Bram Stoker is turning in his grave with disgust

Rating: 4/10 (11 September 2005)

Immediately after reading the book I made it a point to watch this movie. How dare Francis Ford Coppola title this movie "Bram Stoker's Dracula." The movie does not begin as the book does nor does it end like it. In addition, tons of storyline was added in that in no way relates what so ever to the book. ( Loveline between Dracula and Mina, Lesbian sequence between Lucy and Mina, Harker being held captive by the three brides in Dracula's Castle.) The list of in-discrepancies goes on and on. Also, great characters from the original novel were simply downplayed into trash in this film. All four leading male roles were written as great men in Stoker's masterpiece. In this film, however, Keanu Reeves is a joke and really doesn't fit the role, Richard E. Grant as Jack Seward plays him as a fumbling fool, Cary Elwes is more or less a prick and very inconsistent. Hopkins and Gary Oldman are great actors, there is no question about that. I also feel that Winnona Ryder did what she could with a very demanding role. The failure of the movie is not the fault of the actors, but of the Director and Screenwrite. What was wrong with the original novel, why did they have to change the story so much? The only reason I can think of is for marketing value and it is a shame that such a great classic should suffer for it.