Whether you loved or hated this version of Dracula, there's no denying that Francis Ford Coppola's vampires as creatures were incredible. Evil and menacing as hell. Just from the first seconds of the movie, you know that this isn't the crap we get nowadays, and that he takes the classical vampire and makes it a thousand times more intense.
I think the point was that Dracula WAS NOT evil in this. Literally the whole purpose of the film is to make him a tortured anti-hero. Loyal soldier of Christendom who felt betrayed and in the end was redeemed. Pure evil cannot be redeemed
The Priest surely had the lowest EQ all the time... Telling a hero of church bluntly who just got home exhausted physically and mentally from the battlefield that his lover was damned, such a no perfect time to tell.. "Welcome hero, you must be exhausted, anyway your love was dead, and she damned"
In life there are no rights or wrongs. Only what you choose to do and what you choose not to do, so choose wisely. It was his spiritual test. The words from the priest should have been ignored. Instead he became pure evil in his choosing. It damned him to live an eternity in hell on earth without his love who was waiting for him in paradise in death which should never be feared as it is the unknown. This scene is very symbolic. If this were to happen you or anyone for that matter, to be broken and distraught in your love lost is expected. In that moment wanting the answer to why is best followed up with forgiveness in your heart for those responsible rather than wanting revenge and becoming the deadly sin known as wrath. To truly forgive another in this thing we call life is one of the most amazing feelings one can ever experience. It cleanses the soul and opens your mind in a way unique to each person that encounters everything that lead up to that decision while in an emotional moment of heartbreak. This goes along with our current moment of time. These are unprecedented times. Best of luck to everyone. Remember to avoid wrath at all costs. Don't allow yourself to be damned. It's your choice. We all have that chance to choose in a defining moment of life.
The opening to Coppola's Dracula, besides being absolutely spectacular, gives background and a frame of reference to the story like no other film has. Puts all these limp-wristed, teenage vampire movies to shame.
This was Gary Oldman best performance hands down. He emotes pure rage and frustration and hooks the audience from this first scene. He should open the Oldman school of acting.
Yes, that part struck me as well, they faith they had in him as a military commander that they would follow him into a battle where they were vastly outnumbered and faced certain defeat. An unbelievable intro to a horror classic, a truly tragic and powerful story. Definitely one of the best interpretations of the Stoker original made up to this point. I don't know of anything that can compare to this one.
Completely agreed. The opening of this movie gives me goosebumps every single time i watch it. The score, the scenery, the direction, the acting. An amazing movie.
Yes, you just know this is going to be a serious movie, but unlike all others, I find the end sad. She came to love him and he her, but at the end they were parted again! In this movie there is no happy ending for anyone except Van Helsing. I often wondered what happened between Jonathan and Mina afterwards. Did they continue their marriage or did they go separate ways? Did Mina hate the three men for what they did? We know she tried to delay them by using her dark powers. Did she understand, but refuse to forgive them? This movie is dark from the start and a love story but without a happily-ever-after! What type of movie or story is this then? Easy, unique.
You can really see the priest/monk failed his perception check by telling the grieving husband that his wife is going to hell after he fought for the church.
This opening scene shows to us enough how is Gary Oldman great actor! So pure powerful and hatred goes out through his suffering...ultimate evil was born we can see, but everyone can feel his despair in the scene. Amazing opening scene of the horror movie.
I love how Coppola embraced Expressionist film and turn of the century visual tricks in this film; I'm also pretty sure Mike Mignola did some conceptual design for the film too.
Some actors were/are always great and special in their roles in my opinion: Oldman, Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Spacey, Mads Mikkelsen, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Chistopher Walken, Jack Nicholson, Clint Eastwood, Harvey Keitel to name a few. Others were, too but then they somewhat lost it: Robert de Niro, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, Morgan Freeman, Bill Murray, Nicolas Cage , Michael Douglas and in their own way in my opinion also Stallone and Schwarzenegger were great in their prime. But they are still good at least. And those I mentioned are surely not all actors I like very much. Not to forget the roles they (can) act great in.
