Argento’s Dracula-2012

Director Dario Argento

Starring Thomas Kretschmann, Marta Gastini

Scott’s Review #158

Reviewed August 22, 2014

Grade: C-

As a huge fan of Dario Argento, his classic horror films such as Suspiria (1977) and Deep Red (1975) would surely land in my Top fifty of all time, not just in the horror genre, this film is a bit of a mess.

The story, as I understand it, involves a young man named Harker, who is hired by Count Dracula to work in his castle as a Librarian. His wife Mina arrives later in the story and is the focal point of the film from that point on.

Another female named Tania rises from the dead to seduce and bite Harker. Dracula intervenes and wants to claim Harker as his own. From this point on, Harker’s wife Mina attempts to look for her husband within the halls of Dracula’s castle.

The plot is difficult to keep track of, not compelling, and not one of Argento’s finest efforts.

An homage to Hammer horror films of the 1950s and 1960s, the film comes across as too campy, poorly performed, and some miscasts among the actors.

The actor who plays Count Dracula is not convincing and seems a strange choice for the part- too nice looking?

It feels like Argento did not know whether to make the film serious or go for being completely over the top. Since when can Dracula change forms into a grasshopper, owl, and other creatures besides a bat?

Other characters like the Priest were introduced for no other purpose than to be killed.

On the positive side, the art direction is amazing. The film is filled with creepy sets, especially inside the mansion, and has a distinct 1970s feel to it. The ambiance is highly effective at portraying a spooky, dark setting.

All in all, though, Argento’s Dracula (2012) is a disappointing experience, and much better films of the same subject matter have been covered in the past.