Dracula (1979)

Chalk this one up as something that seemed like a good idea at the time. Frank Langella had just taken Broadway by storm in a revival of the play based on Bram Stoker's classic vampire novel. He was tall, elegant, and almost painfully romantic--all qualities that failed to translate to this garish, tarted-up film version. The story remains the same, if told in greater length than in Bela Lugosi's version. The film even offered Laurence Olivier as vampire-hunter Van Helsing (in one of several roles he played during the period that required a middle-European accent) and a young Kate Nelligan as the woman whose love (and blood) Dracula most wants. But director John Badham, working from W.D. Richter's clunky script, makes a hash of most of it, relying on special effects to do the heavy lifting. --Marshall Fine Amazon.com

FRANK LANGELLA AS DRACULA

OH MY GOODNESS.HE WAS THE BEST ONE EVER PLAYED,BESIDES BEING BEAUTIFUL AND CHARMING HE WAS SUCH A GREAT PERFORMER,ALTHOUGH THEY SHOULD HAVE MADE A SWITCH IN THE LADIES,LUCY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE GIRL HE KILLED, AND THE ONE WHO WAS LUCY SHOULDVE GOTTEN THE AX,BUT THE PERFORMANCES IN ALL WAS EXCEPTIONALLY GRAND. LANGELLA I WANTED TO MARRY U FROM THE TIME I SEEN THIS PERFORMANCE. SMACK!!!!! July 6, 2008

Simply the best Dracula.

This is simply the best Dracula film ever made. Atmospheric, lavish, romantic gothic and erotic. There are other Dracula films that have charms of their own, but this brings a new and unique presentation to the classical theatrical Dracula. If you want fangs and gore, get a Hammer Films version. June 16, 2008

Dracula a Classic!

This movie is an excellent vampire movie. A must own for vampire fans. It's similar to the movie done by Bela Lugosi. But different and more gross(cuz of the bug thing). Frank Langella at his best. June 12, 2008

A Love Story with a Bite

World-class actors in a famous story set against incredible backgrounds with a John Williams score makes this my favorite Dracula movie. Frank Langella's sensuous portrayal of the vampire is intelligent and fun to watch as he crosses foils with Laurence Olivier's Van Helsing in the classic battle for Kate Nelligan's soul as Lucy. Donald Pleasance balances out the action with his gift for understatement and wit. This is a must-see version. June 9, 2008

Gothic, Sexy, Langella a Delicious Delight

This 1979 version of Dracula takes us away from the supernatural and presents the infamous Count as an extremely sexy leading man.

We are introduced to Lucy Seward (Kate Nelligan) and Mina Van Helsing (Jan francis). Lucy is happily engaged to Johnathan (Trevor Eve) and successful in her own right, a lawyer in training who has already been offered a job by a firm.

Then along comes a shipwreck with (you guessed it) Drac and ONLY Drac on board, having feasted on the crew and captain. Mina finds him washed up and rescues him. Shortly thereafter, he has dinner with Mina, Johnathan, Lucy and Lucy's father, Dr. Seward (Donald Pleasance). He proceeds to charm all around him and puts his spell (for which he has no need of supernatural powers) on the ladies. When he dances with Lucy and Johnathan stands aside and gives his best "hands off my woman" look, you will understand his insecurity; of course he can't compete; no one possibly could.

Langella's Dracula is, simply put, indescribably sexy. His voice, face, costumes - OOOH LA LA. Not to mention giving a performance that won him an award on stage in the revival of the play version. He is positively mesmerizing.

Anyhoo, Dracula proceeds to put the love-bite on Mina - who was already frail - and then on Lucy. When he moves his lips toward her neck, then moves up and gives her a nip on the ear instead . . . OH, BABY!

But Mina's father, Abraham Van Helsing - none other than Sir Lawrence Oliver - has come to London due to his daughter's death, and is, of course, knowledgable about Dracula/vampire lore in general. Thus begins the campaign to fight Drac and save Lucy from becoming his eternal mate - whether she wants to be saved from him or not.

Well-made, well-acted by all, and I'll say it again; Mr. Langella, you were/are DELICIOUS!

Cheers. March 12, 2008

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