Re:tro Re:view - Bram Stoker’s Dracula!

There has been countless versions of Dracula over the years, the classic Bela Lugosi who brought elegance and a kind of creepiness to the count, and the Christopher Lee Hammer Horror Dracula. Still, the one stand-out is Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1991) directed by Francis Ford Coppola who captured the narrative of the original novel, the gothic feel, and the romance that was in Bram Stoker’s story. The screenplay is by James V. Hart who wrote the screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s Hook (1991) and Contact (1997) directed by Robert Zemeckis. The score by Wojciech Kilar brings in the brooding keys of the piano and violins, we know this is Gothic horror. 

There is mist, a falling crucifix, and we get the narration by Anthony Hopkins as Abraham Van Helsing. He says it is the year 1462 with the Turks taking over Constantinople. We see a map and the shadow of a crescent moon staff focusing on Transylvania. Van Helsing tells about a knight of the Sacred Order of the Dragon named Dracula. Then, we see the bearded Gary Oldman in red armor. The costume designs by Eiko Ishioka are stunning and won her an Academy Award. He is given his helmet by his bride, Elisabeta (Winona Ryder), in elaborate green dress and crown, whom he kisses. I really like the combination of the historical Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula, and the fictional count.  

The shadowy forms of soldiers move like pantomimes across the red skies. The battle is bloody and surreal. The visual effects were by Roman Coppolla. Then, we see the bodies impose on spears.   Dracula takes off his helmet and kisses his gold cross. He sees the face of Elisabeta and then rides off. Van Helsing explains that Turks sent an arrow with a message that Dracula was dead. We see Elisabeta at the edge and Van Helsing explains that she thought he was dead and throws herself down. The doors open and Dracula enters, Elisabeta’s body lies with her letter, and we hear her voice writing the letter. Dracula weeps, a priest (played by Hopkins) says since she committed suicide.  

Dracula rages and renounces the church that he feels betrayed him. He takes his sword and stabs the stone cross, it bleeds, and he drinks from it. The cross gushes blood that pools at Elisabeta as a wind howls around Dracula. Then, we get the heading “London, 1897, four centuries later.”  Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) is given the news that Renfield has lost his mind and Harker is given the assignment to make arrangements for Count Dracula buying property in London. He delivers the news to his fiancee, Mina Murray, also played by Winona Ryder. She is in a green Victorian-era dress. We see peacock feathers pass like watchful eyes. A closeup of one dissolves to the orange skies of a train tunnel. The cinematography is by Michael Ballhaus.  

We hear the narration of Jonathan Harkness writing in his journal, “25th of May, Budapest”, the train chugs along scrolling at the top of the journal, incredible visual. He reads a letter from D welcoming him to the Carpathian Mountains. Jonathan reads it as the pink eye watches from the red sky. He regards a photo of Mina, this turns to the diary of Mina Murray on the same day, she types as the rain falls on the window. Then, we get a carriage silhouetted agains the blue night.  Lighting strikes like a claw on the sky. This movie is filled with sumptuous visuals. The carriage team stops and Jonathan is given a cross before being left off. Wolves growl and howl as another carriage rides up from the mist. The driver reaches out with a clawed hand and pulls him into the carriage. 

It races on the edge of a cliff to Castle Dracula, the profile of which is a sitting man, design by comic artist Mike Mignola.  The carriage reaches circles of blue flame and passes through it.  Jonathan sees the gate close like fangs.  He is left at the castle steps as the carriage pulls away.  The gate opens and Jonathan sees a shadow form on the wall slip to the aged form of Count Dracula in a red robe.  The make-up by Greg Cannom, Michele Burke, Matthew W. Mungle won them an Academy Award.   He invites Jonathan in and we see the long trail of the count’s robe as he leads him to a table.  Jonathan is given a full meal and sees a portrait of the count.  He pulls a sword and threatens Jonathan for joking.  Jonathan apologizes and continues dining, the shadow of the count moves independently against the map of London.  The shadows are a nod to F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922).  He congratulates the count for ownership of Carfax Abbey.  The count knocks over ink that spills on the picture of Mina.  Tears fall as he recognizes Elisabeta.  

He hands the picture back to Jonathan. The count invites Jonathan to stay a month at his castle.  He flings his cape which floods darkness around Jonathan. A close up of a type writer as Mina composes her diary, there is sunlight of a day as she writes about her friend, Lucy, and her life as a school teacher. Lucy Western (Sadie Frost) appears in a pink dress to check on her friend. Mina knocks over a book of Arabian Nights and they both look at scandalous pictures in it. Close up of harp strings plucked that shifts us to a castle. Lucy notes her suitors at her party, one of whom is Quincey P. Mores (Billy Campbell), a Texan complete with coat and mustache. Campbell was earlier the lead in The Rocketeer (1991). Mina watches as Lucy goes to take his pistol.  

