Dracula

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Dracula

R,

1979,

1h 49m,

Horror/

Drama/

Romance

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Watchlist

Watchlist

62%

98 Reviews

Tomatometer

58%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

62%

Tomatometer

98 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

A man washes ashore in England after a shipwreck and is found by Mina Van Helsing (Jan Francis). The man introduces himself as Count Dracula (Frank Langella) of Transylvania, and proceeds to integrate himself into the lives of Mina and her friend Lucy Seward (Kate Nelligan). However, when Mina dies and her father, Prof. Van Helsing (Laurence Olivier), attributes her death to a vampire, evidence indicates that Count Dracula is the monster, and Lucy is his next target.

Critics Consensus

Despite an occasionally imbalanced mix of romance and overly grotesque scares, Dracula offers chilling atmosphere in spades and a seductively enigmatic turn from Frank Langella as the legendary vampire.

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David Denby

New York Magazine/Vulture

Oct 23, 2025

This howling dog of a movie is often incoherent... the movie is cheesy on a grand scale.

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Joseph Sobran

Los Angeles Times

Oct 23, 2025

The myth has received a witty turn that would give Bram Stoker nightmares.

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Peter Travers

Journal News (Westchester, NY)

Oct 23, 2025

Every potentially dramatic moment is undercut by Badham's cutting away to another moment.

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Terry Lawson

The Journal-Herald (Dayton, OH)

Oct 29, 2026

Like its hero, the new Dracula seems destined to forever wander in the nebulous netherworld of muddled, confused moviemaking.

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Robert W. Butler

Kansas City Star

Feb 15, 2026

Director John Badham is terrific at whipping up atmosphere and the sets, costuming, photography and special effects are all first-rate. It's enough to make "Dracula" pleasantly diverting.

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Judy Wells Martin

Florida Times-Union

Feb 4, 2026

The script leaves so many loose ends it could benefit from the services of Dracula's overworked abbey of spiders.

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Kylo L

Dec 9, 2018

An overlooked classic with all the elements of a great film. Frank Langella shines as Dracula portraying the role as more human and romantic. The cinematography is stunning communicating a dark gothic look to the picture. John William's talents are used to their fullest as he delivers his most majestic and beautiful score to date. The films story of the king of vampires diverts from previous tellings, but that is what makes "Dracula 1979" so special.

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Hagrid S

Aug 4, 2017

Lavishly produced Dracula adaptation is a mixed bag, but there are enough positives to outweigh the weaker elements. On the plus side, Frank Langell is wonderfully suave and also quietly menacing as The Count. The production design is terrifically atmospheric, aided by moody photography by Gilbert Taylor (the same guy who shot "Dr. Strangelove," "The Omen," "Flash Gordon," and the original "Star Wars"). There's also a strong supporting cast that includes Laurence Olivier as Van Helsing, Kate Nelligan, Donald Pleasence, and the seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy. Top that off with a John Williams score and a smart script by W.D. Richter (the guy who directed cult classic "Buckaroo Banzai") and it's hard to imagine this film going far wrong. On the downside, the film is not particularly scary and instead is more of a bland gothic romance where the characters all seem rather cold, which weakens the the romantic elements and results in the audience never fully engage the romantic drama. Still, it's a gorgeous production that is a must see for fans of the oft filmed Bram Stoker tale.

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Theodore R

Jun 10, 2017

Overall the plot is a bit undercooked, but Langella's performance is legendary for a reason.

Theodore S

Jul 29, 2013

I really enjoyed a great deal of this.

Hermione S

Sep 6, 2007

Frank Langella as the king of the vampires, not so threatening, but certainly a charming s.o.b., ogling the women in the house with impunity. At one point he reminds his pursuers, "for 500 years I've fought off your kind!" and one doesn't get the feeling that that's a truism. Nonetheless, moody and atmospheric, sticking to the familiar, oft told story, and not a waste of time. One wishes for more threat though.

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John Badham

Director

Frank Langella

Count Dracula

Laurence Olivier

Prof. Abraham Van Helsing

Donald Pleasence

Dr. Jack Seward

Kate Nelligan

Lucy Seward

Trevor Eve

Jonathan Harker

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Synopsis

A man washes ashore in England after a shipwreck and is found by Mina Van Helsing (Jan Francis). The man introduces himself as Count Dracula (Frank Langella) of Transylvania, and proceeds to integrate himself into the lives of Mina and her friend Lucy Seward (Kate Nelligan). However, when Mina dies and her father, Prof. Van Helsing (Laurence Olivier), attributes her death to a vampire, evidence indicates that Count Dracula is the monster, and Lucy is his next target.

Director: John Badham
Producer: Walter Mirisch
Screenwriter: W.D. Richter
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2014
Runtime: 1h 49m
Sound Mix: Surround

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