Dracula - The Dark Prince (2000)

A "True" Account of Vlad Dracula

"Dracula: The Dark Prince": the title of this made-for-TV film is slightly misleading as it may make you think that the film is about vampires. It is not. Certainly the film stars Rudolf Martin as "Vlad Dracula the Impaler" or Prince of Romania (or Wallachia to be precise), one of the models of Count Dracula, but the story itself is not related to Bram Stoker's book or the blood-sucking Count himself. The film claims it is fact-based (and it is though very loosely), inspired by the real history of Vlad Dracula, often referred to as Vlad Tepes (Impaler).

Raised by stern father, young Vlad and his brother Radu are later kidnapped and held hostage by the Turkish Sultan. After their father was murdered, only Vlad is allowed to go back to his country (reasons unexplained). Vengeful Vlad vows to free his country and brother Radu from the Turks and he enlists a financial help from Hungarian King Janos (Roger Daltrey). While staying at his court, he falls in love with King's daughter Lidia (Jane March) and marries her.

All these incidents loosely based on the historical facts are told as memories of Vlad Dracula interrogated by Father Stefan (Peter Weller) and other priests trying to indict him for his atrocities. The short film includes many events, but as it is clearly low-budget, you cannot expect grand-scale battle scenes. But the film keeps slick storytelling which is not boring with convincing locations (shot in Romania, why not?) and the complex personalities of Vlad Dracula. I only wish that the film took more time to explore the meanings of his extremely harsh punishments as the ruler of the politically unstable country.

"Dracula: The Dark Prince" is not a horror film; it is more like a historical mini-series. It may not be as accurate as it claims, but it surely has a good story in it. January 21, 2008

Watch What You Say ...

I'm writting this after reading the other reviews. You have to remember when watching this that it is a Movie not a Documentary. It's a great Dracula story based loosely on facts. If anyone is trying to convince you otherwise they're out of their mind. (And if anyone actually portrayed the true figure of Dracula it would not only be an ugly character, but also an ugly actor ...)

This is a great, slightly dramatic movie; with a great looking actor; and a lose ending. It's fun and a great movie if you like vampire movies, or historical fiction. August 30, 2007

This is not a historical drama!

It's a drama, and it does follow, VERY roughly, the events of Vlad's life. I realize you can't put a whole life into the time frame of a movie. But this is full of major inconsistencies. I would recommend this movie, WITH RESERVATIONS, to somebody who already knows the truth about Vlad's life from an imartial source and who also enjoys beautiful settings and passable to good acting. Most of it was pleasant to watch.

And WHY did they depict this man without a moustache? It's his most distinguishing feature. They should have had the moustache even if it meant giving up the high cheekbones.

I think the Immortal Life ending was a mistake, and the cover is misleading in the extreme. And it's not even a spoiler for me to say this, because the cover would otherwise lead one to believe it was a vampire flick. There is no hint of vampirism in the final scene. July 23, 2007

entertaining movie about Vlad Tepes

While not as "real" as the film would have you believe, "Dark Prince" is an entertaining movie about Vlad the Impaler. While his connection to Stoker's Dracula has been exagerrated over the years, Vlad Tepes is a controversial and fascinating figure, and it is about time somone made a film about him.
Don't expect vampires. The cover art and trailer are very misleading. However, this is still a solid little film. If you like medieval action films, or just want to get a vague idea as to what the historic Vlad was like, this film comes recommended. January 29, 2007

The Voevod returns...

This film attempts to portray Vlad Dracul in a more realistic manner, as far as specific events are concerned, such as:

1. Rounding up traitors with the pretext of a drunken celebration, and then when all are pretty well enebriated, lighting the entire edifice aflame, thus ridding himself of possible antagonists to his reign.

2. Dining at The Field of The Impaled, while dipping his bread in a goblet filled with blood and wine. Enemies turning back to their countries fearing the man who is capable of such a fearsome spectacle.

3. The oft-times neglected fact that he also impaled women and children at times, depending upon their offense, in this case, for being "adulterous". In this sense, he was influenced by Judeo-christian moralism.

4. Another truism related that one could veritable leave gold on the streets, and it would not be stolen, for fear of the punishment. Criminals were often seen impaled and immolated on the streets, which acted as a perfect deterrent. He actually displayed elements of Lex Talionis - as a result, crime was just about nil.

5. Driving spikes into the skulls of Muslims who refused to remove their turbans. They should "keep their traditions in their own country".

As far as the characterization is concerned, the mane-haired Vlad Tepesh {Rudolf Martin} is presented herein in a more or less romantic manner, sans moustache, and often wearing leather. 'Mina' as "Lidia" {Jane March} remains sheltered, and goes insane upon her realization of the actual events occurring in the kingdom, who then begins to superstitiously adorn herself with a rosary and calls Vlad a "monster" {"Voevod"}. Upon her suicide, he has all the mirrors in the castle covered, thus the mythological connection with the vampire "unable" to view his own reflection. She is survived by Vlad Jr., who displays great potential for leadership through his own ruthlessness.

He encounters his traitorous younger brother on the battle field, and graciously spares his life instead of dispatching him, which he should have done, as well as his step-father, both of whom eventually prove to be major obstacles, from framing him, which lands him in prison for awhile, to attempts at assassination. Upon regaining the throne, he strikes a deal with Catholic King Janos {Roger Daltrey}, proclaiming that it does not matter to him under what banner he fights, so long as his rule continues, and thus, his own interests prevail.

He seemingly resurrects on a couple of occasions, which lends to the legend of physical Vampiric immortality, whose "soul" is unable to enter heaven or Hell, and is "condemned" to roam the earth in a state of the 'undead'; to which he remains thankful to the murderous priest, who himself meets his end via a heart attack - veritably scared to death. Quite a pleasing concluding scene, instead of the typical stake in the heart.

Because of his indestructability and military genius, he is accused of being an antichrist by the Orthodox clergy, which seems to amuse him, when all he wanted to accomplish was the glorification of his country and the preservation of his kingdom, both at which he succeeds.

I rather enjoyed this presentaion, where Vlad The Impaler relishes in his role as tyrant to his enemies, and savior to his people, who still hail him as a national hero, and expect his symbolic return in some form.

Overall, Dracula: The Dark Prince is an aesthetically-impressive film, as Dracula / Vampiric presentations tend to be quite elegant from environment to accoutrement to deportment, and is probably the closest adaptation to actual events in the life of this remarkable historical figure, certainly an unforgettably mighty warrior. who remains an inspiration. January 25, 2007

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