“Bram Stoker’s Dracula” is Way too Thirsty
I should preface this by stating that I’d recently finished reading Dracula (shout out to Dracula Daily) before watching this film. I’ve also never seen any of the other Dracula films, and so am unaware of any expectation or legacy the films have had in terms of what a Dracula movie is. Given that the title isn’t just Dracula, but Bram Stoker’s Dracula, I went in with the expectation that it would be mostly faithful to the novel I had just finished. This was not the case.
Had I not read the book, maybe it would have worked better for me. Though, had I not read the book, I fear I’d have been completely lost on several characters and events. They reduced the most intelligent character, Mina Harker, played by Winona Ryder, into a love interest with little agency of her own. They tried to turn Dracula, played by Gary Oldman, into a sort of sympathetic character, with more of an arc than most of the protagonists.
Technically, this is a well made film. The shots are grand and well composed, the sets are almost operatic in scale, the costuming is extravagant, and the score is effective. Matte painting backgrounds are effectively employed in ways rarely seen today. The actors do their best given the material, with a standout performance by Tom Waits, who was excellently cast as Renfield. Cary Elwes has a great presence as Arther Holmwood, though isn’t given much to do.
I understand vampires have a cinematic legacy of being sexy and seductive, but this film was far too horny for its own good, in ways that distract and do disservice to the rest of the movie. Characters tease each other over their affections, there is an excess of nudity and revealing costumes for the women, someone turning into a vampire makes sounds as if they’re orgasming, and none of it hit well. It all felt juvenile, like something that was trying to be edgy but can feel like a softcore porno.
The film really feels lacking in the narrative department. A series of events happen, but not in a way that forms a cohesive plot. It felt much more interested in exploring the grand sets and visual aesthetic than relaying a story to the viewer. The closest thing to a through line the audience has is Dracula’s love with Mina, which still feels strange and forced, and is infuriating to anyone who had read the novel. The attempt to sympathize Dracula and give him an arc feels absurd. The technical components are well done and visually interesting, but that’s really all I enjoyed about it.
