Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary (2002)

Director:

Guy Maddin

Writers:

Bram Stoker (novel)
Mark Godden (ballet Dracula)

Release Date:

12 December 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Horror | Musical

Plot:

A ballet rendition of Bram Stoker's gothic novel DRACULA, presented in a style reminiscent of the silent...

Plot Keywords:

Dance | Gothic | Woman In Jeopardy | Coffin | Seduction

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Wei-Qiang Zhang	...	Dracula (as Zhang Wei-Qiang)
Tara Birtwhistle	...	Lucy Westernra
David Moroni	...	Dr. Van Helsing
CindyMarie Small	...	Mina
Johnny A. Wright	...	Jonathon Harker (as Johnny Wright)
Stephane Leonard	...	Arthur Holmwood
Matthew Johnson	...	Jack Seward
Keir Knight	...	Quincy Morris
Brent Neale	...	Renfield
Stephanie Ballard	...	Mrs. Westernra
Sarah Murphy-Dyson	...	Maid / Nun / Vampiress
Carrie Broda	...	Maid / Nun
Gail Stefanek	...	Maid / Vampiress
Janet Sartore	...	Maid / Nun
Jennifer Welsman	...	Gargoyle / Nun

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:12A

Filming Locations:

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Company:

Vonnie Von Helmolt Film

One of the best "Dracula" movies ever

Despite the extreme, extreme familiarity of the source material and the stuffy associations of the ballet form, Guy Maddin's 'Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary' emerges not only as one of the best 'Dracula' movies ever, but also as one of the best films about the Victorian Era (ranking with 'The Elephant Man' and 'Topsy-Turvy'). Maddin achieves the first feat with his insight into Stoker's novel (it's exciting to see somebody touch on the misogyny and xenophobia for once), and the second through a fascinating and completely appropriate aesthetic synthesis. Combining a 19th-century novel with a 19th-century pop art form, and setting it to 19th-century music (Mahler's from the wrong country, but so what), is a good beginning, but what makes it work, of course, is shooting it all in a mock-19th-century style. OK, so the silent horror films we think of date from a little later; still, Maddin does what he can to give the film a primitive, experimental, moving-daguerreotype effect, and the result feels like an actual window to the past, even if it's all just an artificial aesthetic construct. If this all sounds a bit self-conscious and over-the-top, it sort of is, but viewers will almost certainly be surprised at how unpretentious the effect actually is. The more explicitly balletic moments occasionally slow things down a bit for non-fans, but Maddin wisely keeps the running time at 75 minutes, and this helps the film retain a surprising accessibility. Not for all tastes, of course, but worth the effort for just about anyone. 8.5 out of 10.