DRACULA UNTOLD - EVERY
BLOODLINE HAS A BEGINNING
The latest historical spectacle DRACULA UNTOLD has hit the European cinemas this weekend scoring brilliant reviews and before Vlad the Impaler invades US theatres next weekend, here are all the things you need to know about the epic movie starring Luke Evans as the famous Dracula.
THE UNTOLD STORY OF DRACULA
HIS POWER WILL COME AT A PRICE
At the turn of the century, the young lord Vlad Tepes (Luke Evans) and his young family live a peaceful life ruling over their small kingdom. However, when evil sultan Mehmed (Dominic Cooper) with his growing army demands from Vlad the first born male of every family to join his army; Vlad's wife makes a terrible mistake which will change history forever. Vlad's wife, Mirena (Sarah Gadon) travels to visit bloodthirsty witches (Samantha Barks) in the nearby mountains. While there she sells her soul to stop the invading army - the price however is that Vlad will become a blood-thirsty monster that will hunt the ages.
At the turn of the century, the young lord Vlad Tepes (Luke Evans) and his young family live a peaceful life ruling over their small kingdom. However, when evil sultan Mehmed (Dominic Cooper) with his growing army demands from Vlad the first born male of every family to join his army; Vlad's wife makes a terrible mistake which will change history forever. Vlad's wife, Mirena (Sarah Gadon) travels to visit bloodthirsty witches (Samantha Barks) in the nearby mountains. While there she sells her soul to stop the invading army - the price however is that Vlad will become a blood-thirsty monster that will hunt the ages.
BEGINNING OF MONSTER SERIES
With the budget of stunning $100 million, DRACULA UNTOLD has been officially confirmed as the first film in Universal's vast monster series which will include films on famous monsters with the second project being about MUMMY! One of the last scenes in DRACULA UNTOLD serves as the intro to this new monster universe.
THE ROOT OF THE HATRED
The conflict between Vlad and Mehmed begins very early: as a boy, the Turks have taken him to Ottoman Empire where he was raised alongside Mehmed II in the court of Sultan Mehmed I. Mehmed had developed jealousy over Vlad who was a better warrior.
BLOOD THIRSTY JANNI SARIES
When they grow up Vlad., as a vassal ruler of Transylvania, will be forced to pay tributes to new Sultan Mehmed II but the problem will arise when Mehmed arrives demanding that Vlad gives up 1,000 boys for his army, including his own son, Ingeras (Art Parkinson). In real history, Ottomans were known for their ruthless habit of taking little boys from their vassal countries and raising them over in Turkey as Janissaries, sultan's bloodthirsty butchers who spread terror around the enslaved nations. Since Vlad grew up in that way, giving up his son who would then experience the same horrors was unacceptable.
TIMELESS LOVE STORY
DRACULA UNTOLD isn't a film about carnage even though the theme is very dark. The idea was to make a film to be watched by whole families since the focus of the story are family values and love. It is a character based timeless love story.
When they grow up Vlad., as a vassal ruler of Transylvania, will be forced to pay tributes to new Sultan Mehmed II but the problem will arise when Mehmed arrives demanding that Vlad gives up 1,000 boys for his army, including his own son, Ingeras (Art Parkinson). In real history, Ottomans were known for their ruthless habit of taking little boys from their vassal countries and raising them over in Turkey as Janissaries, sultan's bloodthirsty butchers who spread terror around the enslaved nations. Since Vlad grew up in that way, giving up his son who would then experience the same horrors was unacceptable.
TIMELESS LOVE STORY
DRACULA UNTOLD isn't a film about carnage even though the theme is very dark. The idea was to make a film to be watched by whole families since the focus of the story are family values and love. It is a character based timeless love story.
VAMPIRE SPECIAL POWERS
After drinking blood and becoming a vampire in order to save his people and family, Vlad gains some special powers such as flying, healing and immortality.
