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The plot summary in this article or section is too long compared to the rest of the article. Please edit the article to focus on discussing the work rather than merely reiterating the plot. |
| Dracula | |
|---|---|
 Promotional still |
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| Directed by | Bill Eagles |
| Produced by | Michele Buck Granada Television Rebecca Eaton WGBH Boston Trevor Hopkins Julie Gardner |
| Written by | Stewart Harcourt |
| Starring | Marc Warren Rafe Spall Stephanie Leonidas Sophia Myles Tom Burke David Suchet |
| Music by | Dominik Scherrer |
| Editing by | Adam Recht |
| Distributed by | BBC Granada Television WGBH Boston |
| Running time | 90 min |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
| Budget | unknown |
| IMDb profile | |
Dracula is a television adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula produced by Granada Television for WGBH Boston and BBC Wales in 2006. It was written by Stewart Harcourt and directed by Bill Eagles. This adaptation explores the ideas of corruption, lies and sexuality in repressed Victorian England. It aired on 28 December 2006 in the United Kingdom. It premiered in the USA on PBS as part of the WGBH series Masterpiece Theatre on 11 February 2007.
Contents |
Cast
- Marc Warren as Count Dracula
- David Suchet as Abraham Van Helsing
- Sophia Myles as Lady Holmwood/Lucy Westenra
- Stephanie Leonidas as Mina Murray
- Dan Stevens as Lord Holmwood
- Rafe Spall as Jonathan Harker
- Tom Burke as Dr. John Seward
Plot Summary
In essence, the plot is about Arthur Holmwood's (Dan Stevens) efforts to cure the syphilis he's learned he was born with and which killed his father (as well as probably driving his mother to commit suicide). Arthur learns the truth soon after becoming engaged to Lucy Westenra (Sophia Myles). He contacts an occult group called the Brotherhood led by a man named Singleton (Donald Sumpter). They say they can indeed clean his polluted blood, but at a price.
Lucy's best friend is Mina Murray (Stephanie Leonadis). Her fiancee, Jonathan Harker (Rafe Spall), just passed his solicitor’s exams. Arthur hires his firm to convey several properties in England, with Jonathan himself to bring the documents to Count Dracula (Marc Warren) in Transylvania. Not long after Jonathan leaves, his boss is murdered and all documents about the transaction vanish. Singleton calmly admits to the deed, telling Arthur the "young man" will never return from Transylvania.
In Transylvania, Jonathan meets the withered, almost decayed Dracula, but survives only long enough to attract Dracula's attention to Mina. Youthened by Jonathan's blood, Dracula is soon en route to England aboard the Demeter. A newly married (but still virgin, to her frustration) Lucy watches the wreck of the ship as it arrives in a storm. With her is Mina, visiting Holmwood Castle in Whitby so the two friends can comfort each other. Mina is depressed, while Lucy is increasingly fey and desperate.
The Demeter seemingly contains nothing but its dead captain and some cargo. Her manifest lists a passenger, Jonathan Harker, but Mina's hopes are dashed as there's no trace of him. She and Lucy both meet a stranger, Count Dracula, at a nearby graveyard. He is attracted to them, but warded back by the cross Mina wears. Arthur, enraged to find Dracula in his home (invited by Lucy for dinner), finds himself powerless as Lucy suddenly falls ill after being ravished in her sleep by the vampire. Arthur's old friend, Dr. Seward, suspects Arthur is somehow involved when he refuses to take Lucy to the hospital and forces Seward at gunpoint to give her a transfusion. In the end, it does little good. Lucy dies and is buried at Highgate Cemetery. Seward is convinced Arthur is in some sense guilty. Seward investigates and finds the Chelsea home of the Brotherhood, where Singleton and others have been murdered. In the basement, surrounded by crosses made of twigs, he finds Van Helsing (David Suchet) living like an animal, insisting they must flee.
Seward has Van Helsing tell his story to Mina. He he was employed as a folklorist by the Brotherhood to investigate vampires. He found one, though he had believed it all superstition. He was released eventually with a message to the Brotherhood. The vampire would come to them if invited but wanted property. Frightened of what happened to Van Helsing they sent an innocent (Harker) and locked Van Helsing away. Seward confronts Arthur and the truth comes out. As the three go after Lucy (presumably a vampire now), Dracula manages to get to Mina as she lets her cross slip. He is about to bite when Arthur stakes and kills his now-undead bride. Dracula feels it, allowing Mina to escape.
Mina now joins them as all four go to Singleton’s home. They find Singleton’s half buried body, which makes the celler unhallowed ground. Dracula emerges from the soil and brutally kills Arthur. Seward manages to stake Dracula from behind. Van Helsing panics, asking if he got the heart and Seward confirms he did. The vampire melts away. The film ends with Van Helsing returning to Holland, pleased with their victory. He bids Seward and Mina farewell. Mina has said her final goodbye to Jonathan. She and Seward go to have a meal together. But one of London's countless beggars looks up as they pass, revealed to be the withered and decrepid Dracula from the beginning.
Deviations From The Novel
- Holmwood is a far more central character and is portrayed in a much more negative light. His infection with syphilis and contacts with occultists and secret connection with Count Dracula do not appear in the book.
- The characters Quincey Morris and Renfield are omitted.
- The final confrontation takes place in London rather than outside Dracula's Castle. Like many other modern horror films, the evil monster (Dracula) survives.
- Jonathan Harker is killed, having been victimized by Dracula.
- Dracula has no Brides, indeed the entire section of the book in which Jonathan Harker visits Castle Dracula is cut down from a major portion of the novel to a few brief scenes.
- Lucy and Lord Holmwood actually do marry, and much is made of the fact the marriage remains unconsummated. In general (and somewhat typical for later adaptations such as Bram Stoker's Dracula) there is some discussion of sexual matters between Lucy and Mina, as well as a sense of the sexual lives of the characters in general.
- Singleton is an entirely new character.
- Van Helsing is a prisoner of a sect, rescued by Dr. Seward in the course of the story, rather than Seward's mentor as in the novel.
- Mina is a Roman Catholic.
- Dracula has allies in an occult sect who sought him out and stage managed his arrival in England.
External links
- Official BBC microsite
- Official BBC Press Release
- Information from a Sophia Myles fansite
- Article on the Adaptation
- Listing for the DVD
- BBC Promotion
- Second BBC Promotion
