BLOOD:
BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA (1992)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writers: Bram Stoker (novel)
James V. Hart (screenplay)
CAST---
Gary Oldman ...  Dracula
Winona Ryder..  Mina Murray /Elisabeta
Anthony Hopkins. Van Helsing
Keanu Reeves ...  Jonathan Harker
Richard E. Grant ...  Dr. Jack Seward
Cary Elwes ...  Lord Arthur Holmwood
Bill Campbell ...  Quincey P. Morris
Sadie Frost ...  Lucy Westenra
Tom Waits ...  R.M. Renfield
Monica Bellucci ...  Dracula's Bride

Runtime:128 min

I just finished watching this thing and I was greatly disappointed. I have never been a Coppola fan,  but I
figured with such a great classic how could he screw this up. This multi-colored, psychedelic, comic book
version of Dracula was not sweet to the taste.

Then he implies a pretentious poetic wave with the whole love story nonsense. Now, I do admit that
making a genuine adaptation from  Bram Stoker’s novel, is probably not that easy. I do know that this
film claimed to be the most accurate version out there but come on folks this is not true.
There were some memorable scenes that moved the story along for me and kept things alive. It was
mainly the scene when Lucy (Sadie Frost) walked out into the garden and was raped by the beast,
presumably one of Dracula’s many forms.  Mina (Ryder) follows her and witnesses the act in motion.
Then the startled and I believe humiliated beast says “don’t look”, or “don’t see me” or both. It struck me
for I understood and related to the bestial nature within me, within us that shamelessly devours and
selfishly kills. Then, once surprised by Beauty it feels crushed and recoils. I know this theme is prevalent
throughout the film but nowhere do I see it better depicted than in the scene above. Well I now don’t
recall any other memorable scenes

I did like several things about the film. Anthony Hopkins as Van Helsing was great, as was Gary Oldman
as Dracula. The various manifestation of Dracula were very interesting and looked nice. The costumes
were good looking and the imagery was good.
Towards the end the film tried to portray Dracula’s  human nature but it was much too late. The one
thing the movie had going for it (apart from the popular subject and the director’s fame) was the visuals.
The script was mediocre and the directing was poor and lacking. Now I am aware that this review might
warrant a lynch mob but I must speak what I see and feel. And what I have seen was a run of the mill
vampire movie and what I have felt was deception. I bought the freaking 2 disc special edition ! !

                                                                                      - Jorge Antonio Lopez
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Seen it too ? Let us know what you thought.

OVERALL
BLOOD
BREASTS
BEASTS