The centuries old vampire Count Dracula comes to England to seduce his barrister Jonathan Harker's fiancée Mina Murray and inflict havoc in the foreign land.
This version of Dracula is closely based on Bram Stoker's classic novel. Young barrister Jonathan Harker is assigned to a gloomy village in the mists of eastern Europe. He is captured and imprisoned by the undead vampire Dracula, who travels to London, inspired by a photograph of Harker's betrothed, Mina Murray. In Britain, Dracula begins a reign of seduction and terror, draining the life from Mina's closest friend, Lucy Westenra. Lucy's friends gather together to try to drive Dracula away.Written by
Goth <brooks@odie.ee.wits.ac.za>
Several elements of this movie were taken from previous Dracula adaptations. Renfield being Harker's predecessor (the characters are completely unrelated in the novel) has been used in numerous previous Dracula movies, starting with Nosferatu (1922). The scene of Dracula rising from his coffin for the first time is also taken from Nosferatu (1922). Dracula's line of dialogue, "I never drink...wine" has also been used in numerous previous Dracula movies, originating with Dracula (1931). The idea of Dracula's motivation for coming to England being to find his reincarnated lost love was first used in Dracula (1974). The lunatics in the asylum rioting to signal the coming of Dracula was used in Dracula (1979). References to non-Dracula movies include Dracula turning Mina's tears into diamonds, a reference to the Jean Cocteau movie Beauty and the Beast (1946), Lucy's glass coffin, taken from the various versions of the "Snow White" story, and the window in Lucy's bedroom, taken from the Frank Capra movie The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1932). See more »
Goofs
When Dracula bites Mina, her 20th century bikini briefs can be seen beneath her sheer 19th century night gown. See more »
Quotes
Lucy Westenra:
Come to me, Arthur. Leave these others and come to me. My arms are hungry for you, my darling.
See more »
Alternate Versions
British video version contains a scene where Jonathan Harker's nipple is licked by one of the female vampires, who then bites it and causes it to bleed. See more »
Exeloume
Written and Performed by Diamanda Galás (as Diamanda Galàs)
Courtesy of Mute Records Limited
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products See more »
First of all, sorry for my English: I'm Italian and I don't know if I am able to express not in my language my thoughts with the proper terms. Anyway, I loved this movie, even if I agree that the title should have been F.F.Coppola's Dracula. In fact it is a very personal read of the original script. So, I can understand, but not agree, with all critics about important differences to Bram Stoker's masterpiece. It's a movie you can love or hate, there is no midway, as all comments prove. Personally, I loved the way Coppola reviewed the classic tale, giving Dracula a reason to be what he became after the loss of his wife e to search in England the reincarnation of his lost love. Gary Oldman is absolutely fantastic, lavish, romantic,chilling, in particular as he plays an old Dracula in the beginning of the movie. Definitely the best character of his career until now (let's see how he portrays Churchill in the Darkest Hour). Winona Ryder is so sweet and adorable that I forgive the fact she hasn't been the best choice to play Mina. The other actors (except for Keanu Reeves, completely outcast and unable to act) are all good choices. The music is wonderful, as cinematography, art/set direction, make up and costumes (who cares if Dracula wears John Lennon style sunglasses...). This Dracula is seductive as no other movies ever showed and as no other actor was able to portrait the dark prince. By the way, the choice of Keanu Reeves and some screenplay bad errors and holes don't allow to give a 10. But at the same time I can understand it's not a movie for all tastes. As I already written, you can love or hate it.
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First of all, sorry for my English: I'm Italian and I don't know if I am able to express not in my language my thoughts with the proper terms. Anyway, I loved this movie, even if I agree that the title should have been F.F.Coppola's Dracula. In fact it is a very personal read of the original script. So, I can understand, but not agree, with all critics about important differences to Bram Stoker's masterpiece. It's a movie you can love or hate, there is no midway, as all comments prove. Personally, I loved the way Coppola reviewed the classic tale, giving Dracula a reason to be what he became after the loss of his wife e to search in England the reincarnation of his lost love. Gary Oldman is absolutely fantastic, lavish, romantic,chilling, in particular as he plays an old Dracula in the beginning of the movie. Definitely the best character of his career until now (let's see how he portrays Churchill in the Darkest Hour). Winona Ryder is so sweet and adorable that I forgive the fact she hasn't been the best choice to play Mina. The other actors (except for Keanu Reeves, completely outcast and unable to act) are all good choices. The music is wonderful, as cinematography, art/set direction, make up and costumes (who cares if Dracula wears John Lennon style sunglasses...). This Dracula is seductive as no other movies ever showed and as no other actor was able to portrait the dark prince. By the way, the choice of Keanu Reeves and some screenplay bad errors and holes don't allow to give a 10. But at the same time I can understand it's not a movie for all tastes. As I already written, you can love or hate it.