Poor adaptation

Rating: Null/10 (2 January 2000)

Francis Ford Coppola refers to the literary classic as the filmtitle wants to make us believe. But instead of trying to transmit the calm of the book and the atmosphere of Victorian England, Coppola gets lost in technical tricks, in bombastic colour- and light-effects. The bunch of famous actors gives a lifeless and unworthy performance. Especially Lucy and her three lovers are a shame to look at. I didn't forget for just one minute that they all are actors who try to behave like people at the end of 19th century. They did a bad job. The scene where Prince Vlad and Mina drink each others blood is ridiculous and embarrassing. I like melodramatic films very much but this film has neither heart nor soul. The splatter effects are used very artificial and through that thank God not very revolting. All the time of 130 minutes I never felt fear or sympathy for the characters. I just sat in the cinema chair, watched the extremely beautiful pictures and missed more and more the profound English spirit of Bram Stoker's novel. This film should be called "Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula"!