Dracula's Curse

Starring:Patrick Bergin, Giancarlo Giannini, Hardy KrÃ¼ger Jr., Stefania Rocca, Muriel Baumeister, Kai Wiesinger, Alessio Boni, Conrad Hornby, Brett Forest, Alessia Merz, Piroska Kiss, IstvÃ¡n GÃ¶z, Barna IllyÃ©s, Csaba Pethes, BalÃ¡zs Tardy, Levente TÃ¶rkÃ¶ly, Ilona Kassai, Imola GÃ¡spÃ¡r, Andrew Divoff
Director: Roger Young
Studio: Lions Gate
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

With dizzying cinematic tricks and astonishing performances, Francis Coppola's 1992 version of the oft-filmed Dracula story is one of the most exuberant, extravagant films of the 1990s. Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder, as the Count and Mina Murray, are quite a pair of star-crossed lovers. She's betrothed to another man; he can't kick the habit of feeding off the living. Anthony Hopkins plays Van Helsing, the vampire slayer, with tongue firmly in cheek. Tom Waits is great fun as Renfield, the hapless slave of Dracula who craves the blood of insects and cats. Sadie Frost is a sexy Lucy Westenra. And poor Keanu Reeves, as Jonathan Harker, has the misfortune to be seduced by Dracula's three half-naked wives. There's a little bit of everything in this version of Dracula: gore, high-speed horseback chases, passion, and longing.

Customer Reviews:

Lush and decadent!.......2007-06-02

Purists might hate this version of Dracula for the liberties it takes but I loved it. Gary Oldman's performance as Dracula was simply amazing...he brings romance to the role, a dark knight who is depicted more as a victim of fate than a true evil creature, and his love for Mina [whom he feels is the reincarnation of his long-dead wife] is altogether real and credible. Anthony Hopkins brings a certain level of zealousness to the role of Van Helsing, but I can't say Iwas very impressed by Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder's performances. Firstly there was no chemistry between them though they were supposed to be engaged, and similarly Winona's Mina seemed like a cold fish to me, especially in her love scenes with the Count [the actress who played Lucy on the other hand was pretty scintillating].But despite some of the flawed performances, the movie on the whole was beautifully filmed. The cinematography was lush and evoked decadent images, especially the seduction scenes, in particular Keanu's seduction by the three wives of Dracula, and also Lucy's seduction and attack by Dracula. The costumes are sumptuous to look at. The use of the color red throughout the movie [Lucy's dress, the scene where Dracula stalks Mina] is vivid and reminds us of the lust for blood. The score is haunting and serves to keep viewers' at the edge of their seats as the story unfolds. Overall, this is one of the best contemporary adaptations of Dracula, and a classic.

95% Excellence; 5% Missed Opportunities.......2007-05-15

The most grandiose retelling of the legendary story, and one that casts one of the world's most famous tales of horror as a love story (although certainly a very dark love story), this 1992 version of Dracula features Gary Oldman turning in probably the greatest portrayal of the Count ever.

Everything in this huge, haunting tale centers around the love story between Dracula (tied in much closer here than in most depictions to his supposed real-life counterpart, Vlad The Impaler) and Mina, the reincarnation of his centuries-ago love, Elisabeta. Beginning with the origin of Dracula's vampirism following Elisabeta's death, the story then flashes forward to late-1800s Transylvania and Johnathan Harker's famous trip to the Count's ancient castle. Having dwelled in and terrorized Transylvania for centuries now, the Prince Of Darkness comes by chance upon Harker's locket, in which is a small picture of Mina, the exact image of Dracula's deceased wife. The passion reawakened in the lord of the vampires, he journeys to London and confirms that Mina and Elisabeta are one and the same. From there the vampire Dracula preys on inhabitants of the city even as the mortal and emotional side of the beast is reawakened by re-discovery of his true love.

On a technical scale, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" is brilliant, with masterful cinematography, an outstanding dark score by Wojciech Kilar, chilling shadow imagery and extraordinary special effects. The romantic angle is also a total success. Where the movie does run into some trouble is here: despite the intensified focus on Dracula and Mina, the Dracula tale is still very much an ensemble piece, and some of the other characters just aren't captured as well as I wished they had been in a movie that was otherwise so great. It's not the performances per se, it's just that things didn't come together for some of the other characters. Dr. Van Helsing (although very well played by the always impressive Anthony Hopkins) comes off cold, arrogant, and curiously unconcerned for the people he's supposedly trying to protect - a far cry from the compassionate, courageous and emminently likable versions of the doctor seen in movies like "Horror Of Dracula" (with Peter Cushing as Van Helsing). I think that they may have been thinking that in presenting some sympathetic aspects to the otherwise evil Dracula, they had to counterbalance it by 'darkening' Van Helsing a bit. I don't think it really worked. Add to this a somewhat wishy-washy Harker and a Mina who wasn't nearly as developed as her pivotal role would have seemed to dictate, and it detracts a bit from the whole. The 'lesser' players - Lucy, her three suitors, and the insane Renfield, were all better done in my opinion. Dracula himself is done to perfection. In spite of the occasional problems with some of the characters, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" keeps coming on strong all the way through - until, tragically, the last five minutes or so. With a kind of anti-climatic (though far from terrible) ending to what was a vibrant and dramatic movie, plus the difficulties with some of the characters, we're left with a great show but one that fell a bit short of the mark it could have hit.

