If we’re being honest, the quintessential problem with most vampire movies is that filmmakers don’t understand these captivating creatures, and they deliver a film that focuses on nothing but blood and gore. Vampires, however, are meant to be the embodiment of seductive evil, and their onscreen appearances should oscillate between terrifying and mesmerizing. Perhaps the one director who truly understands this is legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, whose sexy, iconic ‘90s masterpiece Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) is now streaming on Netflix.
The plot of Bram Stoker’s Dracula should be pretty familiar to any horror fan worth their fangs: it all begins when a young solicitor is given the job of finding a new home for the mysterious Count Dracula. But the bloodsucking fiend sets his sights on the young man’s fiancée, believing her to be the reincarnation of his own, long-deceased wife. The fiend’s obsession with her threatens to tear these young lovers apart, and his subsequent rampage may take all of London along with their relationship.
A Cast Of Hollywood’s Leading Lights
The cast of Bram Stoker’s Dracula is stacked with big names, including ‘80s icons Winona Ryder (best known for Little Women) and Keanu Reeves (best known for The Matrix). The film also stars Anthony Hopkins (best known for The Silence of the Lambs) and Cary Elwes (best known for The Princess Bride). In a truly inspired twist, the movie even features musical legend Tom Waits as Renfield, Dracula’s memorably maniacal servant.
But nobody is acting harder here than Gary Oldman (best known for The Dark Knight), who effectively plays several different incarnations of Count Dracula. We see him as a younger man forsaking God to become the embodiment of evil, and we see him as an older ghoul who needs to leech off the life force of others. We even see him as a dapper stud stalking the streets of 19th-century London, effortlessly reminding everyone of just how seductive evil can truly be.
It Was A Monster Smash
The outsized budget of $40 million showed just how serious Francis Ford Coppola was about creating a horror movie like nothing Hollywood had seen before. Fortunately, the film more than paid for itself: Bram Stoker’s Dracula ended up taking home $225.9 million, making it a truly monstrous hit. On top of its commercial success, Coppola’s success also managed to impress the critics, which is even more notable when you consider how much professional reviewers typically hate the spooky genre (at least, until “elevated” horror gave them a palatable excuse for highly ranking such films).
When Bram Stoker’s Dracula came out, it quickly sank its teeth into movie reviewers clamoring for a new take on the vampire genre. It has a 69 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the singular performances from Gary Oldman and other talented performers. More broadly, they also commended director Francis Ford Coppola for rescuing these iconic characters from campy, dusty interpretations by modernizing the aging Dracula tale and making it sleeker, sexier, and more stylish than ever before.
An Oscar-Winning Fright
Like its titular villain sweeping through London, Bram Stoker’s Dracula swept the Academy Awards, ultimately taking home three different Oscars. This included the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing, Best Makeup, and Best Costume Design. It was also nominated for Best Art Direction, but it lost out on that particular award to Howards End.
To this day, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a singular cinematic achievement, one that never quite settles into a single genre. Sure, it functions perfectly well as a horror movie, and these lavish, scary visuals are sure to haunt you to the end of your days. But the movie also works as an unpredictably monstrous romance, one that is sure to have you sympathizing with its titular vampire long before the credits roll.
Speaking of lavish visuals, Francis Ford Coppola infuses almost every scene with over-the-top aesthetics that will leave you asking, “how did he do that?” again and again. From quiet scenes of a speeding train to the loud grandeur of the count unleashed, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the most visually sumptuous horror movie you are ever likely to see. Even if you start zoning out (hey, the Keanu Reeves dialogue will do that to you!), it’s undeniably difficult to tear your eyes away from a film that looks this freakin’ good.
Dracula: Dead And Loving It
It’s not the best vampire film ever made; that honor still belongs to the 1931 Dracula, in which Bella Lugosi ushered horror fans into an unforgettable age of monsters. But Bram Stoker’s Dracula is definitely the most iconic film featuring everyone’s favorite bloodsucker, and it provides unforgettable chills and undeniable thrills from beginning to end. If nothing else, Coppola deserves credit for updating and elevating a genre that long felt like it had a stake in its heart.
