Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Effective "Dracula" Adaptation with an Impressive First Act., February 28, 2005
This film, directed by Spaniard Jesus Franco, is alternately called "Count Dracula", "Bram Stoker's Count Dracula", and "El Conde Dracula". It was a multinational production which claims to retell the story of Count Dracula exactly as Bram Stoker wrote it. Its faithfulness to the novel is exaggerated, but "Count Dracula" was the most faithful big screen adaptation as of 1970, when it was released. Dracula is played by Christopher Lee, whose portrayals of the Count in seven Hammer Studio films made him the face of Dracula for a generation. Lee's Dracula in this film is a different character, however: more somber, intense, and strongly resembling the villain of Stoker's novel. It's also interesting to see Klaus Kinski as the madman Renfield, because he would take on the role of Count Dracula in Werner Herzog's stylish "Nosferatu the Vampyre" in 1979.
In Transylvania of 1897, an English lawyer, Jonathan Harker (Frederick Williams), has traveled to Bistritz to deliver some real estate paperwork to a client, Count Dracula (Christopher Lee), who has purchased property in London. At first puzzled by the warnings of the local people, Jonathan discovers their meaning too late, when he finds himself a prisoner in Dracula's castle. Panicked, he tries any means to escape, and wakes some time later in London, in a clinic for the mentally disturbed, unable to remember how he got there. The clinic is owned by a Professor Van Helsing (Herbert Lom), an imposing, secretive man, who at first attributes Jonathan's story of terror in Transylvania to madness brought on by trauma. Jonathan's fiancée, Mina (Maria Rohm), and her close friend Lucy (Soledad Miranda) make the trip to London to visit Jonathan. But shortly after they arrive, Lucy is struck by a sudden inexplicable loss of blood. With Lucy dying and Jonathan traumatized, Dr. Van Helsing presents his suspicions as to the cause of their illnesses to Jonathan, Mina, and Lucy's fiancé, Quincey Morris (Jack Taylor), along with a plan to fight the menace.
"Count Dracula"'s first act, when Jonathan is in Transylvania, is essentially faithful to Stoker's novel. The time it takes in the film is disproportionate, but, like in the book, it is probably its best segment. Dark, shadowy cinematography and adherence to the events and spirit of Stoker's novel set a tone of horror that persists through the film. Count Dracula is proud, aristocratic, and looks like Bram Stoker's Dracula, although the cobwebs in his castle seem out of place. All in all, the first act is very convincing -moreso than any other adaptation I have seen. "Count Dracula" is less faithful to the novel once the story moves to London, but it is still quite effective. Van Helsing is mysterious, menacing, and mercifully laconic, unlike in the novel. Mina is a minor character of no real importance. And Lucy is engaged to Quincey Morris, who is not American, instead of Arthur Holmwood, who doesn't exist. The scene of Lucy's slaying, which was a high point of the novel, falls flat in the film -a peculiar directorial decision, indeed. But "Count Dracula" consistently maintained my interest. It is paced well, suspense is plentiful, and the story is so compressed that there is no time for lulls in the action.
"Count Dracula" was reportedly frustrated by a low budget, but it is nonetheless one of the more memorable adaptations of Bram Stoker's novel and is particularly notable for its first act. Unfortunately, it's not available on DVD as of this writing, and the VHS transfer isn't good. The credits are barely legible, and sharpness and color are not always what they should be. Still, fans of "Dracula" adaptations will find it very worthwhile.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
First film to attempt fidelity to novel. Beautiful transfer, March 23, 2007
In 1970, Christopher Lee was the reigning Dracula, but having already performed the role in three or four Hammer films, he was dissatisfied by the hissing, caricatured--though effective--version that had been created for him. He longed to interpret the role in a manner closer to Bram Stoker's 1897 novel. The opportunity arose in the film under discussion. Made with a small budget in Spain, an international cast, a director--Jess Franco--as deplored in some circles as he was revered, "El Conde Dracula" was, in fact, the closest adaptation of the novel that had been attempted to that date. Originally intended for Spanish television, the project became too formidable for the small screen, and became a theatrical production. However, it was filmed with the 4:3 TV screen in mind, and is intended to be seen in that 1.33:1 aspect ratio: Dark Sky presents it exactly that way--an honorable move to fulfill the film maker's wishes in these days of 16x9 TVs and frame-cropping vandalism. Lee is superb, looking and sounding exactly like he had leapt off the pages of Stoker's novel, almost all his dialogue actually lifted directly from it. The interpretation puts other so-called "authentic" Draculas to shame, like Coppola's ridiculous travesty performed for him by Gary Oldman. Only Louis Jourdan in the 1978 BBC adaptation--altogether the closest dramatization of the novel, is as impressive, in a different way, as Christopher Lee is here.
The opening scenes of the film are brilliant, with much subtle and striking imagery. As the film proceeds, budgetary constraints seem to have necessitated that the film and novel part company, with many omissions. Nevertheless there is much to recommend.
The new Dark Sky DVD is unquestionably the best the film has ever looked. It is sourced from an archival Italian print with a French opening title showing that it was intended for export: "Les Nuits de Dracula." The English soundtrack has been synched to the visual element. It is strikingly different from earlier versions in its clarity and color, as well as blue tinting in scenes where it was intended but never appeared in home video sources. One 54-second scene is not part of the Italian edit: a mother hammers on the door of Castle Dracula pleading for the return of her baby. While it is affecting, it is not really integral, and compared with the novel, it occurs a month too early. The scene had been filmed, I am informed, once before: in the 1953 Turkish "Drakula Istanbulda" which I have not seen. If one knows the scene from those murky early VHS tapes, it might be missed. It is unclear what Franco's intention was: he tended to hurry from one project to another, and there are always several international edits of his films. He has, in fact contradicted himself in conversation about his preferences, and has never addressed this particular scene at all.
The DVD contains an interview with Jess Franco as well as Christopher Lee reading a heavily cut and adapted version of the story originally heard on an old LP set. All in all, this is a DVD worth having.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have video for all serious Dracula fans!, May 13, 1999
By A Customer
I have yet to find any horror actor that compares to Christopher Lee. The sheer malevolence of Count Dracula was admirably portrayed by Mr. Lee. Of all the Dracula films produced, "Count Dracula" surely rates as one of the top three. The screenplay was one of the closest renditions to Bram Stokers novel that I have seen, and I have seen nearly every Dracula movie ever produced. Herbert Lom did a remarkable job as Prof. Van Helsing, but nowhere near Peter Cushing. The special effects were good, but could have been better and in some areas of the film, the sound quality will be found wanting. However, for true gothic horror, this film is superb. I would definitely recommend this movie to any horror fan in general and any Dracula fan in particular.
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