Friday 16 December 2011

Dario Argento's Dracula

Horror maven, Dario Argento, has cast his hat into the lot of a long line of directors who've tackled Bram Stoker's Dracula. However, this is probably the first attempt rendered in 'stereoscopic 3D'.

A word of warning before viewing this 'Trailor': it's got a lotta gore, bad CGI and brief nudity at the 1:38 mark. It might also make you wonder, 'This guy directed Suspiria?'


Twilight, it ain't. As a change of pace, Rutger Hauer plays Van Helsing. His previous contributions to vampire flicks include Lothos (Buffy the vampire slayer, 1992) and Kurt Barlow (Salem's Lot, 2004). He also inspired Anne Rice, and was even considered for the role of Lestat de Lioncourt in an adaptation of Interview with the vampire. It went to Tom Cruise.

Watching the 'trailor' for this OTT adaptation reminds me of a Dracula project—by another horror auteur—unfortunately never realised.

The late Ken Russell (1927–2011), best-known in vampire circles for adapting Stoker's Lair of the white worm (1988), Russell wanted a crack at Drac, too. It 'was cancelled when it was felt that too many Dracula films were crowding the market. Among the proposed scenes was Jonathan Harker wrapping a rosary about his fist to "de-fang" a vampire bride!'

2 comments:

Taliesin_ttlg said...

As well as the two you mentioned. Hauer also played Dracula in Dracula 3 the legacy. So from 3 times the vampire, once Dracula, he is now the hunter.

The trailer has piqued my excitment at any rate. The look is so Hammer from the 50/60s that I can't believe (or at least don't want to believe)that the film will fail :)

Anthony Hogg said...

More Hammer than the latest Hammer fare, eh?

To be honest, I'm kinda interested in seeing the flick, meself. It looks so OTT, it couldn't be enjoyable popcorn fare. Fingers crossed!

Cheers for relaying Hauer's third turn as a vamp, too. As Dracula, no less!

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