[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Director Francis Ford Coppola's gothic masterpiece is as near to Bram Stoker's classic novel as any of the many screen adaptations have been. The faithful screenplay from James V Hart is an imaginative even slightly self indulgent, experimental affair with a distinct visual flair and mood that keeps it well within reach of Coppola's own fans as well as officianados of classic vampire horror. The sets are superb, be it old London, or the wilds of Transylvania. CGI is apparent but never obtrusive as Coppola brings us images direct from the book which other screen versions have never dared (or technically been able to).

The cast is an impressive one that features many huge stars of the late eighties / early nineties. Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins and Keanu Reeves were all arguably at the peak of their careers, and a formidable supporting cast of Richard E Grant, Cary Elwes and Tom Waits meant quality acting talent dominated the screen. However it is relative big screen newcomer Gary Oldman as Dracula who stole the show from the films more famous lights. Most famous for his portrayal of Sid Viscious in the 1986 film Sid and Nancy, Oldman had just finished working with another directing great in Oliver Stone. (Oldman was Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK) Oldman is superb appearing in various guises and make up effects as he grows in stature from the young Vlad the Impaler to a centuries old Dracula not to mention a wolf like creature and a terrifying bat monstrosity.

A special mention must go to composer Wojciech Kilar, whose score is one of the highlights of film music of the last thirty years with its Mars Bringer of War styled centrepiece and haunting melodies to make the skin shiver, it even incorporates Hammer's Dracula theme by James Bernard into it's opening titles. Kilar has produced the finest music to ever grace a gothic horror film.

Coppola takes the erotic elements from Stoker's novel and reaches new heights as Dracula seduces and takes Ryder's Mina Harker as his bride. Never had a Dracula film been as erotically charged before. Not to mention the temptation of Reeves' Jonathan Harker as three stunning vampire girls seduce and then bleed the blood from his veins to satisfy their virulent hungry desires.

Bram Stoker's Dracula was the first of a slew of historical horror classics featuring the great monsters to reach the big screen, and was a huge hit with audiences worldwide taking $216 million on a relatively small budget of $40 million. The films which blazed through in its trail (Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Wolf, Mary Reilly) all proved far less successful with only Interview with the Vampire able to touch it as far as box office was concerned.

Coppola's film does have its critics mainly due to what some say is a poor performance from Keanu Reeves, i think he does a decent job in the role of Jonathan Harker and is certainly no worse than John Van Eyssen was in Hammer's classic Horror of Dracula in 1957. It is, after all the role of a protagonist who introduces Dracula to the audience then becomes fodder for his vampire brides.

Vampyr (1932)

The first talkie film from Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer and based on elements of Le Fanu's short story collection In A Glass Darkly.

As a visual piece it's quite ethereal with it's foggy lenses and shifting perspectives which at times defy logic and make it as much a dream like state as it does a coherent feature film. I've seen it three or four times now and find it more disorientating rather than anything remotely logical. Yet despite this the imagery on screen captures my imagination no end and will ensure it's a film always worth returning to.

Best summed up as an exploration of good and evil, faith versus the supernatural and reality versus unreality, Vampyr remains a masterpiece of thirties cinema even if i still don't quite 'get it'.