Which Dracula Film is most faithful to the book?

[stargazer01]

As a big fan of the Coppola Dracula movie, I found this very interesting to watch.

And makes me question if filmmakers should stay as close as possible to the original story or should they add or change some things to keep the story fresh? I think first and foremost, it needs to be a good film that entertains and thrills you.

Thoughts?

[Scott Taylor]

Well he is correct. The 1977 version is the most faithful by far. Its a little on the boring side, as are many of the BBC TV films in my opinion, but having read the book (and loving it) - it was my choice too.

For me the key elements that put it over the top is all the small details, like using communion wafers to stave off the vampires and all the details about Renfeld, who was a huge factor in the book. Louis Jordan wasn't the most convincing as Dracula, but overall the movie really did the best at adapting Stoker's basic concepts and the themes of clear good versus evil.

Coppola is a good second choice. But it only really is second because all the others are so far rather than because it is really all that close.

[sunofdarkchild]

Coppola is the most faithful theatrical release, while BBC 1977 is the most faithful overall.

[Powerboy]

I would say he's almost certainly right that the 1977 BBC version was the most faithful. Personally, I would move the Franco/ Christopher Lee version to second partly because the Coppola version had so many deviations, some of which changed the essence of the story such as Mina really feeling love for Dracula and vice versa, but also because it got the appearance of Dracula right.

[Powerboy]

Coppola is the most faithful theatrical release, while BBC 1977 is the most faithful overall.

I'd personally go with the Franco version only because I think the Coppola version's things that were true to the story were at least equaled by the deviations.