Count Dracula (BBC) 9/25 (1 Viewer)

[Brandon Gantt]

From DVD Drive-In:

 

[JoshuaB.]

I can't wait to own this on DVD! I saw it years ago on a PBS station and it creeped me out!

 

[Jeff_HR]

I consider this one of the better, if not, the best version of the Dracula story. I've owned it for a long time on a R2 DVD.

 

[DouglasBr]

FINALLY! I bought a copy on the UK ebay site a couple years ago, and couldn't imagine what has held it up from US release. It is simply the best adaptation of Dracula that I have ever seen (warts and all, of course -- the film/video techniques of the day may be off-putting for some).

Horray for Warner AGAIN!

 

[Mark Lx]

Wow, that sounds great. I've never seen that but love the BBC dramas from that era and good horror stuff.

 

[Greg Krewet]

I was under the impression that this is the new 6 hour Count Dracula starring James Nesbett which takes place in our time period. This will be broadcast in August on BBCAmerica.
Best
Greg

 

[Brandon Gantt]

I'm not sure about that, but the BBC has already produced a new version of Dracula in 2006 starring Marc Warren. It aired on PBS earlier this year and is already available on DVD.

 

[DouglasBr]

This from today's Digital Bits:

Be advised that the version of Count Dracula that Warner is releasing for the BBC on 9/25 (SRP $14.98) is the 3-part miniseries from 1977, staring Suzanne Shepherd, Frank Finlay, Louis Jourdan, Mark Burns, Judi Bowker and Susan Penhaligon. It's widely regarded as the most faithful version of Bram Stoker's novel ever filmed, and has long been awaited by fans on DVD.

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#hou

 

[Greg Krewet]

My Mistake. I was confusing Dracula with the new version of Jeckyl, the new version of Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde which will be released on DVD on the same date in Sept. This version stars James Nesbett and Gina Bellman and will be broadcast on Saturday Nights in August on the new revised BBCAmerica. Some of the other shows on Spernatural Sat as it is being called by BBCAMERICA are Torchwood (some sort of spinoff of DR Who), Life on Mars (2nd season) Hex (second season). By the way Dracula is up for pre order at DVD Empire. I would imagine other stores will follow very soon. Thanks again
Best
Greg

 

[Harry-N]

Hallelujah! Quite unexpected!

This was one of the earliest of my "saves" to VHS when it used to air on PBS back around 1979 or so. It aired as part of their GREAT PERFORMANCES series and was broadcast in three hour-long "episodes". It aired around Halloween time and kept showing up as an annual re-broadcast every year into the mid-80's and then it disappeared for a bit. It came back a time or two in the late '80 and then disappeared altogether. It was that late-80's re-broadcast that brought a controversial edit to the show.

In the first hour, there's a scene where Dracula brings a young baby in a bag that's devoured by his "brides". Jonathan Harker is witness to this horror in a weakened state. That scene was excised as being too violent and gory.

A few years ago I got wind that the COUNT DRACULA production was released in England by the BBC. They did a limited run on Region 2 DVD and did an NTSC video tape on VHS which I ordered. Unfortunately it plays like a video-tape too and is just not up to par on todays big-screen TVs. It's also not chopped into three "episodes" but plays as one long movie.

Since the production itself is a film/videotape production, I expect that the DVD we'll get here in Region 1 will still not be exactly high-def, but hopefully it will be at least watchable on today's unforgiving TVs. The technique that was used to make it originally has most interiors on a straight videotape medium, with exteriors going on film first and then edited on tape. It can be rather jarring to be watching this film-like production and all of a sudden be thrust into what looks like a daytime soap-opera. But I've gotten used to that, as the cast is perfect, and Jordan makes an exquisite Count Dracula.

I'm looking forward to this and the two DARK SHADOWS movies coming this Halloween season!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075882/

Harry

 

[R-T-C Tim]

I'm wondering whether, folk in the US with modern TVs that play PAL without conversion, would be better off with the impending R2 release, since I do imagine that the PAL > NTSC transfer on the R1 disc might look worse.

I own the ultra-rare BBC PAL-DVD of the mini-series and it looks very good, a million times better than the bootleg copies circulating around (see the image comparison on this threat at Latarnia)

 

[Brandon Gantt]

Actually the BBC does some amazing conversions on their PAL material. If the Doctor Who discs are anything to go by you shouldn't have to worry.

 

[Jeff_HR]

This is a NO-NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Harry-N]

Can't wait! This and the Coppola update too!

Harry

 

[PatH]

What Coppola update?

PatH

 

[Harry-N]

See here:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...=243048&page=2

and here:

http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releas...s-dracula.html

Harry

 

[Lee-c]

Are there any reviews on this new DVD set yet?

 

[Garysb]

If I recall correctly it was shot in video tape like "All In The Family" so I would guess it won't look great on a large screen TV.

 

[Johnny Jr.]

You guys have got me hyped up for this release!

 

[JeremySt]

Ive read the novel several times, and although I love many different film versions of Dracula, none of them have come close to capturing the book IMO. I had no idea this version existed. It looks like it may follow the plot closely, but yet again, the main character is played as a desirable male. Never was this is in the book. Oh well... Ill pick it up anyway!