Will you agree that Bram Stoker’s Draculais a bloody good time, or would you like to see this stylish, supernatural romp burn up in the sunlight? You won’t know until you find your remote (you left it next to the stake, remember?) and stream it for yourself on Netflix. Even if you’re not all that scared of Gary Oldman’s Dracula, you may find yourself chilled to the bone by the scariest part of the entire movie: Keanu Reeves’ accent!
Sony WH-CH520 headphones are down to under $50 at Amazon — save over $20 right now
SAVE OVER $20: As of Feb. 3, the Sony WH-CH520 headphones are on sale for $48 at Amazon. This is $21.99 off their list price of $69.99.
$48 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $21.99
If you’ve had a new pair of headphones on your shopping list this year, but don’t want to drop a lot of cash on something fancy, there are plenty of great budget options to consider. The Sony WH-CH520 headphones are included in that bunch — we even consider them the best on-ear budget headphones — and they’re on sale right now at Amazon.
As of Feb. 3, every available color of the Sony WH-CH520 headphones is discounted to $48 at Amazon. Considering they’re usually listed for $69.99, this deal allows you to save just over $20. On top of that, some colors are even back at their lowest-ever prices right now, such as the blue and white models.
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The Sony WH-CH520s boast solid sound quality and a battery life that can last up to 50 hours on a single charge. Our review from writer Alex Bracetti said they’re the “best headphones under $50 — period.” He continued on to say that they “surpass expectations by delivering broad connectivity, energetic sound, and longer playtimes than most luxury models.”
While they don’t come with noise-canceling features, and our roundup of the best budget headphones notes they feel “quite flimsy”, they are worth grabbing for their sound alone. In that regard, the roundup states that the “the audio quality of this Sony pair certainly packed a punch.”
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If you’re looking for headphones that offer great sound with a lighter price tag, this deal on the Sony WH-CH520 headphones is worth a look.
The Pokémon TCG: Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is $15 off at Amazon
TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is now just $91.80 at Amazon. That’s $15 off its usual $106.89 list price.
Credit: The Pokémon Company
$91.80 at Amazon
$106.89 Save $15.09
Elite Trainer Boxes tied to high-demand Pokémon TCG expansions don’t tend to hang around at discounted prices for long, and Phantasmal Flames has been no exception. As of Feb. 3, the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is down to $91.80 at Amazon. That’s $15 off its usual $106.89 list price.
Currently undercutting the cheapest listings available at TCGplayer by over $52, a Phantasmal Flames ETB at this price — compared to current market demand — is offering solid value for Pokémon trading card collectors and players alike.
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Like other Elite Trainer Boxes, this contains nine Phantasmal Flames booster packs, along with a full-art foil Charcadet promo card. You’ll also get 65 themed card sleeves, 40 Energy cards, a player’s guide to the expansion, six damage-counter dice, a competition-legal coin-flip die, and a sturdy collector’s box with dividers to keep everything organized.
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Considering that individual Phantasmal Flames booster packs on Amazon currently cost $9.87, you’re essentially getting the Charcadet promo card and all the other bonuses from the ETB for only an extra $2.97 — a great deal if you’re both aiming to get caught up on the expansion and be equipped for real-life play at the same time.
A Winter Playlist for Walks/Fires/Reading on the Sofa
Last night, my friend Claire and I went to play trivia at a local bar. Are you good at trivia? I never know things like who was president when, but I was able to identify what fairy tale had a villain known simply as the Evil Queen and name all five Great Lakes. “I self-identify as smart,” my friend Rob told me yesterday. “But I’m truly terrible at trivia.” Made me laugh. Are you the same?
Anyway, the third round was all about music. The host played 30 seconds of each song, and you had to name the artist or band. One was Ella Fitzgerald, another was UB40; and the exercise got me in the mood to make a playlist. So, my loves, here’s a winter playlist for you, if you’d like something to listen to while taking a shower, making dinner, or reading in bed.
