Here’s a quick tip for all you pathetic normies out there; how to tell a Goth
from a regular old horror geek. Solution? Us geeks have an actual sense of humor.
(Also, we tend to be more fond of stained t-shirts and well-worn jeans than
leather bustiers and fishnet.) There are a lot of people that unequivocally
LOATH this series. (And of course, there are many, many more who have never heard
of it.) As for myself I used to love this charming little show as a youngin’ and
recently picked up a double dvd set off the net. Platinum Disc Corp., who
released the series about a year back was forced to discontinue selling it
shortly thereafter. Result being that these el cheopo discs are now rather hard
to come by, and selling for as much as $40.00 a set on e-Bay. Is it worth your
moolah? Read on
Well actually, you won't have to read that far. Is the show worth $40.00? Oh
hell no! (I myself picked it up for around $12.00 altogether, always shop
around!) If you’re expecting something scary or hyper-dramatic, you’d be flat
out of luck. But if you have a taste for goofy syndicated horror-fantasy look no
further. This show is pure cheesy bliss.
Achingly low budget, the show made steady use of two or three sets (The
charmingly cluttered Helsing household, and the foyer/dining area of Dracula’s
castle. Because showing you much more than that would be damn expensive. It‘s
Dracula‘s castle, use your imagination people!) Thankfully, despite being forced
to do things on the cheap, the series’ creators knew how to get the most for
their money. The show looks better than it has any right to. Being shot in
Luxembourg, means that the cast and crew had access to lots of loverly ancient
battlements and crumbling crypts. The pleasant locale adds immeasurable beauty
and enjoyment to the odd goings on.
On whole, the cast is quite good, although keeping in spirit with the
proceedings most of the guest and bit players are given license to ham it up. A
young Mia Kirshner is probably the best of the cast. She displays a lot of
talent even this early on in her career. (Yes, I could have made some cheap
jokes about the fact that she is now very popular for pretending to be a
lesbian, but I’m not going to do that. And do you know why? Because I’m lazy,
and can’t think of any really juicy ones. Oh c’mon, you didn’t think I’d refrain
out of decency, did you?) Bernard Behrens plays the likable Uncle Gustav better
than anyone else ever could have. He makes the character (a caring chap, though
somewhat of an old fart with a weakness for strudel and a penchant for lame
humor) quite believable. Jacob Tierney and Joe Roncetti are well cast as the
young aspiring vampire killers Max and Chris Townsend. While not overly
remarkable, they portray these somewhat silly characters amiably. (I swear, I
never remembered Max as being so dumb.) Of course, this being “Dracula: the
series” our resident vampyr better be worth tuning in for. Geordie Johnson is a
very talented character actor, and it’s a damn shame he still remains so
obscure. While certainly not the definitive Dracula, he brings a magnificent
sardonic relish to the role. Far from the insufferably brooding Rice-ian blood
suckers of late, this Dracula enjoys being the lord of the undead. Why should he
brood? He worked hard for his position, damn it! The juxtaposition with his role
as Machiavellian CEO is quite amusing. In Lucard’s world, guilt is for the
little people. Needless to say, he gets the majority of the good lines.
Am I letting nostalgia cloud my view? Of course I am! And that’s kind of the
point. This show appeals to my lighthearted inner child. (And I think it’s quite
telling that my inner child shows such glee over a show concerning ravenous
walking corpses. God, was I EVER not creepy?) If you can cut loose for a little
while and enjoy something that doesn’t take itself too seriously, you might get
a kick out of this. If not, well, I’m sure you’ll enjoy a nice evening of
cutting yourself while listening to the latest Marilyn Manson cd.