Few years ago then I was aimlessly going through some of the video stores in our capital, when I came across this: a new version of Dracula. Not only that, but the DVD had two versions of this film: an edited hour and half long, and the original three hours long that was originally aired on TV in two parts. Now, I hadn't heard anything about this film and I wasn't expecting much, but it was cheap and as a dedicated fan of Bram Stoker's book I knew I would have to see it. So I bought the film and watched the edited version first. At best it was only an okay film. However, sometime later I embraced myself to watch the longer version and was surprised to find that it was a very good film.Plot is surprisingly accurate to Stoker, with the difference that it is moved to present day Budapest. An American solicitor Jonathan Harker (Hardy Krüger jr.) and his girlfriend Mina (Stefania Rocca) are about to get married and have invited their best friends Lucy (Muriel Baumeister), Quincy (Alessio Boni) and Arthur (Conrad Hornby) to Budapest. At the time they also befriend with a local doctor, Johan Seward (Kai Wiesinger), who is in charge of an asylum and an especially interesting case of Mr. Roenfield (Bret Forrest), which has required the presence of Seward's former teacher, Professor Enrico Valenzi (Giancarlo Giannini). Just when the engagement has been announced, Harker gets an interesting job offer from a mysterious Vladislav Tepes (Patrick Bergin) who wants Jonathan to travel to Romania to meet his uncle, Count Tepes, who lives in a remote castle. Although the opening of the film may seem a little forced modern version of Stoker's book, the moment Jonathan arrives to Count Tepes' castle, film follows Stoker's book with a surprising faithfulness.I don't understand why so many are against this film, maybe they have seen only the edited version. Sure, the film has many bad qualities, it is a TV film so budget is low, actors sometimes mediocre and special-effects downright ridiculous, but if you can just ignore those and enjoy this as a version of Bram Stoker's novel, you will not be disappointed. Many times I've heard how the fans of the book complain that there is not a movie faithful to the book. Well, this is set in modern day environment, but it follows the book so accurately you just have to forgive it. The makers of the film have been wise enough to film this in Budapest, that still has the feeling of an old world with it, and suits to the story a lot better than modern day London or New York. Also the Dracula's Castle here is an actual Romanian castle, which I think is a hundred times more eerie than any Hollywood set design.Patrick Bergin may not be the first name to come to mind when thinking of Dracula, but he does a good job. Nothing Christopher Lee level, but his own version. Of all the Draculas there has been, Bergin especially makes his Dracula a warlord, a very straight relation to Vlad Tepes. Often his Dracula speaks about the Final Battle coming and how it is time to have grand days back. Bergin's Dracula is a tired warlord, who has spend centuries hiding in a castle, but who has sensed coming new battles and is ready to start his own crusade once more. He also looks down on humans very openly, many times challenging them to a battle of wits. Bergin, funnily enough, looks very much like Vlad Tepes from the portraits. Aside of Bergin another performance worth mentioning is Giancarlo Giannini (most famous probably from appearing as Mathis in recent James Bond movies) as Professor Enrico Valenzi, the Van Helsing of this film. Although the name is changed, probably to explain Giannini's heavy Italian accent, Valenzi is very much Van Helsing if I ever saw one. In fact, I think Giannini does amazing work here, many times stealing scenes from others, and going right there with Peter Cushing and Frank Finlay as one of the best Van Helsing's ever.So, if you want to see a horror film with lots of special effects and action, see Stephen Sommer's Van Helsing, but if you want to see a good movie version of Bram Stoker's novel, this is it. Mind you, three hours long version is better, but if you loved the book, it is worth seeing.

this is the worst film I've ever seen... actually. i thought it was duty to warn all the people out there as in the 1 review of it on here the person claims that it was quite good and incomprehendably gives it 8 out of 10. well in case you believed him think twice. i got this film in a vampire films boxset (of which most of the films were awful - my bad) and everything about it is absolutely disgraceful. its like they've purposely taken everyfing good from the novel and tried to make it rubbish or turn it into a joke... bram stoker must be turning in his grave... at the start its quite funny just how awful it really is but after a while it just becomes boring and painful.... avoid at all costs

The Count Vladislav Tepes wants to leave wayward and superstitious Transylvania (and who wouldn't) and involves a wealthy soon to be married investment banker in getting him some new digs. All while sucking the local population dry of their life's blood. Woo hoo it's yet another tired adaptation of the classic Dracula mythology with their own personal slant.This umpteenth millionth adaptation of the great Bram Stoker's Dracula gives the film a more modern slant with mixed results. The TV production does stall a bit here and there with the lack of atmosphere but it's not a complete loss. 2 of 5

In the present days, in a ballroom of a hospital charity party in Budapest, the successful American lawyer Jonathan Harker (Hardy Krüger Jr.) surprisingly proposes his girlfriend Mina (Stefania Rocca) to get married with him on the next week. Their common friends Lucy (Muriel Baumaster), Quincy (Alessio Boni) and Arthur (Conrad Hornby) have been invited by Jonathan and have just arrived for their wedding without the awareness of Mina. Meanwhile, they are introduced to the promoter of the party, the psychiatrist Dr. Seward (Kai Wiesinger), and they stay together along the night. Later in the same night, Jonathan is called by a rich client, Tepes (Patrick Bergin), who hires him to prepare the inventory of the wealth of his uncle, the count Vladislav Tepes (Patrick Bergin), in Romania. Jonathan travels to the Carpathian Mountains in his Porsche, has an accident and finally arrives in the count's old castle. From this moment on, his life and the lives of his friends are jeopardize by a terrible menace. "Dracula" is an excellent contemporary version of Bram Stoker's famous novel. I expected a bad movie, based on the low IMDb User Rating, but this movie is surprisingly good. I have watched it on VHS in a version of 104 minutes, and I found many favorable points. The locations are amazingly beautiful; the camera and the photography are excellent, inclusive the introduction in a ballroom is fantastic; the story is a great adaptation of the Bram Stoker's novel to the present days; last but not the least, the unknown (at least for me) actress Muriel Baumaster is certainly one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen on the screen. The important role of Jonathan deserved a better actor, but anyway, fans of vampire movies like me will not be disappointed with this version. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "O Beijo do Drácula" ("The Kiss of the Dracula")