THE LAVISH COSTUMES
When it comes to costumes, the colours are opulent at Mehmed's lavish court, and more modest in poorer Transylvania. Sarah Gadon's Mirena wears a lot of light colours as the symbol of innocence and love. In one of the scenes she wears a rich crown made of pearls and lace. Luke Evans wears some of the most spectacular armours ever seen on the big screen!
Oh Wow. That just went on my must see list.
ReplyDeletean absolute mega giga must :)
DeleteIt's already opened in Australia and we saw it yesterday. It's very good and Luke Evans is a total star already. The special effects are something else, and it is scary in parts, especially the first vampire.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it! Charles Dance did look scary as the main vampire even in the trailers!
DeleteSounds excellent. Looking forward to the MUMMY also :)
ReplyDeleteI''m just sad it won't be Steven Sommers' MUMMY remake, but the remake of the old horror movie
DeleteI feel like a mummy. Does that count, Wendy?
DeleteI'll see it but not in theaters
ReplyDeletebecause you're afraid of the dark in the cinemas? :)
DeleteOh hell. Um and I liked the crown. Might try to make one like it. Man this is gonna be a nice family value movie. :)
ReplyDeleteYou could wear the crown when you go shopping at the mall :)
DeleteA blockbuster just in time for Halloween!
ReplyDeletea perfect timing!
DeleteI am not surprised it is already getting rave reviews. It has looked like an amazing film all the way around since I first heard about it (here of course!) I can't wait to see it myself!
ReplyDeleteAccording to first reports it has earned around $30 million worldwide in first few days
Delete$30 million schmillion... So what? Oh bite me! :p
Deleteeat my shorts :)
DeleteAgain?
DeleteThat's a hefty chunk of change already! Can't wait to see what it pulls in altogether!
DeleteLuke just flew over to US yesterday for the premiere in NY!
DeleteHe can fly that far? Oh I know where he gets his energy.... he sucks. Haaa! Talk about naughty, Wendy! Wendy?
DeleteOh hi, Theresa.
Luke is pretty much in a different city each day, one day he was in Berlin, then Milan, then London, then New York....
DeleteIt flopped! I knew it. No teeth.
Deletehow dare you put a link to that rotten site here! Curse upon you!
DeleteToo late. I was cursed already. Bite me!
DeleteI think that this will be the best films of at the moment, very eager to see .
ReplyDeleteCheers .
probably the best epic movie this year!
DeleteSounds great, no doubt!
ReplyDeleteglad you think so, Phil!
Deletethe art of Dracula and this film is glorious... I am in fear that it might become the plot of I,Frankenstein. Shimmers.
ReplyDeleteyep, the best posters we've seen for many years! Wish they had character posters too for Mirena and Mehmed
DeleteI can't wait to see Dracula. It looks so visually stunning. There's been some horrible monster movies lately (I, Frankenstein was the WORST).
ReplyDeleteI didn't hate I. FRANKENSTEIN, thanks to the Gargoyle queen, but didn't like it either....
DeleteDracula Untold looks stoopid. It'll probably win a razzie.
ReplyDeletethanks for the optimism, Michael
DeleteOh come on. It has nothing to do with being optimistic. A Dracula film should follow the book "Dracula," which I know you've read. This...whatever this thing is...looks like that I,Frankenstein disaster that Aaron Eckheart was in. I'm all for an original story, but let's not confuse this with Dracula. It has nothing to do with "Dracula." It's just a vampire story that they wanted to tell and base it on some name recognition. It's a money grab and I'm not buying.
DeleteThis is not a new story, this is a historical story, Michael. Vlad Tepes really existed and they are following his life using some movie freedoms to ad some fantasy elements. It describes so many things that my own people have survived under the bloodthirsty Ottomans. And the element of vampirism is also something very historical in Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria. Bram Stoker was inspired by the real story so I don't see how you can put the book above history. This IS the real Dracula, Vlad Tepes from the family of Draculesti, not what Bram wrote...
Delete