Lucy turns to help up Dr. Jack Seward who runs an asylum (Richard E. Grant).  Grant was in Hudson Hawk (1991). Lucy’s attention is lost to another visitor, Lord Arthur Hollywood (Cary Elwes). Elwes was of course Westley in The Princess Bride (1987). The Dracula movies usually have just Jonathan and Doctor Seward (who has Renfield in his care) without the other suitors. We later see Renfield played by Tom Waits. The shadow of the count hangs over them. Mina mentions her jealousy over Lucy and the count’s shadow moves to her. His clawed fingers pass over her neck and then his shadow covers her. We pick up with Jonathan’s journal at the 30th of May. The writings of the journal are seen next to the Castle Dracula. He is suspicious of the count. The hand of Count Dracula stretches out as Jonathan shaves using a mirror. His hand touches Jonathan’s shoulder, he turns, and sees the count at the doorway.  

Dracula seems to slide over to him and hisses shattering the mirror.  He has Jonathan’s shaving knife and when Jonathan turns, he licks the blood from the blade.  Dracula asks for the letters from Jonathan and places them in his robe.  He begins to shave Jonathan’s neck and chin warning him not to explore the castle.  Dracula sees the crucifix and leaps backwards.  Jonathan hears the wolves howling outside, Dracula says the famous line, “Listen to them, the children of the night, what sweet music they make.”  He withdraws with his red robe trailing behind him.  Jonathan opens the window to see Dracula crawling down the castle wall, it is a nice effect, but not disturbingly unnatural.  

Dracula’s helmet from Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters exhibit, 2016, photo by the author. 

Jonathan’s narration continues explaining that he is a prisoner of the count. He wanders the castle and takes a rest on a bed, unseen footsteps are on the sheet, and from between his legs emerges a bride of Dracula played by Monica Bellucci in one of her first film roles. Another rises from the sheets next to him. The first bride tears open his shirt to reveal the crucifix, she raises her hand and the crucifix dissolves, then kisses him. Another bites his wrist, then his neck, Dracula appears in a burst of mist, one bride is thrown to the ceiling and she retreats. The others form some two bodied formation to withdraw and Dracula says Jonathan belongs to him. Jonathan screams and collapses which makes Dracula laugh. Mina reads Jonathan letter next to fountain. Castle Dracula, Jonathan sees the gypsies serving Dracula filled boxes with earth for Carfax Abbey. A box opens and Dracula in a golden robe rises up!  

Lucy runs down the steps to tell Mina that she has chosen Arthur Holmwood. Mina says she is worried about Jonathan. Raindrops begin to fall, the stormy skies are seen with Dracula’s eyes, then we see a sailing ship, the Demeter. It sails the rough seas from “Varna to London.” Van Helsing reads the letters from the captain about the storm. Dracula’s face is cocooned. The crew start to end up missing.  Dracula’s wolfish face is seen as blood splatters against the mast. The storm pours down as the Demeter approaches. There is a fast pov moving through London, then up the steps, Mina goes to close the doors battered by the wind. Lucy is out in the storm wandering in a red dress and Mina follows her. The wolf form of Dracula bites Lucy’s neck, he turns to see Mina, there is a vision of the blood flowing underneath.  

Dracula tells her not to see him and everything fades to white. Mina rushes to check on Lucy and thinks she’s dreaming. We get a map of London which opens to Carfax Abbey. We see workers bringing the boxes to the abbey. Van Helsing explains that vampires can move about by day, but with weak powers. A youthful form of Dracula bursts from his casket. We see newspapers and then London streets as if from a zoetrope with sped up, jerky movements. Dracula is walking the streets in grey suit, top hat, and blue glasses. He spots Mina a green dress and says, “See me.” Dracula watches Mina in a store and catches her bottle as she walks out. He apologizes and asks about the cinematograph. Dracula says he is Prince Vlad and Mina introduces herself.   

Dr. Seward is brought in to check on Lucy in her extravagant white dress. He says he is there as a doctor and she says she is changing. Quincey and Arthur Hollywood ride up and Arthur asks about Lucy. They find Lucy breathing in gasping breaths. Dr. Seward wants to cable his mentor, Abraham Van Helsing, and Arthur agrees staring at the suffering Lucy. She pulls down her collar revealing two bite marks. These dissolve into the green eyes of a wolf. Two screens show the early black and white cinema pictures. Prince Vlad is impressed by the science. Mina is about to leave and he pulls her towards him. She pleads for him to stop, Dracula says, “I have crossed oceans of time to find you”, his eyes glare red and his fangs extend. He can’t bite her and there is a scream as a white wolf is seen.  

We see pantomimes of soldiers like in the earlier battle. Mina races with the fleeing crowd and sees the wolf calmed by Dracula’s command. She pets the wolf and smiles. Dracula sees Mina home and kisses her hand. Castle Dracula, Jonathan is held by the brides, he hopes to escape. A carriage pulls up to Lucy's house and the rider is Abraham Van Helsing. The wolf approaches Lucy’s window. Prince Vlad is there, Lucy moans in bed, as the shadowy hand of Dracula moves across the room. Jack says she look anemic to Van Helsing. They hear a scream and race to see Lucy as the shadow withdraws. He sees the bite marks on her neck.  Van Helsing takes out his equipment for an experimental transfusion with Arthur Holmwood. He is eccentric, but is the one person who understands the threat. When Jonathan returns to London, he has to join the others to fight Dracula, even to his homeland. Bram Stoker's Dracula is a horror movie steeped in Bram Stoker's story with surreal visuals and stunning costumes!            

   

Four Journals out of Five! 

#BramStokersDracula, #FrancisFordCoppolla, #GaryOldman, #WinonaRyder