The cinematographer was much better than the rest of the team, unfortunately Christopher Lee included. Not that they had much choice, considering the wooden dialogue and probably the chosen convention of a cross between a silent movie and grand horror.
The shots did justice to the inventive scenography, and the story itself was enough to keep me watching the horrible acting of the main characters and overzealous episodes from the supporting cast. The editing was thoughtful, and despite the far too pompous music, it managed to build the tension and mood.
This variation of Count Dracula’s tale, though highly divergent from the original, managed to keep its spirit, while giving the plot a new spin. The plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat, which, considering the popularity of the source material, I deem to be quite a feat.
All in all, that was an inspiring watch that left me with an idea or two for my own charming monsters lurking in the shadows.