Still highly recommended; the weaker parts wouldn't have been so noticeable if 95% of the movie wasn't so awesome. A very, very good version of the Dracula tale despite a few chinks in the armor.

extremely good movie with a few minor flaws.......2007-05-15

A good film that for me sums up alot of what was good about early 1990s cinema. Oldman as dracula, Hopkins as van hellsing, Richard E Grant as Dr Seward, Carey Elwes as Arthur Holmwood and country legend Tom Waits as renfield make this film an extremely well acted peice. It is an alternative take on the book, much like the last temptation of christ was a different take on the life of christ. The bones of the story are there but some characters are more realistic and different. Van helsing is a pompus , lecherous alchoholic with a good heart, Seward is addicted to morphine and dracula was actually a victim of life but nevertheless a creature of darkness.
This movies best feature was that it showed vampires in an extremely unique and interesting way, they are not just normal guys with fangs and charisma like in the christopher lee draculas, but are powerfull creatures of the night, capable of flight, shape changing, mind manipulation and telekinesis. all together a fantastic romp.

Fact, Fiction and My Inspiration!.......2007-05-11

1462, Transylvania, Vlad the Impaler leaves his wife to fight the Turks. Out of malice, The Turks send her a letter telling her that her husband is dead. She is so distraught over his death and terrified at being captured that she throws herself from the castle turrets. When Vlad returns, he is told that his wife may not enter the Kingdom of Heaven as she has killed herself, which is a mortal sin. Vlad immediately renounces God and then he himself is condemned.

400 years later, Jonathon Harker leaves London and his fiancée Mina to travel to Transylvania. He has been assigned to help Count Dracula acquire property in England. Jonathon may never return...

This film, despite its flaws, will always hold a place in my heart as it inspired me to write my novel, Vrolok. I have always loved horror movies so when I heard that Francis Ford Coppola was making a new Dracula film, I could not wait to see it. I remember eagerly anticipating the announcement of who was to play Dracula, and when I found out that it was Gary Oldman, I was not happy! The only thing I had seen him in was JFK, and I was not very impressed (I was too young to have appreciated Sid and Nancy). However, I still decided it was worth going to the cinema to see the movie as Keanu Reeves, Cary Elwes and Bill Campbell were also in it. From the moment Gary Oldman appears on screen, he captivates his audience. His performance is camp, overdone, and at times preposterous, yet it is still somehow seductive, mesmerizing, and sublime. (Bram Stoker would have been proud!). He even utters the line "The children of the night. What sweet music they make" with a thick Romanian accent and gets away with it. I saw this film when I was fifteen and was immediately converted into a life long Gary Oldman fan.

As previously stated, and despite Oldman's performance, the film does have its flaws. Keanu Reeves is about as wooden as a stake and the rest of the cast seem to, just like Gary Oldman, overdo the accents and this is a strategy that doesn't quite work for the rest of the cast. In addition, Sadie Frost and Wynona Ryder running around in the rain in see-through outfits is clichéd and slightly annoying (I am sure most boys who see this film love that bit). Apart from Oldman's performance, there is one other thing that has to be commended - the soundtrack - both Wojciech Kilar's score and Annie Lennox's theme are dark, chilling, and poignant.

All in all a great movie - it inspired me to write a book that may or may not make me a million but will always be something that I am proud to have completed.

Come on you bunch of Siskels!.......2007-04-11

Ok you bunch of no taste bums! lol! First, the only word I could have ever associated with Dracula before I watched this movie was TACKY. The big capes, the really bad accents and the bats on a string, were all so overtly horrid, I could never bear to watch those movies. This movie was a dark love story with superb special effects and a truly superior performance by Gary Oldman as Dracula. I swear, I think that man can be anyone! I grant you, Keanu did have a poor grasp of the Brittish accent and Winona struggled a bit in the passion area, but their performances were above adequate and Winona was a perfect straight man to Oldman's lavish Dracula performance. Anyone who could insinuate that Anthony hopkins was even capable of a bad performance, should be strung up in the town square and tickled mercilessly until unconscious! lol!!

All the world is a critic and for my money, as long as I enjoyed a movie, the whys and wherefores aren't really that important. Maybe this kind of movie is not your cup of tea. If not, don't ruin it for the rest of us by your crude and mellow dramatic reviews. Take my advice, buy this movie! If you want to see the real love story behind the Dracula myth, without all the "bluck bluck, I come to bite your neck" stuff, then this movie is for you. If you want "Blade" in the 1800's, this is probably not for you.

Hammer Horror Series (Brides of Dracula / Curse of the Werewolf / Phantom of the Opera (1962) / Paranoiac / Kiss of the Vampire / Nightmare / Night Creatures / Evil of Frankenstein)

Average customer rating:

Very Interesting
Should have read the other reviews before purchasing.....
Night Creatures
hammerseries
Defective Discs

Hammer Horror Series (Brides of Dracula / Curse of the Werewolf / Phantom of the Opera (1962) / Paranoiac / Kiss of the Vampire / Nightmare / Night Creatures / Evil of Frankenstein)
Starring: Hammer Horror Series
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

The Bela Lugosi Collection (Murders in the Rue Morgue / The Black Cat / The Raven / The Invisible Ray / Black Friday)
The Val Lewton Horror Collection (Cat People / The Curse of the Cat People / I Walked with a Zombie / The Body Snatcher / Isle of the Dead / Bedlam / The Leopard Man / The Ghost Ship / The Seventh Victim / Shadows in the Dark)
Hammer Horror Collection (The Curse of Frankenstein / Dracula Has Risen from the Grave / Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed / Horror of Dracula / The Mummy / Taste the Blood of Dracula)
Dracula A.D. 1972
The Innocents

ASIN: B0009X770O
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Description

Hammer Films, one of the most celebrated horror studios in the history of cinema, presents 8 classic horror films in one collection. From Dracula to Frankenstein, werewolves to phantoms, the Hammer Horror Series showcases some of the most terrifying monsters in the history of cinema and features legendary performances by Peter Cushing, Oliver Reed and Janette Scott.

