BLOOD WORK: HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 30: DRACULA (1979)

Dracula's description in Bram Stoker's novel is that of an old man, "cruel looking," long white mustache, pointed ears, hooked nose, and pointed beard. Of course, Dracula's appearance changes as he grows more youthful looking with the increase in blood consumption, but never is he described as "sexy." He didn't need to be visually captivating because of his hypnotic abilities. In the 1922 film NOSFERATU by F.W. Murnau, an unofficial adaptation of Dracula and perhaps the very first film adaptation, Dracula or in this case Graf Orlok, played by Max Schreck is portrayed as ugly and repulsive. In Tod Browning's 1931 film, DRACULA, Bela Lugosi brought a gentlemanly demeanor and facade to the character, a man of nobility and class. Maybe Lugosi was sexy to some but that aspect wasn't what he became known for bringing to the character.

Paul Morrissey's BLOOD FOR DRACULA, starring Udo Kier, accentuated the "sex" inherent in the vampire mythos by portraying Dracula as a young, attractive, and hyper sexual character. Udo Kier and perhaps others portraying Dracula during the 1970's exploitation era performed the sexy vampire angle first, but the man who firmly transformed Dracula into a sexual icon the world over was none other than Frank Langella.

Frank Langella starred in Universal's first big budget remake of DRACULA in 1979. Directed by John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, WarGames, Short Circuit, and more), this often overlooked Dracula film left an indelible mark on the story and depiction of Dracula that has endured to this day in most every remake and re-imagining of the character as well as vampire cinema as a whole. And Frank Langella as Dracula is not the only reason to watch this movie, although he is without a doubt the strongest piece of the film, but there's also Donald Pleasence, Laurence Olivier, and Sylvester McCoy in the film too. And a hauntingly beautiful score by John Williams

THE PLOT

A Rumanian ship crashed on the rocks near Billerbeck Hall asylum, the entire crew dead, ripped apart by an animal. Only one person survived the wreck, a foreign aristocrat by the name of Dracula. The Transylvanian count had just acquired a new residence in Whitby, the dilapidated Carfax Abbey, not far from the asylum. Invited for dinner at Dr. Seward's residence, Dracula becomes enamored with the women present. What seems like a plague besets the Sewards and those under their roof, all coinciding with the arrival of their new neighbor who resides in Carfax Abbey.

WHAT I LIKED

Frank Langella. Many many actors have played Dracula over the years in film and television and most of them great (Graham McTavish being the most recent wonderful portrayal from Netflix's Castlevania). Frank Langella deserves to be counted among the greatest actor portrayals of the character in my opinion. He brings a modern nobleman esthetic to the role, commanding in his body language yet soft in voice. His delivery of Dracula's lines is masterful, taking what could be considered a cheesy and cliched line and making it sound new and elegant. But more than anything is Langella's powerful persona. It's in his eyes, his demeanor, and every movement of his body. The actor embodies both Dracula's sensuality and lethality far beyond his predecessors and successors. While others actors bring their own power and presence to the role of Dracula, no other has mastered these aspects of Dracula better than Frank Langella.

Gothic Perfection. Very few horror films nowadays fit within the "Gothic" sub-genre of horror. CRIMSON PEAK was one of the last truly Gothic horror films in recent years (and one of the best). With the story of Dracula the production could take the narrative in many directions, most of which take the pure monster movie route. Here John Badham takes a purely Gothic approach, toning down the monster aspect while enhancing atmosphere and character focus. The actors contribute largely to the Gothic architecture, delivering appropriately exaggerated performances but not so much as to go over the top. It's a delicate balance to find in an actor. Having actors of such pedigree as Frank Langella, Laurence Olivier, and horror icon Donald Pleasence enables the film to maintain this level of acting.

Benefits of a big budget. When it comes to these epic European setting horror tales like Dracula and Frankenstein, production value goes a long way. This Dracula production has more than enough money for grand special effects and they're employed with surprising restraint. There's wonderful gory make-up effects, trick photography, and even some wire work. The restraint employed in regards to the special effects reinforces the Gothic tableau of the film. The locations and the sets complete the Gothic composition of the film and they look absolutely amazing, exceeding Francis Ford Coppola's film in my opinion and putting most film renditions of Dracula to shame. And John Williams magnificent score serves to further enhance the overall presentation.

Homage within Reinvention. As one might expect, this version of Dracula is quite updated compared to the 1931 film with Bela Lugosi. It's scarier, more violent, more racy. And more realistic. But within the modernization there are a great many lines, sequences, and shots repeated from the 1931 Universal original. One would think these elements wouldn't work in a modern film, but the actors and filmmakers slip them in with deft precision. Classic lines like "I never drink wine" spoken casually by Frank Langella easily slip past the casual viewer but to the trained viewer provide another entertaining layer to the film. It's loaded with Dracula easter eggs one might say.

NITPICKS

I do consider this film a masterful rendition of Dracula and essential viewing for both horror and vampire genres. And as it is I probably wouldn't change anything about it. But if I were to change anything about it (and probably ruin it) I'd like to see the presence of blood punctuated more. Blood plays a central role in the film but in a sub-textual way. There's a beautiful gray filter over the entirety of the film which I love. It would've been nice to have seen a striking deep red cut through the gray overcast. Sometimes Donald Pleasence goes a little too far in his performance and I'd scale certain moments back (oh my God, I love Donald Pleasence in everything he does. I feel horrible for even suggesting a change to his performance). Laurence Olivier too goes a little too far for me at times (my God! Now I'm criticizing Sir freakin Laurence Olivier?! Who does that?! ...okay, just forget any acting criticisms I just mentioned).

THE VERDICT

The 1979 Dracula remake from Universal is one of the unsung heroes of the Dracula films. Frank Langella delivers one of the finest interpretations of Dracula ever and Donald Pleasence and Laurence Olivier give wonderful supporting performances as well. Great production values make this one of the best looking Dracula films out there and John Williams score elevates the film even further. And last but not least this Dracula rendition is a beautiful example of pure Gothic horror.