Bram Stoker's Dracula - re:View

I always wondered if the fact that I like this movie means that I have no taste. Phew

Benj

Hadn’t seen this film since middle school so I rewatched it this weekend. Man is it beautiful! Love those in camera effects! The make up effects and costumes are gorgeous too. Side note: That wine tasting spit take made me legit laugh out loud. Love u guys!

Aliciasheesh

I watched it again and again, so good.

I've been a fan of this movie since seeing it in the theatre in 1992. Yeah, Keanu is miscast but doesn't really hurt the movie because Gary Oldman, Anthony Hopkins, and Winona Ryder (yes, her too) are all exceptional in this. (Winona would get nominated for Oscars for 2 other roles soon after in both 1993 & 1994, but I think she was better in this than those 2 films and totally sold the love story.) Ultimately, though, it's the stylishness of the movie that completely won me over and is why it's my favorite version of the Dracula story.

DonMac

I saw this film back in the early 2000s and I did NOT get it at the time. I didn't know thing one about movie making back then, so I couldn't appreciate the effects or visuals. Your review made me want to watch it again and I'm so glad I did. Rarely has my opinion of a movie improved so much on a second viewing. If you can get past Keanu, there is so much to love here. Honestly, he's barely in it after the first 30 minutes. Everything else about the movie makes up for it, at least for me.

Annette G.

I am elderly, and saw this in theatres when it came out. (I still laugh that people actually walked out in a huff when the film did that cut to carving the meat). I was right in the middle of Film School at the time and was delighted to see, well, frankly everything that was happening on screen. I'm so happy to see you both visit this treasure.

John Kott

Still even if you count that one time, one of the reason I respect these guys is they don't play that youtube meta-game (outside of joking about it from time to time). Certainly I'd understand if they did sponsorships as these guys need to keep their business running, but it's cool to know I don't have to hear these guys shill for Raid: Shadow Legends, MeUndies, Honey, Audible, etc. And I hope they know there's a level of respect and/or loyalty to them because they haven't really gone that route.

AllGoodNamesRGone

That intro wine bit was tops LOL

Shempin Jack Flash

I absolutely love this movie, one of my absolute favorites. One of my favorite books too. Fun fact: this is Zak Bagans' favorite movie. He had a nod to the puppet soldiers in the intro of the Ghost Adventures Vlad special, owns the miniature of Dracula's castle in the movie, and also owns Lucy's bed used in the film. He actually sleeps in it. Pretty neat.

adorned_in_thorns

Gary Oldman delivers one of the best evil laughs in cinema history in this movie.

Josh Wright

Or, in this case, "Bram Stoker's Dracula"...

Manuel Johnen

I know we get Half in the Bag with Mike and Jay, but when there's a movie they both enjoy it's really cool to hear Mike and Jay just geek out a bit about the movie. It's fun when they both really hate a movie as well like Jack and Jill, but it's cool when they use that deep analysis of theirs to discuss a good movie.

AllGoodNamesRGone

This is the first movie my husband and I watched when we moved across the country as newlyweds. Flight got in hella late, our hotel was in a surprisingly scummy part of San Francisco, and our buddies were a day behind, so we holed up in the room and watched hotel cable rather than pick our way through Union Square. Could not get past the terrible performances and dismissed the film from my mental library. Maybe I’ll give it another shot this October and see if the Halloween season helps.

Katy

You don't watch enough wolfmen fucking movies...

Manuel Johnen

I guessed, that Jay made the connection between the actress in Dracula and Sherylin Fenn, because Sheryl Lee played a vampire in John Carpenter's Vampires.

Marvin Falz

Movie was Messed up! One might get all hot and bothered when The lady vamps start to seduce Mr. Wick, but That changes immediately when they are given a newborn baby to devour! Amazing movie, classic villain mwahahaha! Could have avoided the vampire part of the story at the beginning If the Hopkins priest wasn't ad ick, and sugar coated the loss of Mina by lying to Gary's effing face and told him that she was in Heaven!