Customer Reviews:

Very Interesting.......2007-07-03

This collection contains eight movies that propose a different kind of suspense and horror. The most of them are filmed in color, but there are two (Paranoia and Nightmare) that were done in black and white. Although the temes are classic of the horror movies( vampires, werewolfs, etc), the style of the cinematography is different.

If you like the good horror films, this is an excellent choice.

Should have read the other reviews before purchasing............2007-06-06

I was so excited when my Hammer Horror Series DVDs came in the mail yesterday. But when I started watching it last night, during Curse of the Werewolf, it completely froze up. I should have read the other reviews of this before purchasing. I didn't even bother to watch any of the other films because I finally read all the negative reviews and am just going to send it back. I truly hope Universal has changed from DVD-18 to DVD-9, because I was really anticipating watching these!

I hope the problem has been fixed by this time.

Night Creatures.......2007-05-13

Remembered from my youth, really enjoyed catching up with it again. I could not get my player to play without the subtitles but it didn't spoil it.

hammerseries.......2007-04-11

save your cash.this is a letdown collection.don't misunderstand:that's not to say that hammer studios failed to live up to their usual great standards concerning the horror movie genre;it's the powers-that- be that determine which movies go into a particular collection.no studio makes great movies with every attempt;hammer's no exception to this rule.there's really only one good movie in this collection(evil of frankenstein):brides of dracula is also passable.everything else...junk.

Defective Discs.......2007-03-25

While I enjoyed the movies in this set that I was able to access, I had to return it because neither Evil of Frankenstein nor Curse of the Werewolf would play properly. I should have been advised by the warnings of other customers who had similar problems. Live and learn.

Hammer Horror Collection (The Curse of Frankenstein / Dracula Has Risen from the Grave / Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed / Horror of Dracula / The Mummy / Taste the Blood of Dracula)

Average customer rating:

Hammer Productions- 6 Legendary Classics of Gothic Horror!
oldie but goodie
Killer Hammer Collection
When horror films had stories.
the rebirth of gothic horror at the movies

Hammer Horror Collection (The Curse of Frankenstein / Dracula Has Risen from the Grave / Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed / Horror of Dracula / The Mummy / Taste the Blood of Dracula)
Starring: Peter Cushing , Hazel Court , Robert Urquhart , Christopher Lee , and Melvyn Hayes
Director: Terence Fisher , and Freddie Francis
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Horror | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Classics | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Hammer Horror Series (Brides of Dracula / Curse of the Werewolf / Phantom of the Opera (1962) / Paranoiac / Kiss of the Vampire / Nightmare / Night Creatures / Evil of Frankenstein)
Dracula A.D. 1972
Hammer House of Horror - Complete Set
The Revenge of Frankenstein
The Bela Lugosi Collection (Murders in the Rue Morgue / The Black Cat / The Raven / The Invisible Ray / Black Friday)

ASIN: B0001FVEAY
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Description

A collection of horror classics from Hammer Studios. Six films that feature horror stars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing-- Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, Frankenstein Must be Destroyed, Horror of Dracula, The Mummy, Taste the Blood of Dracula.

Customer Reviews:

Hammer Productions- 6 Legendary Classics of Gothic Horror!.......2007-04-26

The legendary British film studio, Hammer Productions began its climb to the top of the horror film genre with its Technicolor release of "The Curse of Frankenstein." Teaming Peter Cushing with Christopher Lee for the first time- the result is pure movie magic and the beginning of what was to become a beautiful friendship. As well as a great time for movie going gothic horror fans as Hammer began churning out one classic after another. This set of Hammer horror includes:

"The Curse of Frankenstein" (1957)
Baron Victor Von Frankenstein, (Peter Cushing) is in prison for murder and trying to evade the guillotine. While there he tells a priest how he and his mentor, Paul Krempe, (Robert Urquhart) had performed many scientific experiments, eventually leading to the resurrection of a dead body. Due to an accident, that damages the brain intended for Frankenstein's creation, the experiment goes horribly wrong. Instead of the intelligent being Frankenstein set out to create- a hideous monster (Christopher Lee) rises from the laboratory table! The baron's obsession and the monster's homicidal nature cause the deaths of several of those around them. Finally the Baron is confronted by an enraged monster about to throw Victor's fiancée Elizabeth, (Hazel Court) from the castle parapet. The DVD release has a clean transfer and the audio is vibrant. Great use of color and the studio sets and costuming are used to full advantage to set the gothic atmosphere to perfection. The beginning of Hammer's rise to the top of the Horror genre and the first of many classics to come!

"Dracula Has Risen From The Grave" (1968)
When his castle is exorcised, Dracula (Christopher Lee) plots his revenge against the Monsignor (Rupert Davies) who performed the rites by attempting to make the Holy man's young niece, Maria (Veronica Carlson) his bride. Great story and very enjoyable performances by the entire cast make this entry in Hammer's `Dracula" series a real treat!

"Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed!" (1969)
Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is once again working with illegal medical experiments. Together with a young doctor, Karl Holst (Simon Ward) and his fiancée Anna Spengler (Veronica Carlson) they kidnap the mentally sick Dr. Brandt, (George Pravda) to perform the first brain transplant ever!

"Horror of Dracula" (1958)
After Jonathan Harker (John Van Eussen) attacks Dracula (Christopher Lee) at his castle, the vampire travels to a nearby city, where he preys on the family of Harker's fiancée. The only one who may be able to protect them is Dr. Van Helsing, (Peter Cushing) Harker's friend and fellow-student of vampires, who is determined to destroy Dracula, whatever the cost! The first in Hammer's "Dracula" series and possibly "the best" gothic vampire movie ever made! Lush visuals, great atmospheric music and studio sets, along with outstanding cast performances make this Hammer's crowning jewel of gothic horror!

