Bram Stoker's Dracula (Silent Film Version)

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9.6
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10.0(12)
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9.8(12)
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9.4(12)
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8.9(12)
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9.8(12)
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10.0
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I didn't know quite what to expect, but this was superb. Somehow the editor took a bloated mess of a film and turned it into a tight fast paced horror film. The fact that this was done and given the silent treatment is truly a work of art. Everything worked perfectly, this is vastly superior to the original source material. Anyone who likes silent movies should watch this. Anyone who likes Dracula should watch this. This edit is the perfect example of less is more..

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Yes
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Digital
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Overall rating
 
10.0
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10.0
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10.0
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10.0
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10.0
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10.0
I loooove the Original Film in all its Glory and Weirdness.
And i have to say, this Version is not for everyone.
But if you have a deep love for the Coppola Film, and if you like me love the old original movies as well, this might be right up your alley.

2022 was my Vampire Year. I went on a hunt for Vampire Movies, old ones, newer ones, good ones and shaddy ones.
I just love the Theme and there are so many good films out there.
Naturally when i stumpled upon PaulĀ“s Cut i had to give it a go.

I was a total treat.
From the first screen, the old images mixed in the new ones, the colours and the Music:
all well put together.
The chosen Soundtrack is immaculas here, it fits very well. The Soundtrack on its own feels missing something, and with the Intentional use in Dracula 1931 its very good...but i felt it here more i have to say.

I always loved the Over the Edge production that Dracula was, although with time i have to admit, i wished for some better actor than Keanu in the lead, but hey...

This Version is a total different spin, a view only old movies had, and the idea of taking all the Bombast down to a Silent Movie, with great choice of Music is just wonderfull. But still weird as this cut tiks some boxes some viewers find strange.
The sudden Death of Dracula is mentioned in some reviews, but i saw a lot of other old Vampire Movies and ai have to say in most of them the Death of the Main Villian seems rushed, so in this spirit i did not mind.

Some Scenes and the work done is just amazing for a laymann like me.
Great editing choices.

I loved it every second, and it will not be the last time, that i see it.

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Top 100 Reviewer 47 reviews
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Overall rating
 
9.2
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
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10.0
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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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Yes
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Overall rating
 
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
A/V QUALITY
Very good, high bitrate. The visual quality has been slightly intentionally degraded and the aspect ratio changed to achieve the silent film look.

A/V EDITING
The regrades are expertly chosen, as is the excellent score. The lowered framerate really sells this as silent film. There's at least one (intentional) freezeframe/near-freezeframe towards the beginning, which was well done. The establishing shots were very nice, looked like paintings. My main critique, and pretty much my only critique of this edit, is that I found the intertitles to be a little hard to read and not lasting long enough.

NARRATIVE
It's impressive how the narrative has been compressed into such a short period of time yet remains coherent throughout. Pace is good too. I definitely appreciated how the film is brought closer to the novel. A lot of scenes are reworked to better fit the book, including all the scenes relating the Mina/Dracula romance storyline, and the scene in which Mina seduces Van Helsing.

The repurposing of the battle footage to a dinner scene flashback was very smart and well executed. Throughout the whole edit there are a lot of innovative editing choices that you can greatly appreciate if you remember how the original played out.

The A/V editing at 46:25 is particularly notable. Very well done.

CONCLUSION
I'm incredibly impressed by this edit. Not a single scene, not even a single shot, is left untouched. The transitions between scenes are so well done that it feels like you're watching a modern, studio approved silent film. Overall, you can tell a lot of effort and attention to detail went into this. One of the most transformative edits I've ever seen.
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Overall rating
 
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
From the first minute of this edit I knew I was going to love it. I've been a fan of the Stoker novel and Coppola's film since I was a kid, so I agree with the other reviewers that the narrative is probably incoherent to those unfamiliar with the story.

I absolutely loved the use of the Glass score, and the intertitles were well chosen and kept up a nice brisk pace. I agree with exile81 that the ending was a bit abrupt, but I also enjoyed the idea that the film ends in such a breathless way.

This is a go-to Halloween watch for me from now on. I can't believe this was a first edit. Way to go Paulisdead2221!

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