Dracula Untold

Dracula Untold
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Name	Dracula Untold
Director	Gary Shore
Producer	Michael De Luca, Jonathan Hensleigh
Writer	Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless
Starring	Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon, Dominic Cooper, Art Parkinson, Charles Dance
Music	Ramin Djawadi
Cinematography	John Schwartzman
Editing	Richard Pearson
Studio	Universal Pictures, Legendary Pictures
Released	October 10, 2014
Runtime	92 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$70 million
Gross	$215.5 million

Dracula Untold is a 2014 American action horror film directed by Gary Shore and written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. The film stars Luke Evans as Vlad the Impaler, Sarah Gadon as Mirena, Dominic Cooper as Mehmed II, Art Parkinson as Îngeraș, and Charles Dance as The Master Vampire. The film is a retelling of the classic Bram Stoker novel Dracula, with influences from John Polidori's The Vampyre and Byzantine history, including the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople and the Battle of Varna.

Plot

The film tells the story of Vlad the Impaler, a prince of Wallachia, who must navigate the complexities of Ottoman politics and vampirism to protect his people and his family, including his wife Mirena and son Îngeraș. Along the way, he encounters Mehmed II, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and The Master Vampire, a powerful and ancient Vampire who turns Vlad the Impaler into a creature of the night, similar to those found in John William Polidori's The Vampyre and Bram Stoker's Dracula. The film also draws inspiration from historical events, such as the Battle of Varna and the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, and features characters like Sultan Murad II and Jan Hunyadi.

Cast

The film features a talented cast, including Luke Evans as Vlad the Impaler, Sarah Gadon as Mirena, Dominic Cooper as Mehmed II, Art Parkinson as Îngeraș, and Charles Dance as The Master Vampire. The cast also includes Noah Huntley as Cazan, Paul Kaye as Brother Lucian, and Zach McGowan as Shkelgim. The film's cast brings to life characters from Bram Stoker's Dracula and John Polidori's The Vampyre, as well as historical figures like Vlad the Impaler and Mehmed II, who played important roles in the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople and the Battle of Varna.

Production

The film was directed by Gary Shore and produced by Michael De Luca and Jonathan Hensleigh, with a screenplay by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. The film's cinematography was handled by John Schwartzman, and the music was composed by Ramin Djawadi, who also worked on Game of Thrones and Iron Man. The film's production team drew inspiration from a range of sources, including Bram Stoker's Dracula, John Polidori's The Vampyre, and historical events like the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople and the Battle of Varna, which involved figures like Vlad the Impaler and Mehmed II.

Release

The film was released on October 10, 2014, by Universal Pictures and Legendary Pictures, and was distributed in the United States by Universal Pictures. The film was also released in other countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, and was shown at film festivals like the Toronto International Film Festival and the Fantastic Fest. The film's release coincided with the release of other horror films, such as Annabelle and Ouija, and was part of a larger trend of vampire-themed films, including Twilight and Byzantium, which drew inspiration from Bram Stoker's Dracula and John Polidori's The Vampyre.

Reception

The film received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising the film's visuals and action sequences, while others criticized the film's storyline and characters, comparing them to those found in Bram Stoker's Dracula and John Polidori's The Vampyre. The film holds a rating of 22% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews from critics like Peter Travers and A.O. Scott, who also reviewed films like The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises. Despite the mixed reviews, the film was a commercial success, grossing over $215 million at the box office, and was part of a larger trend of successful horror films, including The Conjuring and Insidious, which drew inspiration from The Exorcist and The Shining.

Historical_context

The film is set in the 15th century, during the reign of Vlad the Impaler in Wallachia, and draws inspiration from historical events like the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople and the Battle of Varna, which involved figures like Mehmed II and Jan Hunyadi. The film also features characters like Sultan Murad II and John Hunyadi, who played important roles in the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople and the Battle of Varna. The film's historical context is also influenced by the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire, which played significant roles in the history of Europe and the Middle East, and were involved in events like the Fall of Constantinople and the Battle of Kosovo. The film's use of historical events and figures adds depth and complexity to the story, and helps to create a rich and immersive world, similar to those found in Bram Stoker's Dracula and John Polidori's The Vampyre.