Dracula: Dead and Loving it (1995)

Dracula: Dead and Loving it is a must see for all Dracula fans. Some may cry afoul, since they may see it as blasphemy to the original. To be honest, this film, in itself, is very faithful to the book. And you know where Leslie Nielsen gets his Transylvanian accent.

This film is directed by Mel Brooks, and if you are not a fan of Brooks, then it is best to avoid it. Brooks is known to take genres and break it down to funny bones. It ripped westerns apart with Blazing Saddles, Hitchockian films with High Anxiety, Sci Fi with Spaceballs and now, he runs the stake through the heart of vampire movies.

Here we have an English businessman Reinfield (the hilarious Peter MacNicol), who travels to Transylvania to meet with Count Dracula (Leslie Nielson), apparently a Transylvanian count who is interested in buying a piece of property in London. Reinfield stays in the Count’s castle, and later, all hell breaks lose.

Later Dracula travels to London, with the now zombified Reinfield, and proceeds to seduce and drain the blood of two women, Mina and Lucy. Enter Van Helsing, played by the one and only Mel Brooks, who gets most of the laugh here.

There are so many scenes and I can’t point out which is better. There is a scene where Van Helsing plays who-gets the-last-word game. There’s a scene where Van Helsing performs autopsy when one by one, all his ten students faints. It goes on.

It takes a lesser sophistication on the viewers’ part to love the comedy here. It’s an all out, shotgun aimed laugh a minute attempt by the beloved director.

Nielson is of course Nielson. I don't like his brand of physical comedy, but when he is good, he is good. And thanks to Brooks, he is in good hands here. He took the accent right from Lugosi's mouth, and part of the fun comes from that. But it was Brooks and MacNichol's show all along.

Of course, it will not diminish your love for the original, or the other better movies (Horror Of Dracula and Bram Stoker’s Dracula comes to my mind). In fact, this film will only enhance your love for vampire flicks. Have fun


				*Rakesh's movie talk* *Dracula: Dead and Loving it (1995)*



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		Directed by Mel Brooks Written by Mel Brooks, Rudy De Luca & Steve Haberman (based on characters by Bram Stoker) Starring Leslie Nielson, Cary Elwes, Peter MacNichol, and Mel Brook.



		Dracula: Dead and Loving it is a must see for all Dracula fans. Some may cry afoul, since they may see it as blasphemy to the original. To be honest, this film, in itself, is very faithful to the book. And you know where Leslie Nielsen gets his Transylvanian accent. This film is directed by Mel Brooks, and if you are not a fan of Brooks, then it is best to avoid it. Brooks is known to take genres and break it down to funny bones. It ripped westerns apart with Blazing Saddles, Hitchockian films with High Anxiety, Sci Fi with Spaceballs and now, he runs the stake through the heart of vampire movies. Here we have an English businessman Reinfield (the hilarious Peter MacNicol), who travels to Transylvania to meet with Count Dracula (Leslie Nielson), apparently a Transylvanian count who is interested in buying a piece of property in London. Reinfield stays in the Count’s castle, and later, all hell breaks lose. Later Dracula travels to London, with the now zombified Reinfield, and proceeds to seduce and drain the blood of two women, Mina and Lucy. Enter Van Helsing, played by the one and only Mel Brooks, who gets most of the laugh here. There are so many scenes and I can’t point out which is better. There is a scene where Van Helsing plays who-gets the-last-word game. There’s a scene where Van Helsing performs autopsy when one by one, all his ten students faints. It goes on. It takes a lesser sophistication on the viewers’ part to love the comedy here. It’s an all out, shotgun aimed laugh a minute attempt by the beloved director. Nielson is of course Nielson. I don't like his brand of physical comedy, but when he is good, he is good. And thanks to Brooks, he is in good hands here. He took the accent right from Lugosi's mouth, and part of the fun comes from that. But it was Brooks and MacNichol's show all along. Of course, it will not diminish your love for the original, or the other better movies (Horror Of Dracula and Bram Stoker’s Dracula comes to my mind). In fact, this film will only enhance your love for vampire flicks. Have fun