Oppulent and sultry

Rating: 9/10 (12 February 2007)

Every person that has read the original novel by Bram Stoker must have felt totally let down by all the previous movie adaptations . For the very first time , the count has not been portrayed being just a blood thirsty monster with a funny accent . Gary Oldman , perfectly cast as the count , takes the character to the next level . He manages to portray the count as a fallen angel , out of grace from God and all human beings . He adds emotion and melancholy and keeps the constant thrill of danger without becoming an overacting spoof as so many of his predecessors . This film gets his strength from the fact that storyline and character development are for more important and focused on than the horror aspect of it all . Strong casting continues with Winona Ryder as Mina Murray , who portrays the character as a beautiful and innocent Snowwhite seduced by the big bad wolf . She even surprises towards the end when Mina gets under the influence of the brides and attacks Van Helsing .It's rare to see Winona as the seductive vixen ... Anthony Hopkins has the authority to be Van Helsing , the sworn enemy of Dracula and the only human the count fears . Also Hopkins brings the so needed humor when it comes to these kind of overly serious stories . Big surprise is Sadie Frost as aristocratic heiress Lucy Westenra , her performance varies from lighthearted to sultry and adds a lot of eroticism to the movie . Especially the sequence where she , once a vampire and returning to her tomb , bumps into Van Helsing and her former beaus . The best version of this scene so far . Credits go also to Tom Waits as deranged Renfield and the casting of the brides , who where chosen from thousands of models across the world . Amongst them Italian model Monica Bellucci who made her Hollywood debut with this film . The only casting disappointment is Keanu Reeves , who's acting is without soul and his American accent is out of place , a pity . There were enough good actors available who could have given a much more pleasing performance . Eiko Ishioka , responsible for the opulent costumes , had long conversations with director Francis Ford Coppola in order to create the exact look for the movie . The costumes are full of symbolism and relate to the artists from that period ( many of Dracula's robes are inspired by paintings of Gustav Klimt ). As well do the costumes expand the personalities of the characters who wear them . Initially , Coppola had the idea to put the actors in costume and let them perform on complete black sets . The film studio believed this not being commercial and were rather aspiring box office success than the creation of an art movie . Although this movie is more than 15 years old , it remains the best Dracula adaption ever . A classic in his genre and a must see for all fans of Gothic and romantic cinema .