Dark Prince: Legend of Dracula

It is very rarely that The Monster chooses to sit down and watch a straight-to-dvd movie. After all, the majority of movies in the cinema aren't particularly good, so what chance is there in catching anything decent amongst titles not deemed good enough for the big screen? So this was something of a one-off gamble, and one approached with low expectations (it turns out that 'Dark Prince: Legend of Dracula' was in fact originally a U.S. TV movie, but the Monster approached this DVD without this knowledge).

Yet The Monster was pleasantly surprised with this film.

'Dark Prince: Legend of Dracula' is essentially a bipoic of Vlad the Impaler, Transylvanian ruler and the real-life inspiration behind Bram Stoker's Dracula. As some of you dear readers may know, Vlad the Impaler was
a ruler notorious for the ruthless treatment of his enemies, and in particular his rather pervertedly sadistic torture methods. Nevetheless, 'Dark Prince: Legend of Dracula' portrays him as a somewhat sympathetic character, emphasising that the worst of the ruler's crimes were never proved to be anything other than rumour.

This isn't an attempt to get at the psychological essence of the man, nor is it an attempt to convey historical truths (indeed, towards the film's end it ventures into outright fantasy). Instead it is a romantic portrayal that reminds of Ken Russell's portrayal of Byron and Shelley in 'Gothic', and needs to be approached as such.

The plot follows Vlad from imprisonment, along with his brother Radu, by the Turkish Sultan Mohammed, who murders their father. When Vlad is eventually released he sets out to free his brother and subsequently wage a war of vengeance for the Sultan's murdering of his father.

Whilst there is nothing remarkable about 'Dark Prince: Legend of Dracula' - the acting, dialogue, and cinematography are merely adequate, there is plenty of historical incident and story development in the script to hold the interest. The film also carries with it an air of authenticity, thanks to a largely Romanian cast, crew and location - it makes a refreshing change to see the figure through the eyes of people for whom 'Dracula' is a very real part of their history, even if that view is through blood-tinted spectacles.

Definitely worth checking out if you're a Dracula fan.