Topic: A Question for our friends in the UK (and anyone else that may have seen this)

[addicted2dvd]

Yes... I am still looking at things that I may possibly order. And I was wondering if this title is worth ordering...


Count Dracula
This fan favorite three-part series from the BBC is now available on DVD for the first time! Louis Jourdan stars as the deliciously blood-thirsty Count Dracula in this version of Bram Stoker's horror classic. Keeping close to the original novel, the series begins with Jonathan Harker visiting the Count in Transylvania to help him with preparations to move to England. It is in the Count's castle that Jonathan becomes a prisoner, and discovers Dracula's true nature. Many scenes shot on location -- such as the Gothic graveyard of London's Highgate Cemetery -- add extra atmosphere to an already powerful production.

I am considering this one... but I have so many versions of this story (although a favorite of mine).. I just want to hear some thoughts on it before I decide. It is listed to be 2hrs. 30min long... does that sound right? or has it been cut or what have you?

[addicted2dvd]

or how about...


Eden Lake
Like a bad dream turned worst nightmare, Eden Lake is a "relentlessly tense and immaculately paced" (Twitch Film) horror-thriller about modern youth gone wild. When a young couple goes to a remote wooded lake for a romantic getaway, their quiet weekend is shattered by an aggressive group of local kids. Rowdiness quickly turns to rage as the teens terrorize the couple in unimaginable ways, and a weekend outing becomes a bloody battle for survival. Eden Lake is "fierce, thought-provoking ... and genuinely shocking" (Time Out London).

[Najemikon]

You threw me with Dracula! There was a recent adaptation on TV -may have been BBC or ITV- that was pretty well received (though I didn't see it). However, that one you've found was from 1977! To be honest, I wouldn't bother unless it was cheap. In 1977, the BBC ruled the world with sitcoms and documentaries. And dramas, except when I see clips from those dramas, I find them very stagey. More like videos of theatre plays. I doubt it's aged well.

If you want to see something decent from that age of British TV, get a set of the greatest sitcom ever filmed: Fawlty Towers!

See if the newer Dracula is available because if you enjoy the story, I think you'd appreciate a British slant. Our TV dramas are normally very high quality. It starred Marc Warren I think, to give you a search term.

I haven't seen Eden Lake either, but it's getting great reviews. It sounds to me like it's a very tough horror in the same vein as Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Wolf Creek. I don't think there would be a huge amount of gore, but I wouldn't bet on a happy ending! It will be pretty serious because it's tapping into a current British problem of anti-social groups of youths, nicknamed "Hoodies". It's an exaggerated tabloid image, but a problem nonetheless. The general opinion is that nice normal people will get attacked by random feral teenagers if they wander too far from Tescos...

Empire: Eden Lake Review

[Achim]

You threw me with Dracula! There was a recent adaptation on TV -may have been BBC or ITV- that was pretty well received (though I didn't see it). However, that one you've found was from 1977! To be honest, I wouldn't bother unless it was cheap. In 1977, the BBC ruled the world with sitcoms and documentaries. And dramas, except when I see clips from those dramas, I find them very stagey. More like videos of theatre plays. I doubt it's aged well.

I actually had thought the DVD Pete was looking at was the "well received" version and have it on my Wish List as well. Now you made me step back and I will have took into this more closely. Don't want to buy a piece of garbage while intending to get something well received...

I gues you mean this: Dracula (2006) ?
Pete meant this: Count Dracula (1977)
The first one has an IMDb Rating of 5.2, the second one 7.8 The latter also comes highly recommended by DVDTalk (which is why it's on my Wish List).

I strongly support the recommendation of Fawlty Towers.

[addicted2dvd]

Thanks for the info... I will definitely proceed with caution. will do more research before deciding to buy.

[addicted2dvd]

I decided to hold off on these for a while and picked out a couple cheap titles to round off my order this morning. But these will still be under consideration for a later date.

[Najemikon]

You threw me with Dracula! There was a recent adaptation on TV -may have been BBC or ITV- that was pretty well received (though I didn't see it). However, that one you've found was from 1977! To be honest, I wouldn't bother unless it was cheap. In 1977, the BBC ruled the world with sitcoms and documentaries. And dramas, except when I see clips from those dramas, I find them very stagey. More like videos of theatre plays. I doubt it's aged well.

I actually had thought the DVD Pete was looking at was the "well received" version and have it on my Wish List as well. Now you made me step back and I will have took into this more closely. Don't want to buy a piece of garbage while intending to get something well received...

I gues you mean this: Dracula (2006) ?
Pete meant this: Count Dracula (1977)
The first one has an IMDb Rating of 5.2, the second one 7.8 The latter also comes highly recommended by DVDTalk (which is why it's on my Wish List).

I strongly support the recommendation of Fawlty Towers.

I really don't know what to say! The new Dracula seemed to do quite well although it isn't a faithful adaptation. The 1977 one sounds like it was better made all round. But as I said before, everything the BBC did was better back then, but I just find the dramas very dated.

I've found a run of clips on YouTube, so I'll let you make your own mind up!

Clip 1

Clip 2

It's nice to see the story treated so low-key, but it's still the clunky staged effect I've been talking about.

I've also found a Marc Warren clip. It is shiny and new, but I retract any implied recommendation! It's earned that IMDB rating an then some!

Dracula (Marc Warren)

[lovemunkey187]

Marc Warren must have some truly damning photographs to keep getting as much work as he does, I mean , look at him as Mr Teatime in the Hogfather, that was a frakking awful performance in an admittedly flawed programme.