Oldman's Nosferatu is superb in "Bram Stoker's Dracula"

Rating: 7/10 (17 February 2006)

Francis Ford Coppola's horror spectacular "Bram Stoker's Dracula" stays very close to the original true account of Vlad "the Impaler" with all the blood, sexuality, gore, & carnage but does not leave out the fangs. Of all the Dracula films made over the years this one was missing one key component, that being Gary Oldman. Oldman's portrayal of the Transylvanian count supersedes any other & makes this film edgier, more sensual, & much more interesting to view. Oldman does more than drink blood or morph into a hideous beast; he shows a side of himself rarely seen in that of a lover. Oldman's Dracula is vulnerable, crazed with broken heart, & the consummate tragic figure. I found Oldman's performance to be one of the best if not the best performance of the Count I have ever seen.
The story is simple but moves at a good pace. Many, many years earlier, Vlad Dracula is a prince who is deeply in love with his bride, Elisabeta. For pride & protection of his realm, Vlad leads the kingdom's forces against the Turks with success, which also gains him the nickname of Vlad "the Impaler". Unbeknownst to Dracula, a Turk spy shot an arrow into the castle with a note attached bringing false news of Vlad's death. Hopelessly distraught, Elisabeta threw herself into the river below to her death. After returning from his successful war campaign, Dracula is stunned to realize what has become of his lovely young bride. The High Priest tells Dracula that Elisabeta is damned forever for committing suicide according to religious belief. Filled with uncontrollable rage, Dracula renounces his faith, curses God, & thrusts his sword into the Holy cross which bleeds in gushes. Dracula drinks the blood & is forever transformed into what we now know as Count Dracula. Meanwhile in Carfax Abbey, England, two young lovers Mina Murphy(Winona Ryder) & Jonathan Harker make plans to marry. Before all plans are to be finalized, Harker must go on a business trip & complete a big transaction for his boss' firm. Young Jonathan Harker(Keanu Reeves) goes to Transylvania to complete a real estate deal made with mysterious Counnt Dracula(Oldman). During an evening supper, Harker mistakenly shows Dracula a photo of his beloved Mina, who eerily looks a lot like Dracula's Elisabeta. The devious Count devises a plan to keep Harker at the castle while traveling to England to seduce an unsuspecting Mina/Elisabeta. The strange Count holds the poor Harker captive in his castle indefinitely. Packed in his native earth aboard a ship, Dracula nightly feeds on crew members until the ship floats into England unmanned. Dracula infects the rats on board & holds the legions at bay to use later to release a plague on the city. Dracula then goes on the prowl for Mina & seduces longtime friend Lucy Westenra, a local wealthy young woman. As time went on, Lucy fell under the curse of Dracula with a form of anemia & strange physical symptoms. Baffled & confused, Dr. Jack Seward tries to cure Lucy to no avail. Dr. Seward, beau Lord Arthur Holmwood, & Quincy P. Morris all scramble to find answers to Lucy's condition. In desperation, Dr. Seward calls upon the expertise of his former medical professor & friend Prof. Abraham Van Helsing who arrives to help cure Lucy. Van Helsing reveals Lucy's condition as vampyrism, the curse of the foul Nosferatu. Lucy's condition worsens & results in death. Meanwhile, Mina meets the seductive Dracula & begins a strange courtship. Mina cannot understand her magnetism to the Count but still will not totally break her love for Harker. Sensing her need to go to Harker, Mina sets sail for Transylvania to find her love. Harker, who escapes Dracula's brides stumbles upon a nunnery in the mountains where he is nursed back to health. Mina reunites with Harker & the two marry. Furious by Mina's betrayal, the Count knows that Harker must be destroyed & that he must release the plague on England to further his ire. In the crypt, Van Helsing, Seward, Holmwood, & Morris discover that Lucy is the undead & must be vanquished. Holmwood sadly drives a stake through his fiancé's heart & Van Helsing decapitates her. Mina & Dracula share an intimate moment with Mina accepting the dreaded curse in order to be with him forever. Reluctantly, Dracula condemns Mina to an everlasting life of blood thirst. Van Helsing & the men intrude on the interlude with Dracula escaping. Van Helsing, knowing that Mina is now cursed, gathers the men together & sets off to Transylvania to destroy the evil Count. Dracula, using Mina's thoughts, travels to his homeland as fast as he can before Van Helsing & the others reach him before sunrise. Van Helsing finds Mina only to realize that she is in league with Dracula & must help her fight the thirst swelling within her. Also, Van Helsing must fend off Dracula's brides who are in a trance fueled by their loyalty to their master & their blood lust. Once caught up with Dracula, Van Helsing & the men fight the master vampire to the death. Dracula is mortally wounded & falls into the chapel inside the castle with Mina. The fallen Nosferatu begs the lovely Mina to end his suffering & release her from his curse. Mina grants Dracula's wish & breaks the curse within her.
With great costumes, terrific scenery, well done make-up work, & wonderful performances by Oldman, Ryder, & Hopkins, "Bram Stoker's Dracula will mesmerize & enthrall you. One of the best Dracula films made to date. I give the film a 7 out of ten with a big thumbs up!!!