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dramadiva102
Reviews
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
i really can't dig it
(various and sundry things that could be considered spoilers)
There were several things that I hated about this movie, but one tops them all. That would be Gary Oldman's line "I crossed oceans of time to find you." The movie is far too heavy handed, and takes itself MUCH to seriously. There was one redeeming quality, he goes by the name Anthony Hopkins. The movie suffers from inconsistent spirituality (Christianity and reincarnation shouldn't go together), Dracula's hair being two feet tall when Harker arrives at his castle, and a vampire that isn't nearly as terrifying as he is a lovesick puppy-dog. The cast is talented, but the movie doesn't flow at all. I spent a lot of time wanting someone to look at the camera and say "oh come on. This is just too much." I have a whole lot of trouble with the concept that Dracula really is a sweet guy who did it all for love, and then asks for (and recieves) God's forgiveness. I haven't read the novel Dracula, so it is possible that all these terrible and annoying things are in the book, and the movie was just being true to it. If so, the movie should have been less true.
I recomend The Lost Boys or even Interview With the Vampire if it's a vampire movie you want.
The Affair of the Necklace (2001)
loved it loved it loved it
I have to disagree with just about every critic in the world. I completely love this movie. (No spoilers that wouldn't come from a preview or the back of the movie box included)
True, there is constant voice-over narriation. But this based-on-a-true-story-scandal movie involves a complicated plot. Without the help of one of our tried-and-true secondary characters. The historical characters, though obviously given modern color, are convincingly portrayed. Hilary Swank gives innocent looks as she lies shamelessly. As the plot thickens, so does the number of fun players. Christopher Walken seems to relish in his part of mystical cheater. Adrian Brody seems to really enjoy playing the philandering jerk, banging back whiskey and happily flirting with all young actresses (street-walkers) he sees. Jonathan Pryce actually made me fear him as the corrupt cardinal. Impressive from the man I last saw as the kindly father in Pirates of the Carribean.
The most lovable character, by far, is Retaux. The cheerful court-wise gigilo mutters some of the funniest lines in the movie, and runs a full gamut of emotions, from flirtatious to distraught.
Joely Richardson plays a WONDERFUL ultimately doomed by history queen. Her sweet naievety combined with indifferent ignorance paints a reasonably possible image of the French monarchy at the time.
Oh sure, the movie's not totally perfect. Really, there are two things that bothered me. (1) The all over the place accents. But I'm willing to forgive it. After all, the movie's set in France. They're not speaking French, so they're not going to fool me into thinking they're French anyway. (2) The sunglasses worn by Joely Richardson and Christopher Walken. Quite forgivable, but still made my eyebrows raise.
On the whole this movie exceeded my expectations tenfold. The great costumes, powerful music, and tense time period give the actors a playground where it's next to impossible to fall flat. But not a one of them would have anyway.