THE BLOOD IS THE LIFE!!! This is a FANTASTIC movie, and one of my favorite intros of all time. The waterfall of blood spilling from the cross is so amazingly disturbing.
@@doriangray2020 Eee 😂 your life is so miserable, you try to put others down because you crave true love, it is okay young grasshopper, hope is there for you or not 😏
People still pray to the order of the dragon, and to Vlad Dracul the impaler, somewhere in the mountains of Carpathia in Transylvania. Some tourists never came back.
@@taraelizabethdensley9475 I would take my blanket and grip it as hard as I could and my 9yo dumbhead self would be so terrified at the scenes of the bat monster hahahahah good times
This movie is the most vivid memory that I have of my best friend that I grew up with in the 70s, we went and saw that movie together. And then we couldn’t wait for the VHS to come out and rewatch it over and over because we thought the love story was just the most beautiful thing ever. And then my friend and I were sitting on my couch in my apartment, watching the movie on VHS, and she fell asleep with her head on my shoulder, and she never woke up again. She died of a brain aneurysm right there next to me watching our favorite movie. Anyway I don’t mean to be a party pooper, this movie just has such strong memories for me, And I love watching it despite it all. It brings me closer to my friend Jacqueline. May she rest in peace.
Great actor. One of the best on this planet. I met Gary a few years ago after a screening for his film, Darkest Hour. We sat on this sofa. Just him and I. He was so nice. We chatted a bit. Never sensed an ego. And here I was sitting with one of the best in the world. Humble guy. He won the Oscar too that year for best actor. I told him at the end of our conversation that he will win. Glad he did.
The thing about the book, you never see anything from Dracula's point of view. You never know his motivation for anything as a character. So connecting him to the historical Vlad and the resurrection of a lost love gives him that. Historically his first wife did jump from the window into the river and died. Although her name is lost to History.
I can feel his bitterness and rage.....that's authentic acting. " I shall rise from my own death!!.....to avenge her with all the powers of darkness! " wow man........ The great Gary old man and Anthony Hopkins....The way he praises GOD after battle as a loyal servant...........Only to be deceived and let down by so many false promises and exaggerated claims..........Now thats how you introduce the back story to the birth of Dracula........This is still my favorite Vampire film..........It ssuch a work of art....the actors are incredible and the set. music, and wardrobe design are just so beautifully detailed.
"Bram Stoker's Dracula"(1992) is an Epic Vampire horror movie masterpiece! The movie's opening scene was inspiring and well made! This movie looks like a perfect painting!
I am waiting on the day that someone gets enough vision to film the REAL, whole story of how"the Old Vlad" came to be. The actual truth is a hair-raising story of he was abused by his father, hated by his own brother, bartered for military advantage & held hostage in Turkish prison while his younger brother became a concubine of the then-Sultan. And even thru all.of that (he was a teen ager @ the time), he got himself together enough to.talk the Turkish authorities into giving him.an audience w/the Sultan where he pledged his loyalty to him & said that he knew how to.defeat his father, who by then had turned against the Turkish Empire to defend his own country. He offered to do so if the Sultan would give him enough men & weapons to do.the job, & the Sultan released him from prison & gave him.his blessing. This young Prince from Transylvania kept his word & went after his father & brother on the battle field & killed them both, then turned around & used the forces at his command to drive out the Turks. The man who.became Dracula spent the rest of his life alternating between a fierce protector of his homeland & people & the unholy creature his people believed He had become He was astoundingly reverent in his worship of God & showed great compassion for the people he ruled who.lived near his castle. Of all.the small.kingdoms in Eastern Europe, Turkey coukd never quite manage to conquer Transylvania while he lived. But he was also extremely demanding of his subjects, requiring them.to bathe regularly - which was actually considered unhealthy at the time! - & to keep their clothing clean & in good repair & for the men to.keep.themselves clean shaven. To my knowledge, he took no wife but he did have several.mistresses. The most notorious of those was a woman who, one evening as she entertained him, told him.that she was now pregnant. They finished their usual business, after which he calmly got out of bed, picked up.his sword & killed her, then cut open her womb to expose the pregnancy. Hearing the ensuing racket, guards came rushing in to protect him only to.find this scene. And he flat out told them: "Let all see what I.have done...& where my fruit lay..."; & he just walked away & left the house & the mess. We have by now all.heard the reports of how "Vlad, the Impaler" took.hi meals while watching those he had ordered impaled die. We have also.heard abt what happened when the envoys from.Turkey came to.broker peace w/him & wouldn't remove their hats. He had his guards nail.their turbans to their heads & sent them.back to.the Sultan. During his lifetime, he established several monasteries & convents along w/ many public shrines to.Christ, some of which were resting places for travelers where they could get water from the springs there. Those shrines all had dedicated jeweled goblets of silver where the travelers could drink; & it was known that any theft from those shrines would be punished by the warlord who.had put them.there. As long as he lived, those giblets were not disturbed.
