Ahhhhh, wasn't the 70's was a massive time for Dracula? Hammer was on it's final journey, Franco was giving it a shot, Frank Langella (dreamy, dreamy Langella) was simultaneously playing the role on stage as well as on film, Herzog and Kinski were teaming up again for 'Nosferatu'... quite a boom. So it goes without saying that the ever trusty and classy BBC decided to launch a Masterpiece Theatre production of Bram Stoker's novel, daring to follow as closely to the book as it possibly can, and despite several discrepancies and some obvious dating, this one is pretty damn solid enough to certainly recommend to anybody who wants to see the tale done better.
While heavily staged in terms of acting and filming, the result is quite well done. Director Phillip Saville took great pains to follow Stoker's prose and tries to keep it all on the level. There is no overt eroticism in the style of Coppola, or maximum theatricality of Lugosi, instead, it is played as realistically as possible while retaining the spirit of not just the story, but of the essence of Dracula himself, this time interpreted by the slinky Louis Jourdan. The entire production saturates you with the prim and proper atmosphere of the Victorian era without going overboard. It's quietly gorgeous.
Backed up by the lavish yet at the same time restrained settings is an admirable cast of trained British actors- Judi Bowker as Mina Murray/Harker (Princess Andromeda from the original 'Clash of the Titans'), Frank Finlay as Professor Van Helsing (whose characterization is thematically the closest they get) while Mark Burns as Doctor Seward plays off Finlay admirably. However, honors must be bestowed upon Jack Shephard who plays Renfield- much like Klaus Kinski in Franco's 'Count Dracula' he gives the character a firm grounding in reality- Shephard's Renfield comes off as a sane man fighting for his peace of mind in an insane situation. Granted, there are moments of undisputed craziness, but you truly do feel for this man, and it's even worse because you know what his fate will be. And although every actor is dealt with some clunkers in terms of dialogue, Shephard really is a champion when it comes to delivering exposition about Dracula's hold over him and how he wants to escape but can't.
Other actors however don't fare quite so well- Bosco (Who calls their kid 'Bosco' by the way?) Hogan (Harker) almost immediately comes across as totally unsympathetic, put quite simply, he really is a boob. He seems to only catch on that he and his wife Mina are in serious trouble towards the end of the picture, and by then, the endgame is almost over. Susan Penhaligon isn't awful, but she really had no business playing a character like Lucy- she is far too restrained and she never lets herself go when she becomes Dracula's marionette. It's a shame because Lucy really is an important character because she is not only used as an example of Dracula's power over us mere mortals, but also as a statement of the social anxieties of the time- that being women were frightening when they were permitted access to their sexuality. Thing is, we women are still scary when we aren't driven by our hormones so the joke's on you, Papa Patricarchy! >:-D
Naturally this brings me to Jourdan's portrayal of the Count. When you think of Jourdan, you don't automatically associate him with Dracula, but here, although he may not look the part by pop culture standards, he really does have the spirit of Dracula. He is darkly magnetic, and even though he never raises his voice or a hand to anybody, there is something in his dark, dark eyes that makes you believe that this fellow isn't human. Looks wise, he may not be a traditionally handsome man by any stretch of the imagination, (I wouldn't say that) but God is he ever sexy. People (of the stupid variety, naturally) think Jourdan is sleep-walking through this role, and that is completely untrue. Sure, Lee was a total animal, and yes, Lugosi is the Classic Count, but Jourdan nails the enigma of Dracula, and let me ask you, when does an enigma call exclusive attention to himself by flourishing his cape or pulling a RapeFace or baring their fangs at every ample opportunity? Jourdan is a silent but precise predator who only strikes when he finds it prudent.
Right, so what stops me from saying this is the definitive Dracula? For one thing, it is not absolutely faithful- once again, characters are messed with and their relationships are re-arranged. Mina and Lucy are sisters this time, and Lucy no longer has three suitors, instead they are rolled into one, Quincy Morris (who unfortunately is played by a mediocre at best actor) although the character of Doctor Seward still remains and still has feelings for Lucy. Additionally, from an aesthetic point of view, there are some rather... colourful aspects. I know Saville was trying to keep things interesting, but he really did go a little overboard with colour filters and film negatives, even if they were meant to represent Dracula's presence in a scene. To be perfectly blunt, this really does show the date of the film, which in this case, isn't beneficial.
Another aspect that works against the overall product is some inappropriate use of music and sound effects. When something mysterious is afoot, you hear this chime like what you hear on a child's storybook tape that signals when you are supposed to turn the cassette over. That comes dangerously close to taking you out of the movie completely, something Saville unfortunately didn't quite catch on to. I can applaud the fact he was willing to be unique in his approach to an oft-filmed story , but there is only so much old school charm we new audiences can take before we ridicule a film. Unless of course you are a nostalgic sort, you may find it endearing, but personally, I felt it was completely unnecessary.
In saying that however, if you consider yourself above settling for such ultimately petty quarrels, by all means, check this one out. It may not be the complete package, but it stays utterly faithful to the spirit of the story. Owe it to yourself to see a Dracula done the way it was originally intended without all the flags and flights of fancy, something tells me even if you don't like it, it is more than worthy of your respect.
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