Product Details

• Actors: Louis Jourdan, Frank Finlay, Susan Penhaligon
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Warner
• DVD Release Date: September 25, 2007
• Run Time: 150 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000R7I48G
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,525 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  #38 in	Movies & TV > Horror > Things That Go Bump > Vampires
  #70 in	Movies & TV > Television > Miniseries

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Devotees of vampire cinema have long esteemed this heretofore hard-to-see adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, made for BBC-TV in 1977. Count Dracula puts Louis Jourdan in the fangs and cape, in a version subtitled--and played as--a Gothic romance. This is one of those 1970s TV productions that use film for exteriors and video for the interiors, a tactic that increases the general sense of cheapness about the whole thing (although the location stuff is good, including scenes on the cliffs of Whitby, the port town where Dracula comes to visit England). With 150 minutes to play with, the production has more of Stoker than many film versions include, although there's still some shuffling of the original. It's all a bit slow, and surprisingly cheesy at times, even with the occasional startling image: Dracula scooting bat-like down the side of his castle, or the vampire brides preparing to devour a baby (a scene cut from some subsequent showings of the series, but restored here). Frank Finlay makes a focused Van Helsing--a minimum of camping, thankfully--and Susan Penhaligon and Judi Bowker are respectively hot and cold as Lucy and Mina. Jourdan is effective, although he's off screen a lot and really gets his good bites in toward the end. You'll need some patience, but Jourdan drinks it dry. --Robert Horton

Product Description
This fan favorite three-part series from the BBC is now available on DVD for the first time! Louis Jourdan stars as the deliciously blood-thirsty Count Dracula in this version of Bram Stoker's horror classic. Keeping close to the original novel, the series begins with Jonathan Harker visiting the Count in Transylvania to help him with preparations to move to England. It is in the Count's castle that Jonathan becomes a prisoner, and discovers Dracula's true nature. Many scenes shot on location -- such as the Gothic graveyard of London's Highgate Cemetery -- add extra atmosphere to an already powerful production.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Faithful Adaptation Of Stoker's Novel Yet, June 8, 2007

By	Darrell Heath (Little Rock, AR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I first saw this version of "Dracula" on PBS back in the 70's (shortly after having read the novel) and thought it a wondererful (albeit a little stiff) and very faithful film adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic gothic novel. Of course there have been hundreds of films featuring Count Dracula down through the ages but very few of them adhered closely to the orignal source material. In fact most of them just borrowed a few key characters and maybe a plot thread or two and then just created their own story. Thankfully the BBC decided to rectify matters by filming their own adaptation for television and this is the first film that I am aware of that really does stay true to the novel. In fact this was the first film to show many of the famous scenes from the novel that previous films had ignored. Namely the scenes of Dracula crawling down the castle walls and a very controversial (at the time) scene where the Count offers a baby to his three vampire brides.

Now keep in mind this is 70's era BBC televsision. While the acting is quite good some of the other production values are not going to be of the same quality that many of today's viewing audiences are used to. For example many of the exterior scenes are filmed outdoors while the interior scenes are filmed on sets. Consequently there is going to be some sequences with a certain stagey quality to them. Some of the special effects shots are going to be...well, lets just say not all that special. Now having said all that I still can tell you that there are more chills to be had from this version than the BBC's most recent and very disapointing adaptation of "Dracula". In fact, I'll go so far as to say that this version is even better than Coppola's "Bram Stoker's Dracula". I never really cared for Coppola's version anyway but I will give it high marks for production values. One of the big mistakes with Coppola's film was the changing of Dracula's character from Stoker's concept of evil vampire to that of a silly, romantic love-struck vampire. Louis Jourdan (Gigi, Octopussy) does a fine job as the Count despite the fact that he is one of the few things in the film that doesn't quite mesh with Stoker's original concept. He does however convey very well that strange dichotomy of vampires. Namely the sensual yet evil qualities we've come to expect from many other screen Dracula's.

To sum up: this film may be cheap in the production values department but if you are looking for a version that is faithful to Stoker's original story, character and concepts then you are on the right track with this offering from 70's era BBC. There's lots of atmosphere and plenty of good chills to be had from this version despite the shortcomings it may have.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Most accurate version by far. Bram Stoker would have been proud., August 18, 2007

By	Armchair Pundit "Armchair Pundit." (Durham City, England.) - See all my reviews

At last, although it's been a while since I last saw this. I had never forgotten it,
especially the scene where Harker looks out of his castle window and see's Dracula clinging to the walls.
Louis Jourdan breathes new life into the titular character.
(With just the right air of a European nobleman, polite, curteous but with an arrogant streak).
This was the first time I'd seen the delightful Judy Bowker on TV since Black Beauty.
The ever reliable Frank Finlay plays a wonderful Van Helsing.
(His 1971 Casanova is worth a look too.)
And Jack Shepherd really excels as Renfield.
If you have never read the novel, then this is the most accurate version I have ever seen.
Bram Stokers characters and prose are faithfully transferred to the small screen.
Production values are typically BBC late 70's videotape, but it's the story and acting quality I buy for,
and not a slightly dodgy TV stage set!
Original airdate:~ 22/12/77.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!....YES!!!, AT LAST!!!, July 6, 2007

By	Gregory E. Foster "operabruin" (Portland, ME, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

FINALLY!!!

I cannot believe that we are FINALLY going to be able to own this unforgettable BBC series!!!

The BEST version of Dracula ever placed on film! I have wished for, and waited, it seems like forever, for a chance to be able to not only see this great "film" again, but to be able to have it on my shelves to watch over and over anytime I wish to.

I am a long-time horror film buff, and have seen so many Dracula films I cannot begin to even remember all of them, and THIS is the BEST ever! It closely follows the book, and it also has no "fantastic" [s...] added (as Hollywood is wont to do).

If you are a fan of Bram Stoker's fabled book, then this is, certainly, the Dracula movie for you, trust me. Bravo to Warner Brothers for bringing this great masterpiece film to our list of "available" choices for Dracula on film. This is truly a milestone movie!!! ~operabruin