It's a chapter that's been left out of every adaptation of Dracula. So have we been missing out?
Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter (aka The Last Voyage of the Demeter in the US and some promo material that has made its way here) begins with finding the wreck of the Demeter, a merchant ship making a simple Romania to England voyage. With no crew members in sight, they are all presumed dead.
Flashbacks tell us that the crew were forced to battle their stowaway, Dracula, who was attempting to pick them off one by one, night by night.
The film adapts a chapter from Bram Stoker's original Dracula novel which has been left out of every other adaptation. (Source: 1News)
Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula is one of the most well-known pieces of fiction ever created, but one chapter titled "Captain's Log" has been absent from all of it's film adaptations. That chapter serves as the basis for the film. A film based on the voyage of the Demeter has been in some form of development hell for 20 years, before finally starting to take after hiring director André Øvredal in 2019.
Dracula is a character who has been adapted hundreds of times in fiction, in everything from Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf to Batman vs Dracula and countless other better examples. There's a very classic idea of the character, usually with a long cape, pale skin and a weird, seductive pseudo-sexual energy.
The version of Dracula from Voyage of the Demeter is a portrayal we haven't seen very often before. He's a barely human creature who would immediately spark fear in the hearts of anyone, as opposed to the Dracula from Renfield earlier this year which would elicit a simple "is that.. Nicholas Cage?"
The mix of practical and visual effects to bring Dracula to life are incredibly effective. It is a monster movie so he's hidden for a lot of the runtime, but his physicality, brought to life by Javier Botet, is a highlight of the film.
The casting for the film is top notch too, actors like Liam Cunningham and David Dastmalchian couldn't look more at home on a 19th century ship. The standout is lead Corey Hawkins, who proves he has more than enough charisma and talent to lead a blockbuster.
The diverse crew of a ship being picked off one by one is a formula that dates back decades, most notably early on in the film Alien. It's an apt comparison to Voyage of the Demeter, there's very clear inspiration taken from Ridley Scott's 1979 film, including a sequel tease at the end for a more action packed sequel à la James Cameron's Aliens.
You may find yourself yelling at the screen from time to time when the characters make dumb, typical horror movie decisions to continue the danger, but overall, I enjoyed my time travelling with the Demeter. Although don't get me wrong I would've hated to be on the ship in real life.
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