Brilliant but flawed.....

Rating: 8/10 (21 November 2001)

The second or third time of watching this movie I sat down with the novel in front of me and followed the dialogue with the book..., as for being true to the book it was, it followed the diaries of Mina and Johnathan to the letter for the most part and I was impressed with that. As for the romance that the director insisted on inserting between Mina and the Count.... what can I say things that make you go hmmmmm. (Although I was impressed with the scene dealing with the "green fairy" although that is an in joke). Despite the above it was a visually stunning movie to watch and the scene with the "Brides" and Johnathan was incredibly erotic (one of the most erotic I have seen on screen I would say). I have to admit though when it comes to eroticism that the Dracula with the Frank Langella and Kate Nelligan love scene in front of the fire is by far one of the most erotic ever filmed. If this movie could have been filmed with Frank Langella as dracula I think it would have been perfect. While Gary Oldman is an outstanding actor I think that he lacked the sex appeal that dracula obviously needs, he has to be sexually attractive for the women to be attracted to him so and of course that is what Bram Stoker tried to portray in his novel but it being written in Victorian times he had to keep it under the surface. to I believe that Frank Langella portrayed that evilness and sexuality beautifully. Bottom line, brilliant movie that has a few flaws but it still worth watching again and again.