Dracula (1979)

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Directed by John Badham.

Starring Trevor Eve, Frank Langella, Kate Nelligan, Donald Pleasence, Laurence Olivier.

In the late '70s, Frank Langella starred in the hit Broadway play Dracula, written by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston. Langella's charisma and the surreal, black-and-white sets designed by cartoonist Edward Gorey were the chief outstanding features of the play, which was otherwise undistinguished. While this film production of the play boasts performances by stage veterans Lord Laurence Olivier and Donald Pleasance, as well as Frank Langella as the suavest of counts, it was neither a critical nor a box-office success, doubtlessly because expectations ran too high. One highlight of this production is its skillful use of special effects. The standard story of Bram Stoker's original novel is re-created here: the undead count arranges to move from his home in Transylvania to Whitby, and once there, a reign of terror begins. He is opposed by the canny Doctor Van Helsing (Laurence Olivier), who eventually triumphs. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

Dracula (1979, USA, John Badham ...
by CinemaRian in CinemaRian Blog

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"It's evident that Donald Pleasence gained a lot of weight since he appeared in Fantastic. It's also evident that the world did not need another Dracula, as difficult as it is for me to say. The movie was made to capitalize on the success of the revival of the Balderston/Deane play, which was a major hit on Broadway. That production starred Frank Langella, who reprises his role here, but you just really wish that Badham had done the right thing and cast Christopher Lee. Langella's interpretation is as a suave, romantic hunk. He plays the romantic aristocrat stuff well but a major flaw to his performance is he's not threatening at all. Langella doesn't come off too badly however, as the movie is severely miscast. Kate Nelligan is all wrong as the introverted Mina character (here renamed Lucy), and Lord Laurence Olivier, one of the greatest actors of the century, is a major disapointment as Van Helsing. This is no doubt due to the fact that he was very ill at the time, and it shows. V ... " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

lost interest.

This oft-criticized take on the classic Bram Stoker story is probably its most controversial adaptation. W.D. Richter's screenplay toys with the source material in some interesting ways -- like making Lucy a proto-feminist -- but it suffers from a muddled third act and reduces Harker to a nonentity, a flaw compounded by Trevor Eve's lackluster performance. These flaws keep this version of Dracula from reaching classic status, but the film remains worthwhile because it gets several other things right. Frank Langella makes an excellent Dracula, creating a figure whose seductive nature is a key part of what makes him frightening. Sir Laurence Olivier matches him note for note as Van Helsing, bringing a delightful theatrical touch to his sparring matches with the evil count. Best of all, John Badham directs the proceedings with a true flair for gothic melodrama and gives the film a tremendous sense of atmosphere. His work is aided immensely by a thunderous (and rather atypical) score from John Williams and the lush, moody cinematography of Gil Taylor. Ultimately, the pros outweigh the cons in this version of Dracula and it remains worthwhile for fans of old-fashioned horror. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide

Tags: bloodsucker , castle , countryside , courtship , immortality
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