Review Detail

9.6 12 10
dracula_silent.jpg
FanMix January 22, 2017 7224
Overall rating
 
9.2
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
8.0
Enjoyment
 
8.0
Being a fan of Coppola's Dracula interpretation and enjoying silent movies from time to time, I was 'dying' to see this edit. And I enjoyed it a lot. Besides the lower frame rate, sepia coloring and added film grain, even the aspect ratio was altered. And sometimes short in-between shots were removed, causing a jump in the 'continued' shot which is also very much a silent-movie characteristic.
I also applaud the insert shots from other Dracula movies (I presume the Legosi and Nosferatu, but I've seen both only once so I can't be sure). Especially replacing Coppola's castle with a more traditional one was to my liking. I respect Coppola's intent to avoid cliche's, but his castle was a bit too original for my taste.
The scene that impressed me most was the encounter between Mina and Dracula, with some shots not only in a different progression but sometimes even backward. Very well done indeed.
On a side note, this version made me aware of how strange the added love story for Dracula and Mina in Bram Stoker's Dracula actually is. After all, why would the count kill off the best friend of his lover, when there are countless (pun intended) other possible victims? This edit strips the story down to what Stoker wrote, and that's enough for an enjoyable outing in vampire-land.
Narrative-wise I have the same quarrel already mentioned by other reviewers: the title cards are too short, making it sometimes difficult to follow. And I also agree with other reviewers that Dracula's death comes to quick. I think that could be mended by adding the shot of the count in his last scene in the church, when he looks up into the light. Add that shot after the title card about how he seemed to smile when he died, and the audience gets a proper goodbye.

Apart from these narrative issues, I think this is a beautiful edit. The music by Glass works also well, which surprised me as I somehow didn't enjoy it in the Lugosi version. I can't however say that I like this version more than Coppola's original, because it is so completely different that it stands wholly on it's own. It's one of the most original, daring and inventive fan-edits I've seen so far - but I wouldn't mind to see a new version with the alterations mentioned above ;)

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Digital
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