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“I don’t drink… wine.”
Forrest, Conan Neutron, and Kristina Oakes discuss Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula In 1992, Francis Ford Coppola revitalized Dracula and the Vampire Film with Bram Stoker’s Dracula

A generationally defining vampire story. And for a very long time, the only one that people thought of when they thought of Dracula, the production design on this one is absolutely incredible top to bottom and the focus on Vlad Tepes’ past is a great decision. in the first 10 minutes of this movie, you get the entire background of the character and motivation and that’s done in an artful and engaging way that no other film has really done. 
The focus here is the love story, this is what Coppola brings to the genre/character. He also bring some of the most horny cinema in a major motion picture in a very long time.
Keanu Reeves performance in this film is not considered the strongest. Especially with Gary Oldman on a much larger platform really shining as the titular ancient vampire. He is as impressive and fascinating as you’d expect, also as a Young Dracula and a strange Wolf Ape Creature  Fortunately for the movie there are great character actors like Richard, E Grant and Tom Waits in supporting roles and Anthony Hopkins in a wild turn as Van Helsing. For our taste he’s up there with Peter Cushing as far as one of the best to do the role.
Anyway, the production design here is absolutely insane and still has yet to be touched. No surprise to us that is Eiko Ishioka who worked on the incredible Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters. The costumes and sets are extremely elaborate and all of it really works and immersive and intense experience. 
The focus on practical effects, things such as shadow work and techniques that are as old as film itself really makes this one stand apart.
This is definitely more than the sum of its parts as most Francis Ford Coppola movies have a tendency to be. It was a huge swing for Coppola that for our panel, definitely connected and is worth mentioning in an honored place in our month of vampire movies.