Bram Stoker's Dracula
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Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment / 1995 / 121 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: December 11, 2001 
Since Bela Lugosi's classic interpretation in 1931, Dracula has been revisited on film dozens of times; most have been exploitative - all leers, fangs, and blood. In 1992, director Francis Ford Coppola and screenwriter James V. Hart decided to create the definitive version. They tapped into the source novel and supplemented that material with historical glimmerings of the character's origin to bring to the screen Bram Stoker's Dracula. The film opens centuries ago during a Turkish invasion of Eastern Europe. Like all too many conflicts, this is a religious war and noblemen-lead forces defend the church. Prince Vlad Dracula (Gary Oldman) and his defenders are hopelessly outnumbered; as he bids farewell to his love, Elisabeta (Winona Ryder), there is little chance that he will return alive. But return he does, having brutally destroying the invaders, only to find that a tragedy has taken the love of his life. In an uncontrollable rage, he denounces the church, embraces evil, and is transformed. He becomes Vlad the impaler and develops a craving for blood. Flash forward to the late Victorian Age. R.M. Renfield (Tom Waits) has already returned from Transylvania in such a state that he's committed to a psychiatric hospital run by Dr. Jack Seward (Richard E. Grant). It falls to Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) to return to Count Dracula's castle in the Carpathian Mountains to complete the paper work for the Count's greater London area real-estate purchases. Harker carries with him a photograph of his fiance, Mina Murray (Winona Ryder), who bears a striking resemblance to Dracula's Elisabeta. The Count discovers that photo, putting Mina and everyone she knows in great jeopardy. Harker is left to the pleasures of Dracula's brides (Monica Bellucci, Michaela Bercu, and Florina Kendrick) as the Count travels to England to take up residency at Carfax Abbey. All the elements known to those familiar with the Dracula legend are here. Mina's best friend, Lucy Westenra (Sadie Frost), is the tragic victim of the Count's need for revitalizing blood. Professor Abraham Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins) is the only person in Britain to recognize the threat. There ensues a battle of wits and wills for Lucy's and Mina's souls. Mr. Coppola has brought to this film wonderful production values, a compelling atmosphere, and captivating visuals. There are some excesses - like the profile of Dracula looking down from a cloudy sky - and Ms. Ryder's British accent is a little self-conscious, but these are quibbles. More serious are the lapses in the film's self-imposed rules. We're told that contrary to popular belief, vampires can appear in daylight; the only effect is a reduction of powers. Yet as Van Helsing, Harker, Seward, Lord Arthur Holmwood (Cary Elwes), and an American cowboy named Quincey P. Morris (Bill Campbell) pursue the Count racing back to his Carpathian castle, the Count's loyal Gypsies fight desperately to prevent his exposure to full sunlight. During the film's climax, Harker becomes suddenly and inexplicably passive - a man who previously was willing to suffer greatly to escape his captors and find his way back to England, and who pursued the Count for thousands of miles to save his fiance. And as the film ends, we're left with an unsatisfying ambiguity. But the Count in his many incarnations, from bizarre to frightening to charming, played so effectively by Mr. Oldman, is worth the price of admission. Video: How Does The Disc Look? As you would expect in a Columbia/Tristar Superbit release, the film's original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 is shown in anamorphic video. Of all the Superbit releases I've seen to date, this one clearly sports the best looking transfer. Sony's characteristic halos are still present, but this dark film rarely has any scenes in which they become visible. What remains is a wonderfully detailed presentation. Images are exceptionally sharp, easily reproducing fabric textures and the subtleties of a head of hair. Color reproduction is excellent. Skin tones are very natural and primary colors like the red in the Count's flowing robe are vivid and noise free. Blacks are deep and unencumbered. Contrast and brightness are beyond criticism, with outstanding shadow detail so critical to reproducing the many night scenes. I did not notice any compression artifacts. Viewers will note that, like other Superbit DVDs, some film grain is visible; but this is simply an indication of the apparent resolution of the disc. This is one fine looking DVD. Audio: How Does the Disc Sound? Both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS are available on the disc. Both are first-rate. The surround effects envelop the viewer, a very aggressive mix. This is not an official EX mix, yet 6.1 decoding enhances the experience. I heard only one inappropriate sound placement: when the Count's carriage initially picks up Harker, too much of the sounds from the hoofs and carriage were mixed into the surrounds - the carriage is directly in front of us. Deep bass will challenge your subwoofer; I suspect that the sound designer used the .1 channel to exaggerate our sense of dread. Wojciech Kilar's atmospheric score is presented with authority and fidelity. The dialog remains exceptionally clear throughout. Comparing the two tracks did not yield a definitive winner. A concentrated effort revealed a very subtle improvement in voice timbre on the DTS track. Either track will satisfy. The audio is supported by subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai, and English Closed Captions. Supplements: What Goodies Are There? As with all featureless Superbit DVDs, the bit budget is invested in the presentation rather than in supplements. There are twenty-eight chapter stops. DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC? No ROM extras have been included. Parting Thoughts This is a fine addition to Columbia/Tristar's Superbit collection. With compelling visuals, a fine cast, an excellent transfer and great sound, this moody film is sure to appeal. Recommended. |
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