"The Mummy" (1959)
Three British archeologists (including Peter Cushing) discover the grave of an important Egyptian female priestess (Yvonne Furneaux) who has died about four millennia ago. But when they open it a bad curse falls on them for having woken up the mighty "Guard of the Grave" (Christopher Lee) who was buried with the priestess. Hammer once again proved its ability to bring a classic horror story to vibrant life! "The Mummy" is perfectly wonderful in it's story telling, costuming, studio sets, and the cast performances are superb!

"Taste the Blood of Dracula" (1970)
Three elderly distinguished gentlemen are searching for some excitement in their boring lives and get in contact with one of count Dracula's servants (Ralph Bates). During a nightly ceremony they restore The Count (Christopher Lee) back to life. The three men kill Dracula's servant, and for revenge the Count makes sure that the gentlemen are killed one by one by their own sons. An original ideal for Hammer's `Dracula" series makes this one quite enjoyable. Ralph Bates really puts in a fine performance as Dracula's devoted servant- he's so believable!

"THE HAMMER HORROR COLLECTION" is a great box containing some of the Production Studios finest. If only a volume 2 or even a volume 3 would have followed! Hammer Studios truly set the bench mark for the gothic horror genre, and as of yet, no other studio has come close to meeting Hammer's success!

oldie but goodie.......2007-01-10

I have wished for this series for a long time. I got it at a reasonable price in a very short time.

Killer Hammer Collection.......2006-12-13

You cannot go wrong with Hammer Horror of any type, however, this collection beats all the other Hammer collection thats out there today. If you want great horror, then this collection is the best to start off with any true Hammer fan. Cushing and Lees best work to date. Highly Recommended!!

When horror films had stories........2006-05-14

In the last 25 years, we've been bombarded with horror films designed to shock rather than scare. We have Jason, a mindless murderer back from the grave, Freddie, a murderer who haunts our dreams, and Chucky, a little doll who likes to kill people. I'm not saying these newer films are bad. They're just not as good as the older ones.

Case in point, the horror films released by England's Hammer studios from the late 50s into the 70s. All of these films have villains, murderers and shock. But they also have interesting stories. They're not mindless.

This gem of a collection is a great starting point for somebody interested in owning Hammer horror films. There are other Hammer films out there besides these, but these are some of the best.

The Curse of Frankenstein. This is where it all started. Peter Cushing is excellent in his sinister portrayal as Victor Frankenstein, and Christopher Lee is an admirable monster.

The Horror of Dracula. Peter Cushing is back, and is great this time around as Van Helsing. Christopher Lee plays the infamous count for the first time.

The Mummy. This is the best remake of the Boris Karloff original. Lee stars again, this time as Kharis, a resurrected mummy out for revenge against those who desecrated his beloved Ananka's ancient tomb. Peter Cushing is one of the people he wants to get even with.

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed. Perhaps Cushing's most sinister stint as Dr. Frankenstein, this time stopping at nothing to make history in the science of brain transplants.

Dracula Has Risen From the Grave. Lee's third stint as the evil count, this time using a priest to exercise his agenda of death and destruction.

Taste the Blood of Dracula. Lee's fourth go-around as the blood-sucking monster, this time seeking revenge against the three men who murdered his disciple.

All of these films are beautifully presented in anamorphic widescreen. The colors, particularly the red, stand out.

the rebirth of gothic horror at the movies.......2006-04-22

this fantastic collection of the best hammer horror movies is just what the true horror movie fan has been waiting for. from frankenstein,dracula,and the mummy you get them all. while the hammer frankenstein movies are fun and i love them,i think the dracula films are the best the studio ever did. the dracula's always had the greatest deaths for the count and the one's in this set are the best. the one shot cushing&lee mummy is also one of the best mummy movies ever(right behind karloff's mummy)and a true treat. the transfers are great and the colors,so important to the hammer movies are like new. set back and let some of the masters of horror show you how it should be done.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (Superbit Collection)

Average customer rating:

Lush and decadent!
95% Excellence; 5% Missed Opportunities
extremely good movie with a few minor flaws
Fact, Fiction and My Inspiration!
Come on you bunch of Siskels!

Bram Stoker's Dracula (Superbit Collection)
Starring: Gary Oldman , Winona Ryder , Anthony Hopkins , Keanu Reeves , and Richard E. Grant
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Superbit Collection | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Interview with the Vampire
Queen of the Damned (Widescreen Edition)
Devil's Advocate
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
The Lost Boys

ASIN: B00005R23X
Release Date: 2001-12-11

Amazon.com essential video

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format.

Customer Reviews:

Lush and decadent!.......2007-06-02

95% Excellence; 5% Missed Opportunities.......2007-05-15

extremely good movie with a few minor flaws.......2007-05-15

Fact, Fiction and My Inspiration!.......2007-05-11

Come on you bunch of Siskels!.......2007-04-11

Average customer rating:

Not what I had expected....
worst acting ever.
good movie
Dracula's curse
An edited version of an Italian min-series that updates Dracula to the Budapest of today

Dracula's Curse
Starring: Patrick Bergin , Giancarlo Giannini , Hardy Krüger Jr. , Stefania Rocca , and Muriel Baumeister
Director: Roger Young
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Dracula 3 - Legacy
Dracula II: Ascension
Bram Stoker's Dracula: The Love Story To Die For
Dracula 3000
Vampires - Out for Blood (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00000F7NF
Release Date: 2004-02-17

Customer Reviews:

