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.
After 30 Years, Coppola’s uneven yet undoubtedly gorgeous ode to gothic art and expressionism is worth watching – for the most part. In many ways, “Dracula” encapsulates the iconic director’s career. There are moments of brilliance (“The Godfather 1 & 2,” “Apocalypse Now,” “The Conversation”) and other forgettable moments (“The Outsiders” and “The Cotton Club”). “Dracula’s” biggest drawback is the forced romance between its titular character, played by Gary Oldman, and a young woman, Mina Murray (Winona Ryder), which overtakes the more compelling supernatural horror elements that the story is supposed to elaborate on. Gary Oldman’s exceptional performance – while caked in outrageous makeup by Greg Cannom – soars above most of the cast, especially Keanu Reeves. I love Reeves, but he infamously delivered his lines in one of the worst British accents ever. Winona Ryder is not given much beyond a naïve girl transformed into a one-dimensional sexpot while being shoved into a boring love triangle. Thankfully, the costumes and large sound stages look lovely, all framed by cinematographer Michael Ballhaus (“Goodfellas,” “Gangs of New York,” “The Departed”). Ballhaus takes a painterly approach highlighting deep shadows and light scenes with copious amounts of candles set against the superb production design by Thomas E. Sanders.
Aside from inserting unnecessary romantic themes, “Dracula” does not stray too far from Bram Stoker’s original novel. The screenplay by James V. Hart similarly opens with Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) getting more than he bargained for when he’s ordered to meet with the mysterious Count Dracula (Gary Oldman). Harker’s treacherous carriage ride ascending to the Count’s castle is cloaked in crimson, and fog envelops the ground looking like the earth has disappeared. Arriving at Dracula’s castle: Harker witnesses the Count shape-shifting, his seductive undead brides led by the supreme Monica Bellucci, and other clever frights vastly more entertaining than the rest of the film.
As Harker and his undead host converse, Dracula sees a picture of Mina in Harker’s locket. Bearing a striking resemblance to his former lover, that died four centuries earlier, Mina becomes the object of Dracula’s obsession.
Back in London, Ballhaus channels Gordon Willis’ work on “The Godfather,” constructing a darkly lush palette. The upper-class Mina (Winona Ryder) and Lucy (Sadie Frost) giggle while gossiping over men and peering through a Kama Sutra book. The pair galavant around foggy London while a trio of suitors courts Lucy: the wealthy Arthur (Cary Elwes), the clumsy Dr. Jack Seward (Richard E. Grant), and the American cowboy Quincy (Billy Campbell). These three offer comedic relief, and most importantly, Dr. Seward oversees Renfield (Tom Waits in an appropriately nutty performance). Renfield is a simp for Dracula, that loves to eat flies for sustenance.
Determined to seduce Mina, Dracula imprisons Harker and rides on a ship known as the Demeter. This damned voyage of Demeter is nicely showcased in its chapter as Dracula feeds on the crew one by one, and he makes a landing in London. Disguised under the name Vlad, he begins to stalk Lucy and Mina.
Dr. Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins, who also narrates) is a vampire hunter and the only other riveting character. Using long hair and various weapons to battle vampires, Hopkins delivers his lines with a cheeky sense of humor. Van Helsing employs Lucy’s suitors to take down the Count on a cross-continental trip that eats up the last thirty minutes of the film’s two-hour-plus running time.
The third act is too long. The grandiose chase drags on, and it seems like Coppola is unsure when to end it. Witnessing the great editing throughout “Dracula” full of immersive dissolves and creative overlays, it’s a shame they couldn’t cut down more of the ending. That aside, “Dracula” remains a good choice for Halloween. There’s a substantial amount of blood and sex, and it certainly earns the R rating, but it’s not grotesque. It remains distinct for utilizing special effects from the Golden age of Hollywood since Coppola refused to employ any modern technology or CGI, and the film is better for it. However, the toxic romance between Mina and Dracula gets in the way of this becoming a great horror film. But let’s be honest, nothing transcends the original 1931 classic starring Bela Lugosi.
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