The whimsy-goth fever dream from the mind of Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) gives its classic heroine more romantic agency than any other version of the story put to screen.
Stars Caleb Landry Jones (Twin Peaks 2017) and Zoë Bleu (Gonzo Girl) unpack the departure from the horrors of the source material and what excited them to step into a more sweeping fantasy. The film was just released stateside after cultivating a fervent following among BookTok enthusiasts and horror fans online overseas.
Anticipation stateside was drummed up from the aesthetic fancam visuals that went viral thanks to the sheer yearning and chemistry of its leads, which they discuss below. Bleu emphasized how making Mina more of an active participant in a star-crossed love affair really solidified why bookish horror lovers are clamoring to see the film, which we recommend as this Valentine’s Day must-watch:
The gloriously gorgeous and bookishly horny fan-fic-tinged feature plays like an elevated Masterpiece Theater with earnest camp. And that was director Luc Besson’s intention; he told The Nerds of Color, “When I read the book again, I was trying because this is the story of a man who waits 400 years because he wants to see his wife again. And it’s so romantic. And I stay on that. I say, Oh my God, I want to tell the story because I think today things go very fast, things are very, you know, flat, and it’s all about the power and the money and things. Just to remind people that we come from there, we come from love. And then let’s not forget about it.
The filmmaker continued to describe why frequent collaborator Caleb Landy Jones (star of Besson’s DogMan) was his Dracula, “He has access to his soul, and he’s so generous that he can give you everything. And he’s not here to show himself; he’s here to please you, like, what do you want?” and added, “He’s a romantic, that’s for sure.”
“There’s a scene where Caleb, Zoë and [I] were very nervous.” Besson revealed about the first time Dracula encounters Mina, “This is the scene where, for the first time, he’s going to see his wife again. It’s the heart of the film, and then the way Caleb is interpreting it — you feel all his pain.” and added that he loved juxtaposing that with his leading lady’s reaction as if she’s in a reverie, “Zoë is different because she doesn’t know yet. She met a guy, “Oh, it looks like someone I know,” but that’s it. So, when they meet each other, it’s probably the turning point of the film.”
Dracula: A Love Tale is now in theaters!
