One of Coppola's Best

Rating: 9/10 (2 January 2005)

Though I did not read the book and can't compare it to the movie, I found Bram Stoker's Dracula quiet excellent. The costume design, lighting, camera work, make-up-fx are all very good and make for a very atmospheric movie.
There are some truly outstanding things in this film.
1, the editing... excellent, I love the way they worked with dissolves, the hypnotic feel they created with the careful editing. Every frame flows in the other, the whole style grabs you and never lets you go... I simply could not turn my eyes off the screen.
2, the acting... Gary Oldman is THE Dracula, IMO. Seductive, strong, bad and scary in his own distinctive way, yet really romantic.
Hopkins is funny as Van Helsing and quiet ironic.
Winona is a great Mina. Beautiful, innocent. She looks great in these Victorian costumes.
Keanu Reeves is not as bad as many of you think. He makes the best of his underwritten character.
3, the Score... haunting, romantic, scary. It works beautiful with the pictures.
I think this movie is a great cinematic achievement and very underrated. It's a shame they don't make movies like that any more.
10/10