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Dracula 2001
High concept Return of the Drac
Plotline Present-day comeback movie for the blood-sucking count, who escapes from enforced retirement in London and makes for New Orleans, to track down the beautiful Mary (British TV actress Justine Waddell), daughter of his old sparring partner Van Helsing. Will he get his teeth into her, or can a novice vampire-hunter (Jonny Lee Miller) save the day?
Prince of darkness Posters for the film give a prominent namecheck to the modern master of horror flicks, Wes Craven. But the Scream director was only the executive producer, and not heavily involved in the movie. Maybe that's not such a bad thing. At least it means there won't be any scenes where characters talk endlessly about their favourite vampire films.
Blood of Christ Gore fans can look forward to a steady flow of blood and guts (decapitation being the film's speciality). But the same viewers might be bemused by the preachy Christian finale, which links Dracula's origins to the Bible and awards the final victory to God.
You're so vein The film tries for a hip, MTV look, but Dracula himself is surprisingly uncool. Played by Scottish actor Gerald Butler, he looks as if he spends most of his time blow-drying his bouffant hair.
Virgin on the ridiculous Dracula has always had a special taste for pure maidens, but it seems a bit excessive for Mary to have 'Virgin' emblazoned on her T-shirt. Actually, she works at the New Orleans branch of Virgin Records, which appears in numerous scenes, in one of the most laughably obvious cases of product placement in recent movies.
First week's US box-office takings $14,238,503
Verdicts "A bloody mess" - San Francisco Chronicle. "A thudding, suspense-free montage of unshocking shock effects" - New York Times.
