 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Oct 22, 2018 - 1:25 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
LeHah
(Member)
|
DRACULA as a film was much anticipated at the time, chiefly due to a stunning Broadway revival of the original play, which I saw. A big hit, it made a star out of Frank Langella, but was also noted for the stylized sets, all in black and white, but with, in each of its three acts, a single accent of red, designed by quirky author/illustrator Edward Gorey. In addition, the acting was stylized, with Langella adding a decided sexual force to his performance, especially at the end of Act I, when he mounted Lucy, by lowering his open mouth to her neck and simultaneously thrusting his hips down upon her.
The movie, though, never seemed half as effective. Langella has never translated well to the screen, always seeming rather effete, and that kind of bouffant, upswept hairdo seemed more than a little precious for a vampire. Furthermore, Olivier gave one of his more kvetching performances as Van Helsing. The whole thing somehow seemed at cross purposes with itself.
It’s just not that good a movie. And that open-ended finale, hinting at the sequel that never happened, was just limp, especially after the shocking coup de theatre at the end of the stage production.
Williams’ score was actually the best thing in it. For years, the elements were reported lost. I’m glad it’s finally available.
I wish I had seen the Broadway production but, alas, I wasn't even born when it was running.
I have mixed feelings about the film but I think it works better than you give it. If for nothing else, Langella sneaking down the wall and into the woman's room to John Williams's score is worth more than most movies made in the last decade. Olivier chews a bit of scenery but thats also what the film called for: this is Dracula, not a kitchen-sink drama.
Not a fan of the VHS/DVD transfer, where they sucked all the blood out of the color timing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Did they really? Where were four promised? I'd like to read the original message...maybe they only promised four CDs which would technically be true as Dracula is a two disc set.
Or maybe something was unexpectedly delayed.
Yavar
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wow - Yavar - really? With the exception of certain casting choices I LOVE the Coppola version, if nothing else for the stylish visual techniques and yes, the music. If one overlooks the reincarnation love story borrowed from Dan Curtis, it's also pretty faithful to the novel.
Yup, really. I don't care for the showy stagebound style. Maybe I would if I liked any other aspect of the film besides the score (and um...Monica Bellucci).
I usually adore Gary Oldman but I can't stand his super odd Dracula in this. They go for an extreme gross "book-ish" old Dracula, but then mix it with sunglass sexy vampire? Weird. Anthony Hopkins gives possibly the worst performance of his entire career (and I'm usually a fan, but "She's a WHORE of the DEVIL!" was just awful). ALL of the supporting characters from the book which they made such a big deal about including for the first time in any film adaptation, trying to justify the "Bram Stoker's" in the title? Well, they were all completely unrecognizable from their book counterparts which they shared names with. And all for the worse, IMO. Keanu Reeves as a brilliant English lawyer...'nuff said.
I really was horrified the entire way through the movie -- and I *wanted* to like it, as fan of the book (and score)! But it created such a strong hatred within me, the likes of which I've probably never felt for anything outside of the Star Wars prequels...and those at least most people recognize as terrible and at least we got hilarious Red Letter Media reviews out of those travesties. But THIS movie gets praised by all the Coppola fans and I'm sorry, I just don't get it. I'll take Godfather III *any day* over this...there's more redeeming value in that even though it sucks compared to the first two masterpieces.
Yavar
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ALL of the supporting characters from the book which they made such a big deal about including for the first time in any film adaptation, trying to justify the "Bram Stoker's" in the title?
Ignoring the rest of the post, but that's a Coppola thing, crediting it to the original author as part of the title (see also John Grisham's The Rainmaker and William Shakespeare's Jack).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Oct 22, 2018 - 8:35 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Zoragoth
(Member)
|
I really was horrified the entire way through the movie -- and I *wanted* to like it, as fan of the book (and score)! But it created such a strong hatred within me, the likes of which I've probably never felt for anything outside of the Star Wars prequels...and those at least most people recognize as terrible and at least we got hilarious Red Letter Media reviews out of those travesties. But THIS movie gets praised by all the Coppola fans and I'm sorry, I just don't get it. I'll take Godfather III *any day* over this...there's more redeeming value in that even though it sucks compared to the first two masterpieces.
Yavar
Lol - tastes differ, as they say. I rather like GODFATHER III as well, despite its flaws, but I do think DRACULA is altogether a far more successful movie, and often brilliant. Either one buy into its hyper cinematic stylings (including those snazzy costumes) or one doesn't.
I've long been out of step when it comes to the STAR WARS prequels. Not being a fan of the original trilogy (Peter Cushing and the first score excepted), I didn't find the prequels, for all their many, many, *many* flaws, too much of a step down.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Never saw the film nor have I heard a note from this Dracula score (Unless someone else has used it in their projects). Is it worthy of a blind buy?
Why would you buy it blind? The samples are right in front of you.
But then you have to click on them and listen to each for like a minute, forty-five. It's so much easier just to be told whether it's worth it, put the thing in your cart, and have done with it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
It is definitely worth a 'deaf' buy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
It is definitely worth a 'deaf' buy.
That's more like it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
I too am euphoric over Dracula's release...but I wanted to put in a word for Georges Delerue's A Show of Force, which is an overlooked gem -- a lovely score with a typically (in a good way) lyrical Delerue theme, and some attractive Latin American colorings. Highly recommended (at least for lovers of melody and lush orchestration).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I too prefer the Coppola DRACULA, if only for the visuals, many of which are deliberate extensions of shots from the old Universal films, accompanied by Kilar’s intoxicating score. That love theme of his is so much like Rozsa! But, even with all that, too much of the casting is just flat. (I can’t see anyone surviving the ages, just waiting for Winona Ryder...)
Also, I’ve been a devotee of Williams’ JANE EYRE score, ever since it was first broadcast on TV. Got the lp soon after. (It was JANE EYRE and THE REIVERS that first brought Williams the attention he deserved as a film composer.) Though the film is somewhat pallid, with George C Scott a mannered Rochester and Susannah York a prim Jane, the music made up for them. Interestingly, the cues on the released album are wonderful, but they’re not the actual film tracks, which seem quite different. I wish someone would release the album with the actual tracks, though I wonder if they haven’t been lost over time.
Hey, if they can do DRACULA, they can do JANE EYRE!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Oct 23, 2018 - 12:12 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Amer Zahid
(Member)
|
I too prefer the Coppola DRACULA, if only for the visuals, many of which are deliberate extensions of shots from the old Universal films, accompanied by Kilar’s intoxicating score. That love theme of his is so much like Rozsa! But, even with all that, too much of the casting is just flat. (I can’t see anyone surviving the ages, just waiting for Winona Ryder...)
Also, I’ve been a devotee of Williams’ JANE EYRE score, ever since it was first broadcast on TV. Got the lp soon after. (It was JANE EYRE and THE REIVERS that first brought Williams the attention he deserved as a film composer.) Though the film is somewhat pallid, with George C Scott a mannered Rochester and Susannah York a prim Jane, the music made up for them. Interestingly, the cues on the released album are wonderful, but they’re not the actual film tracks, which seem quite different. I wish someone would release the album with the actual tracks, though I wonder if they haven’t been lost over time.
Hey, if they can do DRACULA, they can do JANE EYRE!
Hear ! Hear !
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
