In 1913, the charming, seductive and sinister vampire Count Dracula travels to England in search of an immortal bride.In 1913, the charming, seductive and sinister vampire Count Dracula travels to England in search of an immortal bride.In 1913, the charming, seductive and sinister vampire Count Dracula travels to England in search of an immortal bride.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 4 nominations
Sylvester McCoy
- Walter
- (as Sylveste McCoy)
Dan Meaden
- Asylum Nurse
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFrank Langella also played the title character of Dracula on stage during the Broadway revival, and was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance. Langella once said of his interpretation of Dracula, "I don't play him as a hair-raising ghoul. He is a nobleman, an elegant man with a very difficult problem, a man with a unique and distinctive social problem. He has to have blood to live, and he is immortal."
- GoofsWhen Harker is driving away from Dracula's castle after having Dracula sign the deed papers, Renfield jumps him from the back of his car. During the scenes of struggle, there's a from-the-front shot that clearly shows another car loaded with people (crew?) about a hundred feet or so behind the Harker car.
- Quotes
Dr. Jack Seward: Count, some wine?
Count Dracula: No thank you, Doctor. I never drink wine.
- Alternate versionsDirector John Badham intended to film the movie in black and white but was forced by the studio to shoot in Technicolor. When the movie was re-released on laserdisc in 1991, at the behest of Badham, the lush color was drained from the film. All subsequent home video releases feature the desaturated print.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Sneak Previews: Prophecy/Bloodline/Moonraker/Dracula/Nightwing (1979)
Featured review
So-so version of the oft-filmed story.
This interesting if not all that successful version of the familiar Bram Stoker tale is largely a vehicle for Frank Langella. He plays a soulful, romanticized Count Dracula, whose ship crashes on an island shore. As he makes himself at home in Carfax Abbey, he becomes acquainted with the likes of Dr. Seward (Donald Pleasence), Jonathan Harker (Trevor Eve), and Dr. Sewards' daughter Lucy (the lovely Canadian actress Kate Nelligan). He becomes determined to make Lucy his bride, while the intrepid Professor Van Helsing (Laurence Olivier) catches on to what he is doing.
"Dracula" '79 isn't without its pleasures. However, purists may take exception to a script by W. D. Richter that makes a number of unfortunate changes from the original material. (Mina is VAN HELSINGS' daughter?) Director John Badham, who became an action genre specialist in the 80s, does a decent enough job with this horror film. It's quite visually striking at times (with matte shots by the legendary Albert Whitlock), although some viewers may not care for the way that Badham has desaturated the colour; this plays almost like a black & white production, albeit shot in widescreen by Gilbert Taylor. One highlight is a memorable lovemaking sequence.
Langella does a fine job as our smouldering, blood sucking antihero, especially when he's seducing Mina and Lucy or facing off against Professor Van Helsing. And Olivier is fun as the vampire hunter / expert. Pleasence is amusing as Seward, as is Tony Haygarth as the loony, bug munching Renfield (who's more sympathetic here than in other adaptations of the story). Nelligan does alright as Lucy, but Eve is a fairly bland Harker. Sylvester McCoy has a small role as an asylum attendant.
This is noteworthy for its atmosphere, its production design (by Peter Murton), and rousing score by John Williams. It's suitably creepy at times (dig those "crawling the walls" shots) and appropriately erotic.
Six out of 10.
"Dracula" '79 isn't without its pleasures. However, purists may take exception to a script by W. D. Richter that makes a number of unfortunate changes from the original material. (Mina is VAN HELSINGS' daughter?) Director John Badham, who became an action genre specialist in the 80s, does a decent enough job with this horror film. It's quite visually striking at times (with matte shots by the legendary Albert Whitlock), although some viewers may not care for the way that Badham has desaturated the colour; this plays almost like a black & white production, albeit shot in widescreen by Gilbert Taylor. One highlight is a memorable lovemaking sequence.
Langella does a fine job as our smouldering, blood sucking antihero, especially when he's seducing Mina and Lucy or facing off against Professor Van Helsing. And Olivier is fun as the vampire hunter / expert. Pleasence is amusing as Seward, as is Tony Haygarth as the loony, bug munching Renfield (who's more sympathetic here than in other adaptations of the story). Nelligan does alright as Lucy, but Eve is a fairly bland Harker. Sylvester McCoy has a small role as an asylum attendant.
This is noteworthy for its atmosphere, its production design (by Peter Murton), and rousing score by John Williams. It's suitably creepy at times (dig those "crawling the walls" shots) and appropriately erotic.
Six out of 10.
helpful•82
- Hey_Sweden
- Oct 28, 2015
- How long is Dracula?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $12,164,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $20,158,970
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $3,141,281
- Jul 22, 1979
- Gross worldwide
- $20,158,970
- Runtime1 hour 49 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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