DRACULA
(2006)

Available on DVD

Review

A new version of the classic gothic horror tells of the original vampire, Count Dracula, who buys properties in Victorian England and travels here in search of new blood to drink. He finds Lucy, whose new husband has aided his arrival, and Mina, whose betrothed brought the papers for his acquisitions to Transylvania and provided the blood for his transformation from ancient to young. When Lucy is turned into his first acolyte, however, her husband and would-be lover join forces with vampire-hunter Van Helsing to bring an end to the Count's terror once and for all.

A testament though it is to the enduring quality of Bram Stoker's novel, the question remains as to whether the world really needs another dramatisation of the story. More accurately, does the world need this one?

The answer is no. Whilst not being particularly bad, this production brings nothing new and there is no aspect of the tale that hasn't been done better before. The sole purpose behind this remake appears to be putting a fresh, young cast in the tale.

Marc Warren is interesting in the title role, wearing the old-man makeup well and getting Dracula's otherworldliness off, but the character is neither charming enough nor truly frightening, two major flaws. There is nothing here to match the marrow-chilling effect of Bela Lugosi's I never drink....wine. The usually reliable Sophia Myles plays Lucy, but the character suffers from carrying the show's sexuality solely when there is no sex going on. The flashes of her sexual frustration are the only modern aspect to invade the otherwise surprisingly traditional production and are therefore out of place. David Suchet essays Van Helsing as a man driven to sanity's edge by his quest and chews all the scenery that he can find. Dan Stevens gives solid support whilst Stephanie Leonidas stands out as Mina.

As with the sexuality, graphic bloodletting is at a minimum and the threat from Dracula is reduced by the muffling of events such as Dracula's arrival at Whitby in a ship with a dead crew.

The camerawork and lighting are sumptuous and the creation of a sense of time and place are, pretty well done, but the final impression is very much one of 'So what?'.

This certainly won't be challenging any of the iconic versions for a place at the top of the table of the Count's finest moments.