Lets here your Movie Review For 'Dracula Untold'

[Anton Phibes]

I thought the origin "borrowed" a tiny bit from Rovin's Return of The Wolfman novel. We get Universal's "official" Dracula origin there. While not an exact "lift", its a nice nod.

[Count_Zirock]

I need to dig out my copy of C. Dean Andersson's "I Am Dracula" after I see "Dracula Untold" (tonight, perhaps) and see if they "borrowed" anything from it. Probably not, because he was kept pretty close to the bloodthirsty madman that Vlad III was in real life.

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[zombiehorror]

I thought the origin "borrowed" a tiny bit from Rovin's Return of The Wolfman novel. We get Universal's "official" Dracula origin there. While not an exact "lift", its a nice nod.

If you're referring to gaining immortality/powers/wealth/knowledge from an evil source (satan, demons, other vampires) that is definitely not specific to Rovin's novel alone; it's been used in other vampire fiction as well as Faust, The Devil and Daniel Webster, Spawn, Ghost Rider, etc.  I doubt there was any nod (or knowledge) of Rovin's Return of the Wolfman intended.

[Anton Phibes]

If you're referring to gaining immortality/powers/wealth/knowledge from an evil source (satan, demons, other vampires) that is definitely not specific to Rovin's novel alone; it's been used in other vampire fiction as well as Faust, The Devil and Daniel Webster, Spawn, Ghost Rider, etc.  I doubt there was any nod (or knowledge) of Rovin's Return of the Wolfman intended.

In Rovin's novel, Dracula asks for the strength to defend his people. He asks this from a supernatural being. He is asking for the same thing in the film from a similarly strange figure. Its possible the screenwriters might have actually read the book, and been "inspired".

I am familiar with the other materials you listed. I am not 5 years old for cryin' out loud. You can doubt it, I can think perhaps they might actually be aware of the book ...but neither of us were there to know. So the entire "argument" on this is moot. I am not referencing immortality/powers/wealth/knowledge....just the ability to defend his people. Which is what he asks for in both cases. The novel and the movie. But its probably all just a big,fat, coincidence.

[Phantom Stranger]

Gotta say, I enjoyed the film quite a bit. Less a horror film , more of a supernatural action film, but entertaining nonetheless. Good acting, interesting story, plenty of action and a slightly different take on the Dracula legend. Not a classic, but enjoyable.

[ravenloft]

Saw it again this week with the movie coupon from the DVD. Still liked it and was able to focus on aspects I missed the first time.

[Count_Zirock]

I'm debating about seeing this, or going to "Rocky Horror Picture Show" tonight. I have friends in the cast at RHPS, whereas I'd be seeing DU by myself.

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[Mord]

 My girlfriend agreed to see this so I'll probably go tomorrow.

[Count_Zirock]

Checked my bank balance. I'll be staying home tonight...and until my next check!

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[zombiehorror]

!!BEWARE YOU WILL FIND SPOILERS BELOW!!




Dracula:  The First Avenger.....oh wait, the first Avenger, that's Captain America......uhhhh, Dracula and the Undead Avengers!

Well I didn't really hate it but it's definitely not perfect and....it sure as hell isn't Dracula!  Dracula transforming into a swarm of bats was a cool effect but way overused.  Is this the only supernatural power he's going to get?  What about wolf form?  Mist?  Controlling minds?  Luke Evans definitely had a furiosity about him but his Dracula lacked that smile with hidden menace; although I guess there wasn't much call for it in this film.

I thought turning the townspeople into vampires was pretty lame just seemed like a real, "Uh, what can we do to top the rest of it?" moment for the writer(s).  How come Dracula can keep his wits about him during his vampirism but the townspeople just turn into bloodthirsty batcrap crazy fools?  Also if Vlad could just open the clouds and destroy the other vampires there was really no reason for the monk to escort his son away; again this just felt like more, "Uh, no one will notice/care." writing that goes into scripts these days.  The character Dracula is historically morose, he's not human and in the romantically fashioned versions he's lost his one true love and while he did loose his wife in this.....could he not have sought redemption in his son?  Considering the fact that he actually destroys himself in the end and is brought back by someone else, why not tell that meddlesome peasant to leave you alone and end your existence again?

