Review of Dracula 3D

Dracula 3D (2012)
6/10
Colorful though uneven version about the immortal personage by the great Dario Argento
25 October 2013
Dario Argento's retelling of the Bram Stoker classic has Count Dracula as a mature count who grows younger whenever he dines on the blood of gorgeous maidens . Bram Stoker's ¨Dracula" 3D turns out to be an entertaining picture directed by Dario Argento with a good cast , brilliant cinematography and atmospheric soundtrack . As this last version ¨Dracula¨ 3D (2012) by Dario Argento with Rutger Hauer as Abraham Van Helsing , Asia Argento as Lucy , Unax Ugalde as Johnathan Harker and Thomas Kretschmann as Dracula . The tale begins with Jonathan Harker (Unax Ugalde) , he goes to an eerie castle in the fogs of eastern Europe . Harker is journeying by train and carriage from England to Count Dracula's far castle situated in the Carpathian Mountains on the frontier of Transylvania . The purpose of his assignment is to catalogue the wide library of Dracula (Thomas Kretschmann). At first enticed by Dracula's gracious manner , Harker soon discovers that he has become a prisoner in the crumbling castle . One night while searching for an exit of the castle , and against Dracula's strict admonition not to venture outside his room at night , Harker falls under the spell of his bloodsucker girlfriends . Harker is captured and imprisoned by a strange vampire who is accompanied by wanton female vampires (Miriam Giovanelli) , the Brides of Dracula . At the ending Dracula to face off Van Helsing (Rutger Hauer is Van Helsing in this, he previously played Dracula in Dracula III: Legacy). Meanwhile , Mina (Marta Gastini) looks for his lover Jonathan Harker .

Italian/Spanish co-production about known characters , Dracula and his nemesis Van Helsing . This thrilling as well as terrifying film contains horrifying scenes , chills , lots of gore and a liquid similar to red tomato was used for the blood along with a lot of C.G. effects . This recounting of Dracula is freely based on Bram Stoker's 1897 classic novel of the same title and one of the biggest differences with Bram Stoker's original novel is that this version's plot takes place entirely in Transylvania , as Stoker's work moves the action to England . This isn't a faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula novel , the film ultimately made numerous significant changes to the story .

Passable version about the famous personage with an European all-star cast , colorful cinematography by Luciano Tovoli , holding a photography similarly to Hammer Films , glamorous gowns and regular production design , including evocative sights from villages , woods and remote castle from Candelo , Biella , Piedmont, Italy . Thomas Kretchsmann , who plays an acceptable Dracula, and the Dutch Rutger Hauer , who plays stunningly Dr. Van Helsing , being the first time Van Helsing , a Dutchman in the novel, has actually been played by someone from the Netherlands . Well produced and written by Enrique Cerezo , a nice producer who financed several successes such as ¨Juana La Loca¨ , ¨The long kill¨, "The Final Inquiry" , ¨Witching & Bitching" , among others . Being a Spanish/Italian production , here appears some Spanish actors such as Unax Ugalde as Harker and the Spanish/Italian busty girl Miriam Giovanelli who is in charge of the nude scenes along with Asia Argento . Special mention to rousing and powerful musical score composed and conducted by Claudio Simonetti , ex-Globin, and he formerly composed a lot of Argento classic films . The motion picture was regularly directed by Dario Argento , being the first time Dario Argento has worked in 3D . Considered the Godfather of Giallo, Argento has been the creative force behind numerous influential Italian films including : The Bird with the Crystal Plumage , Suspiria , Inferno , Tenebre , Deep Red , Phenomena , and Opera , among others . Rating : 5,5/10 ; acceptable and passable , though middlingly realized .

Other films retelling the known legend based as originally conceived on this Bram Stoker novel are the followings : ¨ Dracula¨ (1974) by Dan Curtis with Jack Palance , Simon Ward , Nigel Davenport , ¨Bram's Stoker Dracula¨ with David Suchet as Abraham Van Helsing , Marc Warren as Count Dracula and Sophia Myles as Lucy ; of course , splendid versions from Hammer Production mostly starred by Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing ; and Jesus Franco retelling titled ¨Count Dracula¨ with Christopher Lee , Herbert Lom , Soledad Miranda , Klaus Kinski ; the best results to be ¨Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula¨ with Gary Oldman , Winona Ryder , Gary Elwes , Keanu Reeves and Anthony Hopkins .
29 out of 41 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed