DVD Review: Bram Stoker's Dracula - Collector's Edition - Page 2

Unluckily for Dracula, due to his attacking a friend of Mina's, the Count comes under the sights of Abraham Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins). Van Helsing is a man who has made it his life's mission to capture and kill the Count and all vampires. Hopkins is quite engaging, if not slightly too far over-the-top, in his role.

Coppola's take on the legend of Dracula is one where the Count seems at times good, and Van Helsing, his enemy and would-be murderer, at times more than slightly evil. This twist on the classic tale of Dracula works brilliantly, and provides an interesting way to view an old tale. It also gives the actors more to do and show, a task which both Hopkins and Oldman are up to.

In fact, the cast as a whole is a wonderful ensemble, featuring Cary Elwes, Bill Campbell, Richard E. Grant, Sadie Frost, and Tom Waits. Each actor, even if their screen time is limited, seems to add depth to their role. The true standout though is Oldman as Dracula. Every word, movement, turn, thought, and gaze put forth by Oldman in the movies seems to imbue preternaturalness to the Count.

In the end, watching the movie and myriad of special features that accompany it, one gets the impression that Bram Stoker's Dracula is a love letter, one from Coppola to history itself. Coppola's love not only of the Dracula legend, but filmmaking, in all its aspects, becomes readily apparent in this release. The film looks a sumptuous now as it ever did, and is a must-have for fans of the director or genre.

Article Author: Josh Lasser

Josh Lasser, formerly known as "TV and Film Guy," and complete with a Masters Degree in Critical Studies in said areas, gives his opinions on TV, Film, and Entertainment in general. All of which he does in a shameless attempt to try to get paid to do the exact same thing. …

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