Bram Stoker’s Dracula (2006/WGBH/Granada)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C- Telefilm: C+
Maybe
Dracula is one of the most filmed characters of all time, but will he continue
to reign in the digital era? After
seeing a few hundred awful Horror Indies shot in digital and even in HD, the
new British Granada telefilm version of Bram
Stoker’s Dracula (2006) may be the first A-type production of the classic
book. British TV has a great Horror
past, but will that continue?
Well, in
the case of both, they may but with changes.
Shooting in HD makes a difference and not always for the better. Being a “quality TV” production that actually
landed up on Masterpiece Theater,
how far would they go? Needless to say
blood is minimal and it tries like so many other productions to stick to
Stoker’s book, but HD’s Video Red is still not fully realized, leading to
convenient censorship.
Mark
Warren is the famous monster, cast to be somewhat more appealing than
monstrous, but here to display some sexuality more akin to the non-repulsive
model with only touches of Nosferatu-model.
However, this version is trying so hard to be literate that it is never
scary. Stewart Harcourt’s script has
nice touches, like the occasional second language you rarely hear in other
adaptations, but Bill Eagles’ directing is too subtle and restrained for its
own good.
Yes, this
is radical for a PBS/British production and there are still moments of
violence, nudity and blood to send the avid viewer of kilter a bit. However, Horror fans will not be as impressed
and as a fan of the book and character, the mentality of this version is less
means more and might be the only version that thinks you have already read the
book.
Not that
you need to to understand this version, especially with so many others around,
but it has all those versions to compete with and unlike most of the books they
have made/featured as productions, this is the one everyone actually knows!
Sophia
Myles plays Lucy and fans of Dr. Who
will find this interesting just by her showing up in such a key role, while
David Suchet is a mixed Van Helsing.
Joining the mostly unknown but impeccable actors is David Glover as
Stephens, a longtime character actor in the genre who has been doping great
character turns on TV and in film since the 1960s. Unfortunately, the makers don’t do enough
with that and though this is very competent and professional, the lack of love
of the subject ultimately sinks this Dracula.
The
letterboxed 1.78 X 1 image is stylized and I liked the way the HD was shot
straight without color degradation (HD has enough troubles of its own), the
editing is not sloppy and there is hardly any of the tired, shaky
camerawork. That should have made this
more watchable, but it turns out to be too dull despite stability. Detail is limited and maybe this would look
better in HD and/or anamorphically enhanced, but that would not improve the
form.
The Dolby
Digital 2.0 Stereo has no major surrounds and is cleanly recorded. There are no major extras, but this will be a
curio title. I also did not buy the
ending, but fans should see this one for themselves just the same at least
once.
- Nicholas Sheffo
