Count Dracula (BBC Mini-Series)

This is the best most faithful version of Dracula made so far. The actors all excel in their parts and it is very very close to Bram Stokers original novel. The only problems are some weird psychedelic light and nagative photography(black is white white is black) that are used when Dracula is shown in close up going after a victim, but hey it was the 70's. Beyond that though it is so far the best you will get if you are after a faithful adaptation of Bram Stokers novel. Some scenes were even filmed in Whitby England where Stoker set much of his novel. This adds to the authenticity.

Very eerie good telling of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Saw this many years ago on PBS and it scared the Bejezus out of me. Louis Jordan is great- very creepy Dracula. The storyline follows the novel very well as only the BBC could do. I waited all through the VHS years and into the days of DVD for this to be released. Glad to see it once again.

Louis Jourdan stars as Count Dracula in what is the greatest version of "Dracula" of all-time, the BBC version of "Dracula" a/k/a "Dracula 1977". For years and years, I searched for this film to no success. Only recently was this film ever made available to the public in any form. I can remember when I was young watching this version of Dracula on the PBS station, channel seven (7) back in the late 1970s. Quite frankly, it scared the daylights out of me then, and I was no stranger to horror movies even at such a tender age. Having seen it again almost 30 years later, I can certainly see why. In fact, this movie still packs quite a horrific punch, much more so than all of the "Dracula" movies that exist today. More importantly, perhaps, is the fact that the BBC version delivers the story of Dracula for all intents and purposes to the very letter of Bram Stoker's classic novel. Sometimes, movies that are variations of the novels that they are based upon turn out better than the book, but not in "Dracula". Bram Stoker's version is the most horrifying, and it is a classic in every sense of the word.

The acting in the BBC version of "Dracula" is simply outstanding, including Louis Jourdan as the Count himself and Frank Finlay, who is perfect as Professor Van Helsing, rivaling even Laurence Olivier in "Dracula 1979". However, it is the hauntingly dark and realistic setting, atmosphere and suspense that the BBC version of "Dracula" delivers to the audience that makes this particular rendition of "Dracula" a positively bone-chilling viewing experience and the ultimate "Dracula" movie. The creators of the BBC "Dracula" paid very close attention to detail regarding Bram Stoker's story of Count Dracula thereby capturing Stoker's perception of the vampire, Dracula, which is a completely evil and unnatural monster that must be destroyed at all costs. To the BBC version's credit, we do not get the lovelorn Dracula as that was not present in Bram Stoker's novel either. To place Dracula in a romantic capacity humanizes the vampire, and this is simply an erroneous modernized perception of the vampire that dilutes the horror associated with the vampire monsters. Count Dracula is interested in only one thing and that is blood. In order to get this blood, Dracula kills people and makes more vampires thereby imprisoning their souls in his world of evil.

Perhaps what is most interesting about the BBC version of "Dracula" is the way it personifies the good versus evil theme; from this standpoint, the BBC version of "Dracula" is also artistically captivating. In essence, the BBC version of "Dracula" is a virtuoso of horror, a portrait of good versus evil, and a classic that transcends time. This is something that is unique to the BBC version of "Dracula.

In short, the BBC version of "Dracula" is a stylistic portrayal of the vampire story which is a simple yet powerful horror movie that deserves more credit than it is given. In the BBC version of "Dracula", you have a movie that is scary, but it is also a classic that you can actually show to your kids. Now that this version is finally available to the public, I hope more people will discover how great a movie this is. The BBC version of "Dracula" is the greatest version of "Dracula" in the entire world, and garners FIVE (5) STARS and HorrorMan's official stamp of approval as the quintessential "Dracula". In short, the BBC version of "Dracula" is "Dracula".

I love the BBC and almost always enjoy their offerings but this is strange and very slow moving. It was a little jarring when they switched from location shots to set shots. Parts were very good, the actors and locations and bit players are right on. 160 minutes is also to long for this film. Some good editing would have helped; 90 minutes tops. I hope I can put it back in the machine to finish it; maybe if I'm confined to bed.

For years, I've been searching for this adaptation. Up until now, I had to satisfy myself by viewing bits and pieces on other websites.

This for me is the best adaptation of this classic gothic romance. Although the novel describes Dracula as a horror figure, this adaptation makes the Dracula character more acceptable to the viewer (and attractive!). Can't think of any woman resisting Jourdan. His elegance, charm and attractiveness is much like that of Frank Langella (which by the way was, for me, the worst adapation of Dracula) and of Bela Lugosi. And yet, there is an eeriness, mystery, behind Jourdan's portrayal...sort of an enigma.

I've always loved watching Frank Finlay. He has an uncanny ability to portray various characters (from Porthos to Iago) and his Dr. Van Helsing is no different. I do agree with the other comments here that it is at times a bit cheesy. But, overall, the faithfulness to the novel, the drama that continuously unfolds, makes this a one of kind keepsake.