Bram Stoker's Dracula (DvD Movie) Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula. 2005

One of the most commercially successful horror films of all time, Francis Ford Coppola's reinterpretation of the legendary vampire story isn't really a horror film at all. Despite a powerful opening sequence, amazing special effects, and a brief scene of a lycanthropic wolf-beast having sex, this version strips away most of the scares and sex in favor of romance. Rather than the powerful, feral sexuality of previous screen Draculas -- Christopher Lee comes to mind -- Gary Oldman's performance hinges on sadness, longing, and the memory of his murdered wife. Those familiar with horror archetypes might even argue that this is a mummy film in vampire's clothing. Critics were quick to praise Coppola for his faithfulness to Bram Stoker's novel, but, in re-creating its detail, he may have missed its essence: the vampire is not a romantic anti-hero, but a dark representation of sexual taboo