I can definitely see why the execs at Universal decided to try to make this the flagship of the Universal monster cinematic universe with the tacked on modern day ending.  The film definitely plays like a superhero origin story and the ending as noted in the beginning of my review is basically the Undead Avengers.  Of course they have somewhat backtracked on that decision anyways, still considering the upcoming Mummy reboot to be the official start of the shared universe, because the movie flopped in the U.S.  I think it was a horrible decision to name the female character Mina in modern day, that is a story that needs to be told in the Victorian age.

[Mord]

 I really don't think the heads of Universal are even aware that those original films ever existed. Luckily we can still watch them on DVD/Blu-Ray.

[Count_Zirock]

Sounds like I'll have a new least-favorite Dracula movie when I finally get around to seeing this.

[Anton Phibes]

Zombie Horror: This is an origin feature. As such---I viewed Dracula as not knowing what the heck he was doing with his newfound vampiric nature. So--mind control, wolf form, controlling anything other than bats, etc....blamed it on hsi being a novice.

I am curious about something, though. It has little to do with the film, and is a personal query. What movies are "up your alley" IE what do you consider classics, what do you utterly despise, do the slashery 80's appeal to you at all....? I am not trying to be a smart alec. I want to clarify, as voice inflection is lost in cyberspace.

I feel it will just help me get to know a bit more about folks's differing tastes. Are there any films you consider flawless (Psycho, Bride of Frankenstein, etc). Again---just my own curiosity. Nothing more.

[zombiehorror]

Zombie Horror: This is an origin feature. As such---I viewed Dracula as not knowing what the heck he was doing with his newfound vampiric nature. So--mind control, wolf form, controlling anything other than bats, etc....blamed it on hsi being a novice.

If they give Dracula more abilities down the road one could only assume that this is the case....because the lazy writers will probably never explain it.   For being a novice with his powers he seems pretty natural with them, we never see him jump off a cliff and "oops not turn into a swarm of bats"; he seems to have no learning curve whatsoever with his new found abilities.  I have read other vampire tales that have included that the longer a vampire lives, the more knowledge they gain and thusly more abilities come to them but again this will probably never be used as a plot point.  Just here's some more "super powers" for Dracula.

[zombiehorror]

I am curious about something, though. It has little to do with the film, and is a personal query. What movies are "up your alley" IE what do you consider classics, what do you utterly despise, do the slashery 80's appeal to you at all....? I am not trying to be a smart alec. I want to clarify, as voice inflection is lost in cyberspace.

I feel it will just help me get to know a bit more about folks's differing tastes. Are there any films you consider flawless (Psycho, Bride of Frankenstein, etc). Again---just my own curiosity. Nothing more.

No film is ever without flaws but some are so glaringly flawed and so obvious it just irks me that little things weren't fixed (or even thought of); most of that has to do with writing/plot/character motivation.  I love horror films of course so I've seen my share of turds and cheese but a modern film like Dracula Untold can't be compared to the expectations from films of the 1920's thru late 70's, pre-blockbuster days.  I love the Universal Classics, Hammers horrors, some 50's/60's sci-fi, exploitation (and all it subgenres), slashers, etc. etc.  For the most part those films flaws are overlooked easily enough, they were a product of their time and some were thrown together on a wing and a prayer.

If anything Dracula Untold compares to such modern day war epics as Gladiator, Alexander, Troy, Kingdom of Heaven with a dash of 300 thrown in; and all of these films I enjoyed though they are certainly without flaw.  The movie for me just misses the mark of successful storytelling; I actually wanted to like it and was digging it early on but it just falls apart for me for the reasons I mentioned in my review; just some seriously huge logic errors.