Dracula (1958)

[DocRobertPepper]

The BFI to mark the 50th anniversary of Hammer Horrors will re-release a new restoration of this film
Cineworld will be showing it from the 26th October
there will be digital screenings on the 2nd & 3rd November
and a special Halloween showing on 31rd October

[smudge]

Great news.

Thanks Doc - shall be looking out for this...

Smudge

[Dave Rattigan]

I cannot wait for this one. I watch the movie on DVD at least a couple times a year, but it will be a different experience entirely seeing it on the big screen for the first time.

Dates, times and venues are all on the BFI website here: BFI | Current Film Releases | Dracula

[TheLatePeterCook2]

It would be wonderful to see it on the wide screen, sadly it looks like there's only one cinema in my region showing it (for one night!) so I can't go! (The only time I can make the long trek to the pictures is during the weekend).

[scenesixty]

Originally Posted by Dave Rattigan I cannot wait for this one. I watch the movie on DVD at least a couple times a year, but it will be a different experience entirely seeing it on the big screen for the first time. Dates, times and venues are all on the BFI website here: BFI | Current Film Releases | Dracula

I agree entirely with this posting. The original and best,from the scary library music to the scenes of Mina offering herself to the Count.
You can't beat the 'Big Screen' especially for a fifties original.
Best.
B.

[John Hodson]

Well, no debate about the restoration, just whodunnit and how. See this page:

Film Archive Action - Latest News

Scroll down to 'Dracula - The True Story'.

[Dave Rattigan]

Saw the restoration on Halloween. The new picture is no sharper than previous prints, but the colours are much vibrant, and on the whole it's darker, which helps some scenes. The only extra footage, apart from the lovely restored title card, with its lavish, calligraphic typeface, was about a second of blood when Lucy gets staked. The Guardian claimed there were a few seconds of Dracula's disintegrating foot (now that's what I called footage!) added to the finale, but I never noticed it, despite having seen the film probably 20 or 30 times, so I'm quite skeptical of the claim.

Noticed a lot of new sound, though I'm not sure whether that was due to the restoration or simply the theatre acoustics.

[Cheeky Bob]

Originally Posted by John Hodson Well, no debate about the restoration, just whodunnit and how. See this page: Film Archive Action - Latest News Scroll down to 'Dracula - The True Story'.

Someone from the BFI responded to those charges in these very forums!

[MattP]

Originally Posted by Dave Rattigan Saw the restoration on Halloween. The new picture is no sharper than previous prints, but the colours are much vibrant, and on the whole it's darker, which helps some scenes.

Hi Dave, interesting to see your comments re Dracula- I took myself along to the NFT last night and, having looked forward to a stunning big-screen experience, was very disappointed with the colour: very washed-out and muddy. And the print looked much too dark and murky. I actually think the Warner Bros DVD looks much better, albeit cropped - the colours are at least vivid, which is how the movie should look. I've read nothing but praise for this BFI "restoration" but surely a restored movie should look fantastic, which this does not. If the original negative (from which this new print was apparently struck) is in such a faded state, then that's a real shame and not at all representative of the beautiful, rich, glowing "look" of those early Hammer classics we all know and love.

And you are quite right about there being no additional footage - Dracula's disintegration is identical to previous versions, and is still missing that fabled "flaky face" close-up - who knows if that was ever actually filmed..? Incidentally the BFI has posted this still in colour on their website, along with a lovely shot of Peter Cushing inside Castle Dracula during the climactic chase, which displays the striking colour scheme of this movie that is noticeably lacking from the new BFI print.

BFI | Current Film Releases | Dracula | Stills