What's not to like?

Rating: Null/10 (1 April 1999)

Because of the accents (Romanian? German? Transylvanian?), much of the dialogue was unintelligible, and because of director Coppola's preoccupation with set designs, special-effects, makeup, and stylish camera work, the story was occasionally left behind like a spare tire, but this "Dracula" was pretty darned terrific, anyway. What's not to like about a movie that casts oddball crooner Tom Waits as the fly and spider eating Renfield, a role very memorably played by the tragic Dwight Frye in the 1931 Lugosi version? Then you've got the great Anthony Hopkins on hand as an eccentric and uncouth Professor Van Helsing, and Gary Oldman as the Count of the title. Visually, the film is masterful, sumptuously photographed and stuffed from end to end with fascinating and provocative imagery, the highlights being at Dracula's castle where the old Count, his hair in a bun, slithers about, casting shadows that are never in synch with his movements, and licking the blood off his houseguest's razor. Like Tod Browning's 1931 classic, this one's best moments are at the beginning, but unlike that Bela Lugosi starrer, this one will keep you awake.