Not what I had expected...........2007-04-29

Rented this for a Saturday nite chiller thriller. I realize this was a tv
movie from Europe with a limited budget but putting a modern spin on
this classic tale didn't have much bite. I couldn't get past the way
these actors came across, felt like they were reading their scripts to
each other. There really wasn't much in the scare dept. a few good sets
here and there doesn't make a good film and this one fell short in every
way. Three stars is more than it deserves.

worst acting ever........2006-09-05

i'm only 15 minutes into this film and i'm finding it hard to keep watching.

this is quite possibly the worst acting/directing i've ever seen in a movie.

good movie.......2006-07-27

It was a rather faithfull version to the book, althought the action takes place not in england but in budapest

Dracula's curse.......2005-11-18

What can I say about this film? The characters simply do not have any personality. And to be honest, I just don't like any movie that only has an absolute evil, an absolute good and nothing in bwteen. It is a good movie if you just want to know the plot, but then why not just watch the 1992 version of Dracula. The only reason I give it 2 star is because the story is pretty close to the original novel.

An edited version of an Italian min-series that updates Dracula to the Budapest of today.......2005-10-30

"Dracula's Curse" is a 102-minute truncated version of the 163-minute Itallian television mini-series "Il Bacio di Dracula" ("The Kiss of Dracula"), which retells Bram Stoker's gothic horror story in the modern day setting of Budapest. This time Jonathan Harker (Hardy Krüger Jr.) is an investment banker working in Eastern Europe who has become engaged to Mina Murray (Stefania Rocca), and is celebrating with his friends, English diplomatic official Arthur Holmwood (Conrad Hornby), businessman Quincy Morris (Alessio Boni), and the funny loving Lucy Westerner (Muriel Baumeister). After the ball and a quick spin in his new sports car, Harker has a late night meeting the Vladislav Tepes (Patrick Bergin), who wants Harker to work for his "uncle." Meanwhile, at the local insane asylum, Dr. Seward (Kai Wiesinger) is dealing with one of his patients, Roenfield (Brett Forest).

Of course those well-versed in the lore of vampires in general and Dracula in particular will recognize the variation of Vlad Tepes as being the name of the "real" Dracula of history, the Wallachian prince known as the Impaler. What threw me at first was the whole bit about Dracula's uncle, because the whole idea that Dracula becomes younger as he gets new blood that we have seen in the past (e.g., "Bram Stoker's Dracula"), is abandoned this time. Not only does Bergin play both Tepes, we go back and forth from the younger to the older throughout. This becomes problematic because the older Vladislav is the more imposing and interesting figure of the two, especially since the younger one smacks too much of James Bond at time. At least the older one has something of a Romanian accent (most of the time, anyhow).

The basic narrative of Stoker's novel is intact, with the other glaring difference besides bringing the story a century into the future being that Abraham Van Helsing is now replaced by Dr. Enrico Valenzi (Giancarlo Giannini). He proves to be the one character that works well in the 21st century, mainly because the teleplay by Eric Lener and director Roger Young allows him to discuss the existence of vampires from a 21st century perspective. However, the resent of the vampire hunters are just young plastic types who would rather be partying, driving fast cars, or running around half-dressed in the middle of the night. There are times when I was reminded of "Dark Shadows," but this soap opera is not as compelling. The authority that Valenzi holds over the group ends up being by default, because he is smarter than all of them put together. Well, the guys, for sure, since Mina has some moments.

Granted, we are watching a mini-series that has had an hour chopped off of it, and I have seen what that has done to even great mini-series like "Shogun" when that sort of butchery happens. So it could well be that "Il Bacio di Dracula" in its entirety is superior to "Dracula's Curse." Then again, it could be that what was cut was more of the soap opera elements that disengage our interest. Ultimately, the paradox of "Dracula's Curse" is that while it indeed convinces us that a modern retelling of the original Dracula story can work, this movie version of the mini-series does not carry it off. For every scene that makes you sit up because things are getting interesting and well-played, there are two scenes where things are going backwards (often involving characters floating and/or Bergin opening and closing his cape). The end result is that while this version is of some intellectual interest, "Dracula's Curse" lacks enough of a pulse for it to be anything more than a curiosity to fans of vampire flicks.

The Curse of Frankenstein / Taste the Blood of Dracula

Average customer rating:

What Was the Point
HAMMER HEADS
a good hammer house double feature
Great Bargin But Why ?

The Curse of Frankenstein / Taste the Blood of Dracula
Starring: Christopher Lee , Geoffrey Keen , Gwen Watford , Linda Hayden , and Peter Sallis
Director: Peter Sasdy , and Terence Fisher
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Horror of Dracula
The Mummy
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
Hammer Horror Series (Brides of Dracula / Curse of the Werewolf / Phantom of the Opera (1962) / Paranoiac / Kiss of the Vampire / Nightmare / Night Creatures / Evil of Frankenstein)
Scars of Dracula

ASIN: B0009UZG5A
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Description

You can't keep a good monster down - a point proven in The Curse of Frankenstein, the film via which Hammer Studios revived Gothic horror in an era dominated by sci-fi scarefests. In the first of many fright-film collaborations, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing star in a tale about the family whose grasp of life's secret has monstrous consequences. Next, Lee dons the cape of the notorious evil one in Taste the Blood of Dracula. Society bigwigs cheat on their wives during a night out, but there's no cheating death when they try too late to back out of ceremony that revives the Count. Sink your teeth into this one, horror fans!

