It’s not a secret that I’m fond of gothic horror, and I know I’ve already shared a lot of times here why I like it—but for the sake of new readers…well, I like it because it’s pretty much the kind of horror that I can watch without the worry of being haunted by it for days. Watching serious horror isn’t for me because I do have a vivid imagination, and I don’t want to unconsciously use that to imagine out of nowhere the scenes from those movies. So having this kind of genre is really a blessing for my not-so-brave self, and so for today I’m gonna share a movie review on the most recent gothic horror I’ve watched rewatched. To be honest, it wasn’t scary at all, but still the element of suspense and romance was there, and with that I still enjoyed it, and now without further ado, let me introduce the movie that became the newest addition to my all-time favorite gothic horror movies, the 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula.
About the Movie
Bram Stoker's Dracula is a horror romance movie that was based on Dracula, a classic novel by Bram Stoker that was written way back in the late 19th century. This more than a couple of hour movie was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and was written by James V. Hart. It was released on November 13, 1992, and it follows the story of a man who once had it all. However, everything changed when war came. He was compelled to aid in defending the faith he believed—not knowing that it would be one of the reasons why he would lose his dearest wife, Elisabeta.
Mad with grief, Dracula renounced his faith and vowed to find and see her again even after death, and that begins his life as a creature of darkness. He lived in hatred and loneliness for centuries until finally destiny made its move to change his life again, and it all started when he discovered that his wife was reincarnated. Coincidentally, she’s the fiancée of Jonathan Harker, the clerk that was assigned to him! Determined to rekindle the love that had been lost for centuries, Dracula imprisoned the poor clerk and set out for England. Blood spilled and chaos erupted as he began his journey towards reclaiming the love that he had lost centuries before. But can his love for her allow him to just condemn her soul for eternity?
’I love you too much to…to condemn you.’
This line hits hard for me, along with the scene that it was delivered in. That scene was really memorable because it kinda made me emotional. Gary Oldman as Dracula definitely nailed delivering that line, for he portrayed well the yearning and also the regret for the act that he’s about to commit. After all, he’s about to plunge Mina into the same dire fate he chose, but he hesitates because he loves her too much to condemn her…not that it stopped her anyway. Yet my point is that perhaps that's the most memorable scene I’ve watched in that movie because it doesn’t only appeal to me visually, but it also engaged me emotionally. I clearly felt the emotions, the passion, and the desperation—it all mingled and made that scene more hooking.
As for the visuals, it was definitely aesthetically pleasing, from its set and costumes to its cinematography—everything feels like I’m transported to a different era. The historical retelling at first was one of the things that immediately piqued my interest because I’m really interested in those details. It’s enjoyable for me to know that stuff, so upon seeing its start, I know that I’ll like it. Also, it definitely didn’t shy away from its vampiric theme. Although there isn’t much gore, the amount of blood I’ve seen was totally more than enough. Further, its plot didn’t disappoint me because as the story went on, I became more invested in it. Familiar names begin to appear, and it did excite me; however, even though I like how the story goes, I find some scenes raunchy. Well, at first watch I really found those disturbing because it’s been a long time since I watched that kind of scene, but as soon as I rewatched the movie, it kinda became less disturbing. It somehow appealed sensual borderline raunchy for me, but still it’s undeniable that those scenes were made to be also visually pleasing.
And for the actors and actresses, although all of them were dressed to visually slay, not all of their performances were a hit. Of course, it’s obvious that Gary Oldman’s acting was superb, as was the actor who portrayed Van Helsing. But like I said, not all of their acting was a hit for me because some kinda felt lacking. I don’t know if it’s their accent, gestures, or acting, but watching them portray their characters somehow felt off. Keanu Reeves' portrayal of Jonathan Harker, for example—the accent sounds fake. I don’t know if that was on purpose, like to make it dramatical, but for me it was distracting at times. Yes, his face card was lethal; like, when I saw him on screen, I was ready to squeal, but when I heard his accent, I was kinda turned off. So does Winona Ryder’s accent…it wasn’t as off as Keanu’s, but it definitely sounds a little eccentric also. Anyways, even though there are those misses in the portrayals, still it doesn’t stop me from enjoying it.
Overall, this movie was a nice one, tho I can’t really say it’s an accurate depiction of the novel Dracula. The novel I read before seemed to be devoid of romance…like it just focused on Jonathan Harker’s spooky encounter with the count. This take is more focused on the love story rather than those spooky encounters I read of. Not that I’m complaining, I still undeniably enjoyed the entirety of it—especially the ending. It always sparks joy in me whenever the female lead gets the salvation she needs because honestly, even though I like that scene where Dracula and Mina met, I hate that despite Dracula saying he doesn’t want to condemn her, Mina still chose to become like him. Like girl…didn’t you hear what he said? Anyway, that disappointment soon vanished when I watched its end…the ceiling painting really evoke emotions in me! This movie is definitely an addition to the gothic horror movies I will totally rewatch! So if you’re into gothic horror with cool visuals and a nice ending, then I suggest that you should try the 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Before I end this review, I'll share with you its trailer, so—
Have you watched this movie before? Or you still haven't encountered it yet? So yeah…if you have something to share, then feel free to comment below. And that's all for now, everyone! I hope you enjoyed reading my review.
The pictures that didn't have source were my screenshots from the movie.