One of the best openings ever. The creative story telling. The visuals like smoke rising around the cross, Elisabetha falling through the letter, the shadow fight scene and the bloody cross. The end with the writing with the flames looked like a cremation and the Carmina Burana like music reminded me of bits on the neck or stake stab through the heart. Just perfect.
One if the best opening scenes ever. I'm 44 and just watched this movie about a year ago. I remember when it first came out and it got weak reviews but I like the movie alot and this opening scene is just perfection and shows how Dracula is a tragic figure.
What the hell! I'm really impressed, so damn impressed! What a motherfucking scene, and the sound of the trumpets when he goes crazy is fantastically done. I take my hat off, not only to all the actors, but also to Francis Ford Coppola. For me the best Dracula film of all time..
Totally agree, films today have lost the power to capture imaginations because they rely on CGI instead of investing long hours of prosthetic appliance coupled with a great story. Old horror movies are the best, nothing today compares.
First saw this around Christmas time in 2006. My brother had borrowed it from his girlfriend at the time and I instantly fell in love with it. I watched it over and over again. Best Dracula ever!
Concerteza amigo , filme se olha primeira para a direção e esse aí e o gênio , Francis Ford Copolla! Fotografia perfeita , enredo top e uma aula de história ainda , contando sobre a queda de Constantinopla pelos turcos Otomanos , que tinha influencia Mulçumana , idade moderna e etc. Cássico do cinema juntamente com Frankenstein de Mary Shelley d mesmo diretor !
I went to see this movie November 13th 1992 at AMC rivercenter San Antonio the day it came out. Saw it again immediately at the next twp showings trying to pick up all the small practical effects. Amazing movie.
Gary gives some of the best character sketches be it Dracula or Churchill but my most favorite is him playing Beethoven in Immortal beloved that deserved an Oscar.
Fantastic book! Fantastic movie! A favorite of mine. Its a love story. Im reading it now for the first time and am very much enjoying it. Bram Stoker is brilliant! ❤
The crazy part is that the priest claims that Elizabeta’s soul is beyond salvation, citing “God’s law,” however the Bible never mentions that a person who commits suicide is beyond salvation. In fact, numerous people in the Bible have committed suicide and still have gone on to heaven. People such as the first king of Israel, Saul the Benjamite. He “fell on his own sword.”
This score, cinematography, art production design, costume, gary Oldman and Coppola direction It's make this movie different from other vampire movie this is movie is timeless classic
This is my absolutely favourite Dracula movie, and I’ve seen them all … I think! Way better than Anne Rice’s vampires by a long shot, but her books are epic. 🇨🇦🖖🏻🇨🇦
They did all the effects in camera for this movie! They used paper puppets in the background, projecting their shadows while Gary Oldman walked around and swung a sword- no post-production effects.
This movie has been and always will be one of the best vampire stories, This movie has been and always will be one of the best vampire stories, it is art.
I met the man once in Napoli, Italy. All of my fellow americans were asking him about THE GODFATHER, THE GODFATHER. (scuffs) Not to many people know that he directed this movie. I say this is his most Stylistic work to date. This is one of the few movies that I cant watch over and over, its just done to perfection.
