Daily Archives: July 4, 2003

Dracula: Pages From a Virgin’s Diary

The highly gifted Winnipeg independent Guy Maddin takes on his first commissioned feature–an adaptation of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s production of Dracula–and succeeds brilliantly, making it his own while offering what may be the most faithful screen version to date of Bram Stoker’s novel. Shot mainly as a black-and-white silent, with music by Mahler, selected sound effects, and expressive use of red for blood and green for dollar bills, this kinetic fever dream is every bit as enticing as Maddin’s Archangel, Careful, and The Heart of the World. Don’t let the high-toned elements scare you off: this 2002 feature is a sensual delight, a highly erotic bacchanal with hilarious asides about male sexual paranoia in relation to race and ethnicity. 75 min. Music Box. Read more