Customer Reviews:

What Was the Point .......2006-01-08

"The Curse of Frankenstein" is The Best of Hammer's Frankenstein Series But Why Pair this with "Taste the Blood of Dracula" one of the worst in Hammer's Dracula Series now I would Have Got This If instead of "Taste" maybe "Horror of Dracula" Where's The fun in this

HAMMER HEADS.......2005-09-07

CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN has the distinction of being the first Hammer production to achieve notoriety and popularity. The initial entry in the several sumptiously produced, overly melodramatic entries, this horror flick finds Peter Cushing as the dedicated if somewhat demented scientist who wants to create his own being. The luscious Hazel Court (Masque of the Red Death) plays Elizabeth, Frankenstein's naive fiancee and veteran character actor Robert Urquhart is the stalwart friend Paul. Future Dracula himself Christopher Lee steps in as the monster, but he's vastly underused and not all that frightening. We've become so immune to true horror during the last fifty years that a film like CURSE OF FRANKESTEIN seems hopelessly dull. But it's the production values and the sincerity of the actors that have made these Hammer movies such classics.
The second film, TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA, made in 1970 is reputedly one of Lee's least favorite Dracula films. Playing out like a kind of drawing room mystery, it's tale of revenge overshadows the terror of its vampire roots and leaves Lee with little to do but appear menacing from time to time. Still, with its vibrant colors and sincere cast, TASTE is far better than many of the 2000 vampire sagas. Overall, if you are a fan of those unique Hammer films of the 50s through the 70s, you'll want this in your collection. The transfer is quite good.

a good hammer house double feature.......2005-09-01

This is a good package of the curse of frankenstein and taste the blood of dracula they are both widescreen the way i like them too bad it didn't include extras the one i got is a 2 sided disc wish they would just make them like all the dracula's in order on double discs and all the frankensteins in order and all widescreen with extras would be nice if they remixed them with dolby surround good movies for haloween or a hammer collector.price was reasonable too.

Great Bargin But Why ?.......2005-06-30

This will be a strange deal I mean "Curse of Frankenstein" was Good But why "Taste the Blood of Dracula" this would have been Great If they had put instead of "taste" maybe "Horror of Dracula" or "The Mummy" I am going to get this only because the case which Holds my Copy of "Curse of Frankenstein" is banged up on the inside,the holder for the disk was broken when I first Got it Back in 2003 Great Deal but Could have Been Better

Average customer rating:

ENJOYABLE EURO-CAMP TRASH GEM....
Titillating Italian vampire tale looks great on DVD
Oddly effective

Playgirls & The Vampire
Starring: Walter Brandi , Lila Rocco , Alfredo Rizzo , Maria Giovannini , and Tilde Damiani
Director: Piero Regnoli
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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El Vampiro (The Vampire) & El Ataud del Vampiro (The Vampire's Coffin) - 2 Disc Special Edition
Bloody Pit of Horror
The Woman Eater
Jess Franco's Count Dracula (Special Edition)
Blood of the Vampire/The Hellfire Club

ASIN: B00000JMPH
Release Date: 1999-08-24

Description

Made in 1960, Piero Regnoli's "The Playgirls and the Vampire" is one of the earliest Italian horror films. After skipping out on an unpaid hotel bill, a busload of curvaceous showgirls is forced off the road by a thunderstorm. They prevail on the hospitality of a nearby castle, where the reclusive Count Kernassy nearly orders them away--until he sees Vera, a leggy dancer who's a dead ringer for his beautiful ancestor Margherita! Unfortunately, Vera is also attractive to the Count's 200 year old, bloodthirsty ancestor--who's a dead ringer for his descendant!

Customer Reviews:

ENJOYABLE EURO-CAMP TRASH GEM...........2002-09-12

Hilariously awful movie about a busload of showgirls and their disreputable manager who break down outside a spooky castle after running out on their hotel bill. Little do they know the hospitable count who owns the castle is a vampire. The girls wander around in various states of undress and practice their tacky "dance routines" while the count eyeballs them and his spinsterish housekeeper mutters snide remarks. One girl falls prey to the vampire and comes back in the nude! Wearing nothing but fangs, she attempts to vampirize the manager. The heroine becomes the object of the vampire's lust because she resembles his long lost lover. Of course it all wraps up neat and tidy. There's no gore but lots of cheap lingerie and atmosphere. This is a wonderful example of sixties EuroTrash at it's most silliest. I love this movie on terms that are hard to explain to the uninitiated. It's released by Image and the print is good and the soundtrack adequately clear so you can relish the cheesy dialogue and psuedo-atmospheric sets. No budget, bad acting, bad dubbing and the script sounds like it was made up as they went along. Servicable b&w photography works well, the ENERGY is there and the earnestness to put over a Gothic horror movie in a spooky castle despite the frequent lapses into tasteless cheesecake is what endears this one to me. The people who can appreciate this flick on it's own terms, like me, know who they are and I hope they enjoy it as much as I do. It's a lot of fun and a true Euro-shlock classic.

