary Oldman, does not have quite the depth that this one did. Like many "Dracula" versions, they have changed the story a bit, but have kept the essential feel of piece

It might be said that Louis Jourdan is miscast here, but I would only say that from the standpoint of age (Jourdan was nearly 60). The man has an aura and appeal that draw women in. Even in his 60's when he played the villain in "Octopussy", he was still sexy in a continental playboy sort of way. If he had been maybe ten or 20 years younger he would have been better.

Susan Penhaligon and Judy Bowker will probably be familiar due to the fact that at one point in time they were the English babes of the moment. While Penhaligon is a reasonable actress she wasn't able to rise above it like Jane Seymour. In this show, both give interesting performances. Bowker has a few great moments where her character struggles with the pull she feels for Dracula and her love for her husband.

The great, but underrated Frank Finlay does a fabulous job as Van Helsing.

PBS needs to bring this production back on video or DVD. It would be interesting to see it again. While the production is filmed in as the average BBC studio style, it still has appeal.