"Bram Stoker's Dracula" makes the evil Dracula of Bram Stoker into a sympathetic, tragic character. Dracula becomes the prodigal brother to Jesus Christ. Dracula gives eternal UnDeath through his blood just as Jesus gives eternal life through his. A woman's love saves Dracula.
The strong allusions to the story of Christ provide the background against which this movie plays. Jesus is the one who is crucified. He gives eternal life through the sacrifice of his body and blood. Eternal life is salvation to the goodness of God from the struggle against sin and death in this world. Jesus descends from heaven to earth and ascends again through his crucifixion and resurrection.
Jesus loves children. He is ascetic. No sexual feeling or urges are reported of Jesus in the gospels. He is a miracle worker, who controls the winds, the forces of nature, illness, and demon possession. He commands his followers to pure love of their fellow humans.
Prince Vlad of the order of the Dracul, the dragon, faced by the suicide of his princess Elisabeta proclaims his opposition to the resurrection of Christ, "I shall rise from my own death to avenge her's with all the powers of darkness." If Christ descended into hell to bring forth the sinners held there, then Vlad descends to hell to learn its powers and oppose God.
The story of "Dracula" becomes a journey of revenge against the Christian order and against God for condemning his beloved to damnation for her suicide. The movie, in echo of classical tragedies, brings the mythic struggle for moral order to the personal level.
Although it is set within late nineteenth century Victorian society, "Dracula" refers most directly to our own time. The movie takes the modern theme of passion between Jesus and Magdalene and makes this story the driving force. Like "The Last Temptation of Christ," "Dracula" explores the relationship between the Flesh and the Spirit, Death and Life, Female and Male.
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