Titillating Italian vampire tale looks great on DVD.......2002-02-17

Having been fairly unimpressed by the censored, interrupted-by-a-dozen-commercial-breaks version of this (Curse of the Vampire) on USA channel years ago, I was curious to see how the original would hold up. Perhaps I've simply matured, but uncut and uninterrupted on disc, Playgirls is much more entertaining than I remembered. The plot is standard issue: a bus carrying a troupe of showgirls breaks down, stranding them at the castle of one Count Kernassy (Walter Brandi [Slaughter of the Vampires, Vampire and the Ballerina]) who reluctantly allows them to stay the night, whereupon they move in and sponge off of him seemingly indefinitely. The movie provides some occasional unintentional amusement, but it's certainly no Bad Film atrocity; it's competently produced and fairly absorbing, if you're not too demanding of the logic of the script. There are a number of "wandering the castle corridors at night" scenes (requisite in Italian horror films), a few effective shocks, some icky-cheesy gore effects when a vampiress gets staked, the bloodsuckers all sport highly visible pearly fangs (de rigeur for movie vampires after Horror of Dracula), and convincingly creepy gothic atmosphere is generated throughout. Fashionistas will no doubt marvel at the eccentric '60s wardrobe (Lila Rocco sports a very mod checked coat and the Count favors pinstripe and plaid suits over flowing capes). As expected, the dubbed vocal performances all have that annoying stuttering cadence that Euroshock and kaiju eiga fans know and love. The 'Adults Only' sequences that we've waited years to see amount to a few scenes with barely-discernable nipples glimpsed through very sheer nighties, one quick topless shot, and a mildly sexy striptease, to her undies, by one of the 'playgirls.' Somehow she manages to remove about a half dozen undergarments without actually getting naked! It's hard to believe Richard Gordon made any money at all with this on the grindhouse circuit; its definitely not for the trenchcoat-and-kleenex crowd. Although not as horrific or sexy as one might wish, Playgirls and the Vampire still provides plenty of camp entertainment value, and is essential viewing for students of early-60s Italian horror films such as I Vampiri, Black Sunday, Castle of Terror, Atom Age Vampire, etc.
Image's DVD is unspectacular but quite presentable. Thirteen chapter stops are listed on the main menu screen, and a pretty decent-looking trailer, with no dialog or narration and marred only slightly by some light speckling and vertical scratching, is included. The source print used for the feature actually looks surprisingly good, with generally excellent brightness, contrast, grayscale, shadow/highlight detail, and sharpness. There is some light speckling throughout, but no other notable physical damage. The Dolby 2.0 mono audio does reveal deficiencies in the source soundtrack, particularly a relatively soft but nearly constant hiss, and some sporadic crackling and popping, but the music, sound fx, and dialogue tracks are reasonably clear. All in all a very nice addition to the film library of any aficionado of Italian horror.

Oddly effective.......2000-12-02

PLAYGIRLS AND THE VAMPIRE is actually quite an eerie and atmospheric horror film, if you can get past the out-of-place striptease scenes and the talentless dance scene. Though the story is pretty run of the mill (sexy showgirls trapped in a castle of evil), the cinematograhper and director actually create some fairly tense moments. Throw in the overly-used element of the "scientist looking to cure an age-old evil" and you have a fun night at the movies! The DVD is wonderfully compiled and chaptered, including the trailer at the end of the film. The picture quality is quite clear and articfacts minimal. The soundtrack, however, is terribly dated with lots of cracks and pops. This is ideal for any lover of Italian horror.

Average customer rating:

Wow! What a cool movie!
I...I...I actually liked it!

Bram Stoker's Dracula's Curse
Starring: Rhett Giles , Tom Downey , Christina Rosenberg , and Eliza Swenson
Director: Leigh Scott
Manufacturer: The Asylum Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Asylum Night
Bloodrayne (Unrated Director's Cut)(DVD ROM game is included)
The Last Sect
Vampiros
Dracula 3 - Legacy

ASIN: B000EQ5V1I
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Customer Reviews:

Wow! What a cool movie!.......2006-06-20

I wasn't expecting much out of this low budget vampire flick, but half way through I forgot that I wasn't watching a big studio movie. Cool characters that were well acted, fight scenes where you can actually see what is happening, and great looking monster effects combine to make a film definitely worth watching. This movie has more plot and character development than the last ten Hollywood blockbusters I've seen combined. Definitely worth a look.

I...I...I actually liked it!.......2006-05-16

I love monster hunters. I should say that right off the bat. Stories concerning those brave mortal souls who venture out to kick the livin' crap out of all things dark just give me a thrill. When I first heard about Dracula's Curse I was hesitant. It boasted to be a film about monster hunters, yet, it is decidedly B and, for the most part, I NEVER rent straight-to-vid/produced on a shoestring budget movies. I just don't. They usually turn into a T&A fest and it's just boring and stupid.

Not so with Dracula's Curse. I'm not going to lie to you. It's shot on video, some of the acting is cheesy, a few of the makeup effects look like Wal-Mart Halloween masks, and the action scenes are anything but believable. However, with all that said, I really enjoyed this movie. It had heart, it had great central characters who were deep, interesting, and watchable. Like any good vampire hunter movie, this one has a descendent of Van Helsing, but he's so much more different than any Van Helsing I've ever seen that I was surprised, moved, and begging for more. There is a lot in this movie and, for the most part, all the character arcs and storylines fit together into a seamless whole. This is an intelligent spin on the vampire/ hunter relationship and I, for one, am dying for a sequel.

Average customer rating:

Bram Stoker's Dracula's Curse
Starring: Rhett Giles , Tom Downey , Christina Rosenberg , and Eliza Swenson
Director: Leigh Scott
Manufacturer: Edi Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Thirst

ASIN: B000MV8A9K
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Hammer Horror Collection (Curse of Frankenstein / Horror of Dracula / The Mummy [1959])

Average customer rating:

Masterful Gothic Trilogy From Hammer
Classic Hammer Horror with Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy
Essential introduction to Hammer horror
Hammer Horror Classics
Three of the Best

Hammer Horror Collection (Curse of Frankenstein / Horror of Dracula / The Mummy [1959])
Starring: Peter Cushing , Christopher Lee , Michael Gough , Melissa Stribling , and Carol Marsh
Director: Terence Fisher
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006JMSN
Release Date: 2002-10-01

Customer Reviews:

Masterful Gothic Trilogy From Hammer.......2007-05-07

This collection released by Warner Brothers brings together the three films that established Hammer as the leading purveyors of gothic horror. It is perhaps difficult to appreciate now, but the major innovation that Hammer brought to these tired gothic tales was filming them in colour. In just the same way that Universal used the innovative German expressionist techniques of lighting and set design, Hammer chose the opposite route and celebrated the excesses and transgressions of the gothic strain. They brought to the horror genre a physical and sensual style of filmmaking which covered up the very regressive attitudes to gender and class that bubbled beneath the surface.

