The Expectation: Francis Ford Coppola, Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Dracula. Great director, actors, and story line. I was so excited once we started to watch it that I also got a little mad at myself for not having known that this film existed before this day.The Result: So I know that my expectations were very high but I must confess that this film lived up to them! A part of that is that I have my own idea of a reasonable set of expectations for the mystical adventurous spirit that vampire flics somehow fit into in my mind. I can't handle horror but I can somehow revel in the vampire attach- blood everywhere, fangs in your face- you know what I am talking about. But I also have to appreciate Coppola- the man did make those wonderful Godfather films, etc. and he has a very smart directing style. For me, it is the lighting. The cinematography in this film is absolutely brilliant (yes, pun intended) and Coppola gives the story, which could have been overdone and cliche, a hauntingly creative spin of his own that makes its horror unique in a way that seems quite impossible. The colors are beautiful and the costumes are fabulous. Coppola stays rather true to the story and that is really what truly matters sometimes. And believe it or not, Keanu Reeve's terribly stone cold acting style (which I will never understand) does not taint the film too badly.
You can watch the film for free on Hulu right now!
What to watch out for:
The love between Dracula and Mina- it is believable in a way that makes you believe in this tale and of course, Dracula's power himself.
Anthony Hopkins as Professor Van Helsing- he gives the film a lightness it could not live without.
Those beautiful colors, fast moving camera shots (as if you were the wind), and the use of shadows.
Flickr photo by Hamed Saber.
