Dracula: Dead and Loving It

This comedy followed the Bram Stoker book very closely. It merely turned the whole tale into a hilarious romp, making fun of Dracula and his inept sidekick, Renfield, as well as the other characters. A lot of slapstick gags in this film, some I saw coming from a mile off, but I still got a kick out of them. I especially liked the scene where Van Helsing and Harker staked the vampire in the tomb - what a riot. Neilson was great as the troubled bloodsucker.

The film is not vintage Mel Brooks and it has some obvious flaws, but it is nonetheless a true joy to watch and is sure to make you smile. My main problem was that it did not meet my initial expectations. Young Frankenstein is CLASSIC Mel Brooks. It is a flawless film parody of the Frankenstein myth. I went into seeing Dracula: Dead and Loving It with extremely high expectations and was a bit disappointed. The film, however, is a good film and a good parody of the Bram Stoker classic It is not as good as Love at First Bite, but has many excellent moments. Some of the highlights are Leslie Nielson, with whom the torch of modern comedy rests safely for being absurd yet sublime in his characterization, his superb imitation of Bela Lugosi's mannerisms and speech enhance his comedy. The film also is surprisingly faithful; to the novel and has many inside jokes. Harvey Korman, Peter MacNicol, and Mel Brooks all lend a hand in the lunacy. The setting is surreal and gives the picture a Hammeresgue quality. A must see for horror fans who like a good belly laugh!

Mel Brooks, a 85-year old American director and producer genius. He has made many a good movie. He is the king of spoofs. I could write many pages just about how great he is, but I'm not going to, for your sake.

This movie was a delight to watch in the time of all hallows eve. Leslie Nielsen always makes me laugh, whether he has a naked gun, is on an airplane, is the president of the United States of America or something else. He is a treasure. He is just plain awesome. He is gold! Peter MacNicol, Steven Weber and Amy Yasbeck are pretty good too. They sure do a more than decent jobs in this movie.

To finish this I will just say this was a movie well worth watching, I recommend it, it is a good movie to watch especially on Halloween.

I give it 7.5 stars out of a possible perfect 10.

Arrividerci! Bon Soir! Buenos Noches! Good Night and sleep tight ;-)

• Shevy

"Dracula: Dead and Loving It" is another parody of Mel Brooks, this time based on the Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula" and its characters. The spoof has funny moments, especially for Mel Brooks' fans. Leslie Nielsen is good as usual in this type of movie that he became the greatest name but Peter MacNicol steals the show in the role of Renfield. The sequences of Harker impaling a stake in Lucy following the instructions of Professor Van Helsing and the ball with Dracula fleeing and Reinfield trying to save his master are the best moments of this film. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Drácula - Morto Mas Feliz ("Dracula - Dead but Happy")

Mel Brooks's scattergun approach to comedy has a number of misses. Spaceballs was OK at parodying its genre. This film is far more sophisticated and well played.

The successful jokes are on the culture of Victorain times with references to an engaged couple who after 10 years have suddenly held hands being condemned as immoral, prostitutes, lechers and the like.

Into these cultural and successful observations Brook's introduces Leslie Nielson doing a great impression of Bela Lugosi's Dracula with the difference that his powers are incompetent.

Seeing the Lugosi movie will give you the basis to appreciate the sophistication of this film.