This collection works very well because of the continuity of personnel that became a trademark of Hammer. These three films are connected by cast, director, art designer, composer, producer and cinematographer - which gives these three films the feel of a trilogy. Of the three films "Dracula" stands up to modern scrutiny the best, its energy and dynamism remain undiminished. But to fully appreciate the aesthetic merits of "Dracula" one must acknowledge "Curse of Frankenstein" which preceded it. This was Hammer's most daring production up to that point, and much of Hammer's conventions of style and theme were established here. However to modern audiences the film does seem somewhat overly talky, and the makeup for the creature, whilst impressive, lacks the impact of Universals. "The Mummy" falls in the middle ground between the two, but possesses an epic rich grandeur of sets the other two lack, "The Mummy" is a gorgeous looking film. But like "Curse of Frankenstein" suffers from some pacing problems.

Warner's have chosen well here and must be commended for their selection, other Hammer box sets have a disappointing randomness. But little seems to have been done in terms of picture and sound restoration, and aside from trailers for all films, there are no further special features. All in all quite disappointing treatment for such important horror films. But the box itself is well designed, and the price (at least when it was first released) represented good value for money.

Classic Hammer Horror with Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy.......2005-08-10

These three classic Hammer horror movies are essential additions to horror buff DVD collections. Released in the same year as classics Touch of Evil and Vertigo, Dracula (1958) managed to not only stand out as a fantastic piece of artfully contrived entertainment but also saved the studio from some shaky antecedent years. Featuring a powerful performance from Peter Cushing as vampire hunter Van Helsing, Dracula offers plenty of nail-biting suspense and healthy amounts of gore (Surprising, considering the film's release date). And of course, there's the fantastic Christopher Lee in one of his first major movie roles, who turns in one of his best performances as the snarling, hissing count. Melissa Stribling and Michael Gough provide great support amidst the thrills. Under the steady hand of horror veteran Terence Fisher, Dracula is a fan favorite, and an indispensable chapter for the genre.

Lee, Cushing and director Fisher also created the fantastic Curse of Frankenstein in the previous year. One of the best examples in its field, the action is great, James Bernard's chilling music sends a shiver down the spine, and Jack Asher's stunning cinematography is haunting. Like the Bela Lugosi Dracula, Christopher Lee was Hammer's answer to Boris Karloff, a trend he would continue in the 1959 film The Mummy. While perhaps not as resounding as the previous two movies, Lee and Cushing's added gravitas give so much to a fairly standard plot. The standout is Cushing, whose role as the nervous archeologist John Banning provides much of the film's emotion and exposition. Considering that the fully bandaged role for Lee basically means that all you see are his eyes (Except for an excellent flashback explaining how Kharis came to be mummified alive) yet he still manages to give more scares than a bucket load of CGI can muster. Yvonne Furneaux shines in dual roles as Kharis' love Princess Ananka and Banning's wife, Isobel. And that ending? Creepy to say the least. Lee's creature performances outshine Karloff (And that's not easy) and despite the notoriety of the earlier originals, these three classics have stood the test of time to become the cherished horror gems they are today.

Essential introduction to Hammer horror.......2004-07-06

From the mid-'50s until the mid-'70s, the British Hammer Studios specialized with great success in producing gothic horrors, with great success. Showcased here are three of their early productions, all directed by stalwart Terence Fisher.

The seminal Curse of Frankenstein contains all the sophistication, irony and terror that made the Hammer Frankenstein series so successful and memorable. Peter Cushing plays the villianous Baron magnificently, and Christopher Lee presents us with an original and sympathetic portrayal of the creature. Production design is stunning, especially some of the lush matte paintings, and veteran James Bernard supplies one of his best scores.

Horror of Dracula is generally regarded as Fisher's masterpiece. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee are pitted against each other as vampire-hunter Van Helsing and the nefarious Transylvanian aristocrat respectively. Fisher brings style and depth to the Dracula myth, and is fortunate to have the brilliance of composer James Bernard and designer Bernard Robinson at hand. Here we are presented with some of the cinema's most memorable images of vampirism of all time.

The Mummy never quite reached the heights attained by Frankenstein and Dracula, but it remains an entertaining piece of vintage Hammer.

Hammer Horror Classics.......2003-07-04

I am a big fan of the Hammer horror films. While, the scripts were adequate, the actors were brilliant and top-rate, and managed to inject complete believability into what they had to work with. In my opinion, however, the primary genius behind these films was director, Terence Fisher, who managed to give these films a look and style quite apart from anything that had ever been done before, which very few people have managed to match in today's "quick cutting, camera-whipping to the point of nauseum, get-as-much-information-as-you-can-to-the-audience" filmmaking. Great horror is not about overt blood-letting, it's about classy style. Fisher, his crew and cast, had style.

Three of the Best.......2003-01-15

These are the films that took the three classic movie monsters brought them into the world of color. They each spawned several sequels of various quality ( the Hammer Mummy films coming off worst)but they all changed the way that we view horror today. Made on the high end of a low budget the films look great.The acting is wonderful, Cushing's Frankenstien is masterful portrait of evil and Christopher Lee's Dracula rightly made him famous the world over. It should also be remembered that as tame as they seem by todays standards there was a great out cries about the horror and shock content of the films upon their first release. The films while not nearly as terrifying as they once were are still really good thrillers. The discs themselves are quite good, although sorely lacking in extra material. Why no effort was made to put something together by Warner is beyond me, especially since Christopher Lee has been doing commentaries for the other Dracula films over at Anchor Bay.But that's a minor sticking point since the films themselves are what matter and in this case the transfers are wonderful.

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