Wrecked, Dixie

I always liked how the silhouette dancers in the scenes with Dracula and Mina at dinner reflect his mood. The second dinner, when she has not arrived, they are still, but when her letter arrives they begin to move with Dracula’s hope. Ultimately, the letter was not happy news. This movie stayed in my mind for a long time, and when I first read Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I envisioned it as a sequel to this with Winona Ryder reprising her role as Mina.

andrew

As long as we're doing re:views of horror movies that aren't scary with unique soundtracks and Winona Ryder, how about Beetlejuice?

John D

This movie is the fucking best. “I have crossed oceans of time to find you.” Now there’s a panty-dropper of a line 😲

Panda S

This was a really enjoyable review. So many elements of the moviemaking covered. I remember this movie when it came out and enjoyed it each time I have watched it over the years. I wished the guys had talked a little longer than they did because the review commentary went by so fast. Definitely a review worth watching again and a movie to have another look at

Karen Morvan

I've never seen actually watched this version but based on the review and the comments here it sounds like I need to rectify that asap. Also listening to Mike talk about a film or series he really really loves and go into great detail about the production/sets/effects/sound design/source material is one of my favorite things and I think it would be cool if he and Josh got together and talked about film scores and made a video about it.

Rhea

That one is like "Scary Movie" for the arthouse crowd...

Manuel Johnen

This was a FASCINATING video for me. I saw the movie once – when it was released. But back in those ancient days, movies were projected from reels of film. And the first reel at the theater where I saw it was hilariously messed up. We saw the first 5 minutes of the movie repeated 4 times. When we eventually, mercifully, made it past the prologue, the entire audience was already in full-on MST3K mode. My (low) opinion of the movie never recovered. But now having watched this, maybe I owe it a re-view of my own....

LB876

I’m surprised you didn’t mention 2000’s Shadow of the Vampire (also featuring Cary Elwes). Willem Dafoe does a great Max Schrek/Count Orlock.

Zach Dewoody

I agree. He was fantastic in it. A fully committed performance.

rachel

I had no idea how much of a lasting impression this movie had on me until watching this re:View. Yes, this was one of the movies I was obsessed with back in high school; I think it came out on video when I was a freshman. I loved this movie so much that I ended up reading the book and doing a book report on it. And just like Mike, I had the soundtrack. I couldn't even tell you how many times I've seen it/studied it. Watching that movie felt like being in a dream. And even though it's been ages since I've sat down and watched it, tonight while watching this re:View, all my feelings towards this movie came rushing back. It made me remember that while most people might view me as a cynical person, this movie reminded me that I am actually a romantic at heart. With all that being said, thank you for this re:View. Now I'm off to watch the special effects video.

rachel

Totally hear you - this came out when I was at work and have to wait to watch it - oh well guess I know what I’m watching later today

Karen Morvan

I want to know what Mike and Jay think of Tom Waits as Renfield in this film.

Brady Holek

Today I get to be "that guy", you guys credit air force one as 1991, but it came out in '97... Which just speaks wayyy worse to that effect, but also to your hackery, you fucks!

Aaron Austin

I wouldn't know good wine from bad wine. I just buy whatever has a funny name, or shares parts of my real name.

Rick Drake

Excellent review! I watched this in the theaters and fell in love with this movie. Timeless to this day. I am a Francis Ford Coppola fan and was pleasantly surprised how stylized it was.

"We don't do paid promotions." Well, hotbutteredpopcorn.com would like to differ. (I don't recall the episode, though, but it is in the early years of Half in the Bag)

Vincent

Thank you for this, I love this movie and glad you guys appreciate it as well! Also in regards to other modern Dracula adaptations, you forgot there is the awful Dracula 2000 movie, with Gerard Butler. I think it was interesting they tried to make the origin story of Dracula different (Dracula is really Judas) but otherwise it was a hot mess 🤣

Maureen Vallette

Love love love this movie! It's so epic and grand and... 90's. Good pick guys.

