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Jess Franco's Count Dracula (Special Edition)
Rating:  -
The only reason why I give this film two stars is because of Christopher Lee's brilliant performance. If it wasn't for that, it would be only worth one star.
Many people say that this is the closest film adamption to the book. That is not true. The 1977 BBC miniseries was closer and so was the 1992 film "Bram Stoker's Dracula". They were both closer and better. I have never seen a film that could be compared with the book, but this one is probably the worst (at least at entertaining you). It was boring as hell, the special effects are lame, the directing was terrible (at least in most scenes), and it certainly does not come close to the book. The only thing worth watching in this film is Christopher Lee himself who plays a brilliant Dracula in all of his scenes.
Plus the DVD release is crap too. It cuts out a good one-minute scene in which a mother begs Dracula for her child's life, and has French and Italian credits. Why the hell would they put French and Italian credits on a U.S. DVD? It doesn't make sense! Not recommended!
Rating:  -
Christopher Lee is arguably the best Dracula that has ever been committed to celluloid -- but you gotta admit that Hammer Horror didn't put him to the best use.
Far better use is made of Lee in "Jess Franco's Count Dracula," a gothic horror movie that tries its darndest to stay true to the original novel. It's only partially successful -- Lee is utterly brilliant and the haunting atmosphere is suitable for a tale of vampiric infiltration, but the last act is painfully rushed and flat.
You know the drill: Real estate agent Jonathan Harker (Fred Williams) arrives in Transylvania, to arrange a London house sale to the charming, mysterious Count Dracula (Lee). But Harker is increasingly troubled by bizarre specters and Dracula's odd behavior, leading him to believe that Dracula is not actually human.
After escaping, he's brought to Professor Van Helsing's clinic (Herbert Lom), while his fiancee Mina (Maria Rohm) and her friend Lucy (Soledad Miranda) come to visit him. But soon Dracula starts luring and drinking from Lucy in the night, until she inevitably dies despite Van Helsing's best efforts. Of course, soon she's back and sucking the blood of small children.
So Van Helsing launches a full-out attack on Count Dracula, first taking Jonathan and Quincey (Jack Taylor) to destroy Lucy before anyone else can be harmed. But Dracula has set his sights on Mina now -- and to save her, Jonathan and Quincey must destroy him first.
This was pretty clearly a work of love for Jess Franco, creator of many a softcore Euromovie (including "Vampyros Lesbos"). He spins a haunting, vibrantly creepy atmosphere around the whole movie, along with all the suitable gothic trappings -- vast lifeless stone buildings, towering candelabras shrouded in cobwebs, and the knowledge that Dracula is somewhere near.
Unfortunately the movie starts spinning out of control in the second half (which is also where it starts really deviating from Stoker's novel). Franco seems to belatedly realize that he's running out of time and needs to hurry up -- and as a result, such important moments as Lucy's in-coffin staking are made rather flat and lifeless. Not to mention the laughable scene where our brave heroes are menaced by a bunch of yipping stuffed animals.
And the climax is a total rush job -- Mina and Van Helsing just sit around while the boys go running off to slay Dracula. Although the final scene's fiery disintegration is a nice touch.
The movie is dominated by Lee -- not only does he fit the physical description of Stoker's vampire, but he gives off an impression of nobility, grandeur, age and barely-hidden power. Franco even manages to use this for some subtle comedy, such as when a prostitute tries to solicit Dracula, and receives only an icy, haughty glare in response.
Most of the other actors are fairly capable but nothing to write home about. But there are a couple of other standouts -- Herbert Lom is a nicely intense Van Helsing, and Klaus Kinski plays a wonderfully deranged, disheveled, wild-eyed Renfield. It's like he was born to play it.
"Jess Franco's Count Dracula" is a flawed gem -- brilliant acting and gothic atmosphere, and a very rushed, rather surreal second half. But worth checking out, if nothing else for Lee's brilliant performance.
Rating:  -
another great film christopher lee did, very different from the other ones he did. this is the last of the dracula films he did.
Rating: -
When I initially saw this film many years ago on television, I thought it was schlock. I didn't care for the liberties Franco had taken with Bram Stoker's novel, apparently altering the plot to "improve" it, or the choppy editing and sudden closeups. All in all, I felt like I'd wasted my time. Still, being a collector and a completist, I decided to purchase this DVD. I'm very glad that I did.
This uncut version of "Count Dracula," while it occasionally strays from Stoker's original text, does follow the novel far more closely than any other movie version I've seen. Despite being filmed in color, it retains a great deal of the eerie atmosphere exuded by the earlier black and white Tod Browning/Bela Lugosi version. There are no sumptuous castle interiors, a la Hammer, nor is there excessive gore. Many things are surprisingly understated and spare. There's an occasional splash of blood, but a lot is left to the imagination, which actually works in the film's favor.
I think I recall having read that this was Lee's favorite Dracula portrayal. Considering the amount of material taken directly from the book, that's understandable. For example, Dracula is an old man when Jonathan Harker first encounters him, and he progressively becomes younger as he feeds upon new victims - something often left out of other adaptations. We're treated to the Count here as Stoker most likely envisioned him: gaunt, mysterious, alternately subdued and terrifying, the unconquerable warrior, the soulless monster, the nocturnal lover.
With the exception of Lee, who is marvelous, the acting is adequate. Herbert Lom as Van Helsing seems a bit awkward at times, but I fault the script, rather than the actor. Klaus Kinski is suitably creepy as the tormented and insane Renfield. The music is done well and enhances the film, and the cinematography is often quite impressive. Much of the aforementioned jumpy editing is gone here. While many of the sudden closeups are jarring and seemingly pointless, they're occasionally put to good use. At the film's beginning, when the camera zooms in to focus on Lee's mouth while he's speaking, we notice his fangs much the same way as Harker did in the novel, but I thought the scenes with the stuffed animals were ridiculous. You'll have to judge for yourself.
This is a good print, well made, and we're treated to several extras, including Christopher Lee reading from Dracula. Despite the film's flaws, I would recommend this DVD to anyone who is a fan of Christopher Lee, Dracula movies, or vampire films in general.
Rating: -
Classic telling of the Brom Stoker story.Well worth veiwing; it has atmosphere, and Christopher Lee.
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