Think of Italian film director Dario Argento and such masterpieces as Deep Red and Suspiria instantly spring to mind. However, like many other great horror directors his later movies are sadly more mediocre at best. I watched this on DVD in 2D, so I don't know if that makes it Dracula 2D, Argento's Dracula (as the sleeve states), or just Dracula.
It takes the first 21 minutes for Harker to arrive at Castle Dracula, but during that time we see Dracula in owl form, are treated to a sex scene (Miriam Giovanelli as Tania is stunningly gorgeous), one man gets his head split open with a shovel, another has an ear torn off, plus some character development. Quite a promising start. But then we see an appalling cheap looking spider "special" effect, and this is the first of several effects that would not look out of place in a Sci Fi/Asylum movie. I have no idea what they were thinking with Dracula taking the form of a giant green mantis, very memorable but for all the wrong reasons! Dracula is able to move at lightning speed, accompanied by a silly "whoosh" sound. The good points for me about this movie are the excellent sets, good cinematography, a fine musical score by Claudio (Goblin) Simonetti, plenty of gore and some very nice nudity (Asia Argento once again). Unax Ugalde as Harker was enjoyable, he reminded me a little of Johnny Depp, and always good to see genre favourite Rutger Hauer, though he looked to me like he was there just for the pay cheque. No disrespect to Thomas Krestschamn but he just didn't do it for me as Dracula. Throughout I was reminded of the far superior Hammer Gothic horror movies, the film did drag a little at times (105 minutes) and the ending was poor. However, I felt overall that I got my monies worth and I will probably watch it again in the future, it may even grow on me.
Review of Dracula 3D