Peter L

I fucking love this movie. Gary Oldmans been my favorite actor my whole life because of it. Glad you guys like it so much.

Rachel Snead

Ha! In high school we watched Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. When the nuns found out we watched the nude love scene they told us we were going to hell for not leaving the room.

Lisa

I'm willing to bet you're not the only one with that memory.

Lisa

I saw that spit take coming at least one minute away and I still laughed out loud. Well done.

Neil Peart, Lord of Drums

What a fantastic idea.

Lisa

I remember enjoying the direction in this quite a bit. Herzog's Nosferatu The Vampyre has always been my favorite interpretation of the Dracula/Nosferatu mythos, and the scenes with Dracula in this movie -- especially when he's being introduced -- feel heavily inspired by that (maybe this is mentioned in the episode. Haven't watched yet). But the thing I remember most after not seeing this movie for many years? Winona Ryder's cleavage. Honestly.

Neil Peart, Lord of Drums

More like making a race horse talk with a British accent :) EDIT: Also, the first John Wick is my favorite because I think it has the best structure and pacing in the trilogy, but also because you can tell that Reeves just isn't as fast and agile anymore once you get around to parts two and three. His movement during complex action like jiu-jitsu is much more fluid in the first movie.

Neil Peart, Lord of Drums

My favorite memory of this movie is that in High School in the early 2000s I was in an elective art course called “Multi-Media” then later “Digital Arts” where we basically learned how to make video content and art content on iMacs. One day we had a substitute teacher who decided to slack off and make our class have a “movie day”; and also somehow this guy thought a rated R movie was appropriate for a classroom full of teenagers under 18. When our actual teacher came back the next day, a male student told him how awesome the full frontal nudity was…to which he went “The what?!???”😨. We then had to be told that substitute teacher was reported and would not work at our school again.

Mr. Derek Magnuson

I knew the spit take was coming, but you guys never disappoint with the payoff.

AllGoodNamesRGone

Rewatched this recently. They did not give a fuck when they were making this film.

Dominic O'Neill

Cool. Thanks, guys.

This is one I never saw, but your review reminded me how much I miss practical effects.

Fantastic episode guys, a real treat for film lovers.

Lelio Mulas

My Keanu theory: He is America's greatest physical performer since Buster Keaton. Get him in a John Wick or a Matrix and he is masterful. But you make him sit at a dinner table and do dialogue in an accent, and you're making a racehorse pull a plow.

Lance Hunter

YES

Deirdre Connolly

I did not really care for this movie for such a long time but last year I watched it in almost total black and white (the reds still showed up a little) and that was enough for me to see it with a new perspective. While I enjoy how colorful the move is, I feel that paired with some awful acting and the obvious sets it comes off as cheap and disjointed. I enjoyed it so much more in black and white. I think I might just be more forgiving of bad acting when it's set up to look more like a silent film.

Queen Taru

Oh neat! This'll be fun to watch; looking forward to it. Revisited Dracula back last October (previous viewing was at least 15 years earlier) and totally forgot how great a film it was.

Kate HL

That country club pour on that pino, though!

oldmanpence

having just watched this for the first time three? weeks ago, I cannot wait to watch this!

Shaun Ranft

What a fine addition to my Tuesday evening.

Looks it’s time for that rewatch before the re:View!

MarriottPlayer

Bless you kings.

Eli Harold

I have to work field day at a middle school tomorrow in what is looking to be a 90+ degree day. I feel this is ample reward.

Lisa

yess! awesome! thank you guys for the regular upload! <3

Peter Varga

GUILTY

Hunter Clifton Mann

Oh NoOooOooOo

Hunter Clifton Mann

In the screenshot Mike and Jay look like they're casting spell to each other.

Alessio Roic

*whoa*

Dachannien

Keep a barf bag handy.

If they like THIS better than "Event Horizon" I'm gonna vomit...

Manuel Johnen

STOP DROPPING NEW VIDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORKING DAY! I NEED TO WORK!!!

Alessio Roic

So excited to watch this after jury duty!

Thomas Denison