Dracula (1979)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

John Badham

Writers:

Bram Stoker (novel)
Hamilton Deane (play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 July 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Romance

Tagline:

Throughout history he has filled the hearts of men with terror, and the hearts of women with desire.

Plot:

When a ship is wrecked off Whitby, the only survivor, Count Dracula, is discovered lying on the beach by the sickly young Mina...

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Asylum | Dracula | Villain Played By Lead Actor | Eating Insect

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Frank Langella	...	Count Dracula
Laurence Olivier	...	Prof. Abraham Van Helsing
Donald Pleasence	...	Dr. Jack Seward
Kate Nelligan	...	Lucy Seward
Trevor Eve	...	Jonathan Harker
Jan Francis	...	Mina Van Helsing
Janine Duvitski	...	Annie
Tony Haygarth	...	Milo Renfield
Teddy Turner	...	Swales
Sylvester McCoy	...	Walter (as Sylveste McCoy)
Kristine Howarth	...	Mrs. Galloway
Joe Belcher	...	Tony Hindley
Ted Carroll	...	Scarborough Sailor
Frank Birch	...	Harbormaster
Gabor Vernon	...	Captain of Demeter
Frank Henson	...	Demeter Sailor
Peter Wallis	...	Priest

Directed by
John Badham

Writing credits
Bram Stoker		(novel)
Hamilton Deane		(play) &
John L. Balderston		(play)
W.D. Richter		(screenplay)

Produced by
Marvin Mirisch	....	executive producer
Walter Mirisch	....	producer
Tom Pevsner	....	associate producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Gilbert Taylor

Film Editing by
John Bloom

Casting by
Mary Selway

Production Design by
Peter Murton

Art Direction by
Brian Ackland-Snow

Costume Design by
Julie Harris

Makeup Department
Eric Allwright	....	makeup artist
Susie Hill	....	hair stylist
Colin Jamison	....	hair stylist
Peter Robb-King	....	makeup artist
Jane Royle	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Hugh Harlow	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gerry Gavigan	....	second unit director
Anthony Wave	....	assistant director

Art Department
Andy Andrews	....	property master
Terry Apsey	....	construction manager
Reg Richards	....	construction manager
Peter Young	....	set dresser
Andy Aitken	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Dennis Murray	....	plasterer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jonathan Bates	....	sound editor
Robin Gregory	....	sound mixer
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound re-recordist
Terry Sharratt	....	boom operator
Jeremy Hume	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Roy Arbogast	....	special effects
Michael Dawson	....	special effects assistant
Tad Krzanowski	....	special effects (uncredited)
Michael White	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Maurice Binder	....	visual consultant
Brian Smithies	....	models
Albert Whitlock	....	special visual effects
Henry Schoessler	....	matte crew (uncredited)

Stunts
Eddie Powell	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Roger Berner	....	assistant camera
Leslie Dear	....	additional photographer
Wick Finch	....	electrician
Roy Ford	....	camera operator
Ray Hall	....	grip
Harry Oakes	....	additional photographer
Bob Penn	....	still photographer
Laurie Shane	....	gaffer
Peter Taylor	....	assistant camera
Roy Larner	....	best boy (uncredited)
Marc Wolff	....	pilot: camera helicopter (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brenda Dabbs	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Chris Ridsdale	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer)

Other crew
Gordon Arnell	....	publicist
Jim Brennan	....	location manager
Bee Broomfield	....	production secretary
Pamela Carlton	....	continuity
Len Cave	....	production accountant
Reg Dent	....	horse master
Jan Francis	....	dance arranger
John Holmes	....	animal coordinator
Philip Kohler	....	location manager
Judit Thompson	....	assistant: Mr. Badham
Joyce Turner	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures
• Mirisch Corporation, The

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1979) (France) (theatrical)
• CIC Video (????) (France) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates

Other Companies

• Camera Effects  credits
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  music performed by

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | Dutch | Romanian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:X (theatrical rating) | Singapore:PG | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Carlyon Bay, St Austell, Cornwall, England, UK

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The car that Jonathan Harker drives is a Hispano-Suiza.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: A common problem with many vampire movies is repeated here: the bite marks on the ladies' necks are placed in such a way that the vampire's teeth would have to be one behind the other, not along side each other. The placement of the bites would have Dracula performing a serious contortionist act to get his teeth into the willing victims.

Quotes:

Count Dracula: Listen to them - children of the night. What sad music they make!

Movie Connections:

Remake of Dracula (1931)

Under rated

Come on, are you telling me that this wasn't a good Dracula film? This brought excitement and romance back into the idea of Dracula. Frank made Dracula into his own and became the perfect cast for the dark prince. When I was younger, I wanted this guy to be my boyfriend! LOL! But he was just that effective.

The story takes some different turns and isn't too close to Bram Stroker's novel, but still has high entertainment. Dracula still comes to buy Carfax Abbey in England by Jonathan Harker, which the actor scared me because he looks so much like my dad, but instead of keeping Jonathan as a prisoner, he is invited to a party with Jonathan and his fiancée Lucy's, that's right, Lucy, not Mina, family with her friend Mina who happens to have two little puncture marks on her throat.

When Mina passes on, Dracula makes his move onto Lucy and falls in love with her. But of course Van Helsing has something else to say about that and will destroy the fiend that killed his daughter, that's right, you heard me! Mina is Van Helsing's daughter in this one! Well, anyways, I would recommend this Dracula movie. It's one of the better must see's for Dracula fans!

9/10