I watched the movie just after finishing the book. Actually, I had lots of expectations of movie and from its famous director Coppola which has not been fulfilled.
You call this thing, this horrible thing a movie? its as if Bram Stoker was violently ill and took a huge dump on a film reel.
The acting sucked (Keanu woah reeves plays a Brit: "woah a crumpet"), I don't always hate Keanu, but this was just not him. Similarly Winona Rider makes a good nut case or cutesy wootesy girl, but not a good Victorian Brit and vampire.
Every generation needs a Dracula adaptation. Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1992 is one of the most faithful to the original text (or so I hear) and one of the scariest vampire movies ever made.
In my opinion, as with others, this film is a masterpiece. However Keanu Reeves, again in my opinion, almost completely destroys this film.
Francis Ford Coppola directs this version of the classic Bram Stoker novel that sees Gary Oldman as Dracula, who was tragically turned into a vampire after losing his great love. Winona Ryder plays Mina, the object of Dracula's desires, and fiancée of Jonathan Harker(Keanu Reeves) who traveled to Dracula's castle on a business deal and becomes his prisoner.
At some point or other, everyone watches a 'Dracula' film. Some people will remember Bela Lugosi's seminal portrayal of the vampire others will think of Christopher Lee and the Hammer horrors.
I first saw this in the late 90s on cable tv. Revisited it recently on a dvd which I own.
Don't get me wrong this film will appeal to a lot of people, compared to other vampire films this is definitely up there, but that's like winning first prize at an ugly contest. What is great about this film is the drama and theater style applied from the director and set designers.