Synopsis
A cinematic version of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's adaptation of Bram Stoker's gothic novel Dracula. Filmed in a style reminiscent of silent Expressionist cinema of the early 20th century (complete with intertitles and monochrome photography), it uses dance to tell the story of a sinister but intriguing immigrant who preys upon young English women.
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Cast
- Wei-Qiang ZhangDracula
- Tara BirtwhistleLucy Westernra
- David MoroniDr. Van Helsing
- CindyMarie SmallMina
- Johnny A. WrightJonathon Harker
- Stephane LeonardArthur Holmwood
- Matthew JohnsonJack Seward
- Keir KnightQuincy Morris
- Brent NealeRenfield
- Stephanie BallardMrs. Westernra
Recommendations
- 100
Chicago Reader
Maddin takes on his first commissioned feature--an adaptation of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's production of Dracula--and succeeds brilliantly, making it his own while offering what may be the most faithful screen version to date of Bram Stoker's novel. - 90
L.A. Weekly
Maddin's genius is so inescapably idiosyncratic that his work seems destined to remain a cult taste. Although Dracula won't change that, I hasten to add that this is the most inventive vampire picture of the last 80 years. - 90
The A.V. Club
An inspired, original, and gracefully integrated collaboration of theater and cinema that complements not only both forms, but also the seductive, dreamlike qualities of the source material. - 80
Variety
Though it sounds like an offbeat idea even for horror fans, the tech work is so well done that it could disarm unwary buffs attracted by the campy title. - 80
The New York Times
For all its eccentricities and technical quirks, Dracula is a compelling expressionistic work. - 75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
A 75-minute tour de force that's often fascinating, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately rewarding. So be patient -- the payoff will come. - 75
Chicago Tribune
Magnificently sensuous and macabre. - 70
TV Guide Magazine
Dracula fans will appreciate the witty ways in which Maddin has drawn Stoker's troubling racism and xenophobia to the fore, while making the most of the sexual ambivalence that helps make the story endlessly fascinating.
