Bram Stoker's Dracula

Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula looks no less silly and indulgent today than it did in 1992, but there still remains something touching about Coppola's faith in the revival of antiquated special effects and the bluntly expressive language of early cinema. Gary Oldman is the titular lead in Coppola and screenwriter James V. Hart's tragic-romantic take on the Dracula legend, playing the Transylvanian ghoul as both a handsome lovesick warrior and a creepy 400-year-old monster with freakish hair and a sadistic sense of humor. Keanu Reeves looks out of place as the London clerk who becomes a virtual prisoner in the vampire's castle, Winona Ryder is adequate as Dracula's love interest, and Anthony Hopkins is a feisty Van Helsing. Unfortunately, this Dracula overwhelms and distracts the viewer with Coppola's feverishly insistent and often pointless creativity—superimposing images, distorting speed and motion, etc.—that generally attempts to ram home the story instead of letting it unfold. DVD extras on this double-disc set include an introduction and audio commentary by Coppola, deleted scenes, and several featurettes (on the “making-of,” set and costume design, and visual effects). A winner of three Oscars (for costume, makeup, and sound effects editing), this odd yet often striking misfire is a strong optional purchase. (T. Keogh)[Blu-ray Review—Oct. 6, 2015—Sony, 127 min., R, $19.99—Making its latest appearance on Blu-ray, 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula features an impressive 4K transfer and a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible) soundtrack. Extras include two audio commentaries (one from 1993 with director Frances Ford Coppola, visual effects director Roman Coppola, and makeup supervisor Greg Cannom; the other with director Coppola solo), an intro by the director, the production featurettes “Reflections in Blood” (29 min.) and “The Blood Is the Life” (28 min.), deleted and extended scenes (28 min.), the behind-the-scenes segments “Practical Magicians: A Collaborations Between Father and Son” (20 min.), “In Camera: The Naïve Visual Effects” (19 min.), “The Costumes Are the Sets: The Design of Eiko Ishioka” (14 min.), and “Method and Madness: Visualizing” (12 min.), trailers, and a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. Bottom line: although it split critics, Coppola's visually grand version of Stoker's horror classic has never looked or sounded better.]