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| Sat. July 25 | 12:15 AM | AMC |
| Frank Langella | ... | Count Dracula | |
| Laurence Olivier | ... | Prof. Abraham Van Helsing | |
| Donald Pleasence | ... | Dr. Jack Seward | |
| Kate Nelligan | ... | Lucy Seward | |
| Trevor Eve | ... | Jonathan Harker | |
| Jan Francis | ... | Mina Van Helsing | |
| Janine Duvitski | ... | Annie | |
| Tony Haygarth | ... | Milo Renfield | |
| Teddy Turner | ... | Swales | |
| Sylvester McCoy | ... | Walter (as Sylveste McCoy) | |
| Kristine Howarth | ... | Mrs. Galloway | |
| Joe Belcher | ... | Tony Hindley | |
| Ted Carroll | ... | Scarborough Sailor | |
| Frank Birch | ... | Harbormaster | |
| Gabor Vernon | ... | Captain of Demeter | |
| Frank Henson | ... | Demeter Sailor | |
| Peter Wallis | ... | Priest |
Directed by | |||
| John Badham | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Bram Stoker | (novel) | |
| Hamilton Deane | (play) & | |
| John L. Balderston | (play) | |
| W.D. Richter | (screenplay) | |
Produced by | |||
| Marvin Mirisch | .... | executive producer | |
| Walter Mirisch | .... | producer | |
| Tom Pevsner | .... | associate producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| John Williams | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Gilbert Taylor | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| John Bloom | |||
Casting by | |||
| Mary Selway | |||
Production Design by | |||
| Peter Murton | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| Brian Ackland-Snow | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Julie Harris | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Eric Allwright | .... | makeup artist | |
| Susie Hill | .... | hair stylist | |
| Colin Jamison | .... | hair stylist | |
| Peter Robb-King | .... | makeup artist | |
| Jane Royle | .... | makeup artist | |
Production Management | |||
| Hugh Harlow | .... | production manager | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Gerry Gavigan | .... | second unit director | |
| Anthony Wave | .... | assistant director | |
Art Department | |||
| Andy Andrews | .... | property master | |
| Terry Apsey | .... | construction manager | |
| Reg Richards | .... | construction manager | |
| Peter Young | .... | set dresser | |
| Andy Aitken | .... | plasterer (uncredited) | |
| Dennis Murray | .... | plasterer (uncredited) | |
Sound Department | |||
| Jonathan Bates | .... | sound editor | |
| Robin Gregory | .... | sound mixer | |
| Gerry Humphreys | .... | sound re-recordist | |
| Terry Sharratt | .... | boom operator | |
| Jeremy Hume | .... | assistant sound editor (uncredited) | |
Special Effects by | |||
| Roy Arbogast | .... | special effects | |
| Michael Dawson | .... | special effects assistant | |
| Tad Krzanowski | .... | special effects (uncredited) | |
| Michael White | .... | special effects assistant (uncredited) | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| Maurice Binder | .... | visual consultant | |
| Brian Smithies | .... | models | |
| Albert Whitlock | .... | special visual effects | |
| Henry Schoessler | .... | matte crew (uncredited) | |
Stunts | |||
| Eddie Powell | .... | stunt coordinator | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Roger Berner | .... | assistant camera | |
| Leslie Dear | .... | additional photographer | |
| Wick Finch | .... | electrician | |
| Roy Ford | .... | camera operator | |
| Ray Hall | .... | grip | |
| Harry Oakes | .... | additional photographer | |
| Bob Penn | .... | still photographer | |
| Laurie Shane | .... | gaffer | |
| Peter Taylor | .... | assistant camera | |
| Roy Larner | .... | best boy (uncredited) | |
| Marc Wolff | .... | pilot: camera helicopter (uncredited) | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Brenda Dabbs | .... | costume supervisor | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Chris Ridsdale | .... | assistant editor | |
Music Department | |||
| Herbert W. Spencer | .... | orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer) | |
Other crew | |||
| Gordon Arnell | .... | publicist | |
| Jim Brennan | .... | location manager | |
| Bee Broomfield | .... | production secretary | |
| Pamela Carlton | .... | continuity | |
| Len Cave | .... | production accountant | |
| Reg Dent | .... | horse master | |
| Jan Francis | .... | dance arranger | |
| John Holmes | .... | animal coordinator | |
| Philip Kohler | .... | location manager | |
| Judit Thompson | .... | assistant: Mr. Badham | |
| Joyce Turner | .... | production assistant | |
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| Dracula | Dracula | Drácula | Dracula | Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht |
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After so many years, Lugosi's performance of Dracula wilts into camp, and the overblown Coppola version, while visually stimulating, comes across as so much hyperbole (Oldman was brilliant, but a few of his lines were poorly delivered, almost laughably so.)
But Langella was the master of all vampires, his performance reels with sexual presence and a charm and sophistication that renders all other Dracula movies null and void. And why not? He had countless performances on Broadway to perfect his character, and perfect it he did. He insisted on touches, such as never wearing fangs, or never appearing with blood on his face, that added class to the vampire legend and places this version a cut above the rest.
Kate Nelligan (Prince of Tides) was so young and beautiful then and it was easy to believe that she could inspire a love that could transcend death and time. Olivier was already a ghost, and many of the scenes that involved activity no more strenuous than walking actually had to be shot with a stand in. It is rumored that Sir Larry's performance was so frail that impressionist Rich Little actually had to be called in to dub some of Olivier's lines, as he had done for David Niven in his final Pink Panther film, because the originals were virtually unintelligible given the poor health of the actors.
The brooding and regal score by John Williams drives the movie quite nicely. The film was edited by John Bloom, who a couple of years later would edit The French Lieutenant's Woman with a similar feel, and shot by Gil Taylor who shot, among other greats, the original Star Wars. Stoker would have been proud of the final result, particularly so with Langella's masterful and groundbreaking performance that launched a career. Dracula is a Gothic masterpiece that has never been given its due.
In 2004 director Badham decided to release a version in which the color had been drained from the movie, in much the same way as its central character drained color, blood and life from his victims, perhaps an intentional comparison. The "making of" featurette is delightful, and producer Mirisch's hilarious tongue in cheek observation of the "holy water" effect has already been misquoted by earnest IMDb reviewers. The remake is nice, but it was gilding the lily. And although the film was indeed improved by this modification, it had already surpassed any of its would be peers and remains the quintessential vampire movie.