I have mixed
feelings about the choice to have Italian horror legend Dario Argento’s name
attached to the title of this campy 3D revision of the classic vampire tale
taken from Bram Stoker’s novel. On one hand, it was a kindness to not attach
Stoker’s name to the title, while Dario Argento’s name is also too good to be
sullied by such a sloppy bit of filmmaking. Though it is has long been clear
that Argento’s golden era of filmmaking ended decades ago, this is a new low in
his filmography. The only positive reason for having his name in the title
would be to elevate the box office numbers, while simultaneously sinking
Argento’s credibility as a filmmaker.
Thomas
Kretschmann (Wanted) plays the grieving Count Dracula, who still longs for his
beloved Dolingen De Gratz, whose death 400-years earlier still haunts him. When
a newlywed Mina Harker (Marta Gastini) arrives in Dracula’s village, he
believes her resemblance to his long-lost love to be a sign, luring her husband
to his castle. The cast also includes Argento’s daughter, Asia ,
who is far from convincing as an actor, though it matters little in this campy
3D film.
The biggest
problem with a visual emphasis on 3D effects is the detriment to the 2D image.
Though home entertainment 3D viewings are becoming more common, with a 3D
Blu-ray combined with regular 2D on one disc in this package, it is still not
the common method of home entertainment viewing. This is significant because of
the drastically different visual style often accommodating the finicky medium
of 3D. They must slow the action down and keep the screen brighter in order for
the effects to work in 3D, but this has an awful effect on the 2D version. This
particularly harmful in a horror film, which benefits far more from the
ambiance and sudden frights than any spectacle brought with 3D. The visual
effects themselves look unfinished, far from frightening, and as though they
were created with technology at least a decade old.
The Blu-ray
release includes both the 2D and 3D versions on one disc, along with a 3D music
video and behind-the-scenes featurette. There is also a trailer gallery for the
film.
Entertainment Value:
2.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 2/10
Historical
Significance: 4/10
Disc Features: 4.5/10
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