The BBC's "Dracula" is shown on British TV tonight. Marc Warren stars as Count Dracula in a stylish, sexy and erotic re-working of British writer Bram Stoker's classic chiller.
Thursday 28 December 2006, 9pm, BBC One
Lord Holmwood (Dan Stevens) is due to marry his sweetheart, Lucy (Sophia Myles), but hides a terrible secret - he has syphilis, so cannot consummate the marriage without infecting his bride.
His determination to find a cure leads him to a legendary being with extraordinary powers - Count Dracula (Marc Warren).
It's not long before he realises what a terrible evil he's unleashed, and has to call on the vampire scholar, Abraham Van Helsing (David Suchet) to help him rid the world of his nemesis.
****************************************************
Returning to the original novel for his inspiration, Stewart Harcourt's script draws both on elements of Bram Stoker's own life and Victorian society to give this version of the vampire classic a new, modern sensibility.
Desperate to find a cure for his syphilis, Lord Holmwood (Dan Stevens) seeks out an occult priest, Singleton (Donald Sumpter), who tells him of Count Dracula (Marc Warren) – a legendary being with extraordinary powers who lives in Transylvania.
Did you know?
Dracula means "son of the devil" in Romanian.
If Dracula could be persuaded to come to England, he could cleanse him of his corrupted blood.
Holmwood arranges for the Count to buy property in London and set up a base in the capital. Leaving his fiancée, Mina (Stephanie Leonidas), behind, solicitor Harker (Rafe Spall) is sent to finalise the property deals with Dracula in Transylvania, but never returns.
Meanwhile, Holmwood chooses to honeymoon at his ancestral home in Whitby, but still refuses to bed his increasingly frustrated wife Lucy (Sophia Myles).
Did you know?
Dracula has had an enormous cultural influence, inspiring over 100 films and a whole tourist industry in both Transylvania and Whitby, Yorkshire.
But Dracula uses his power to change his ship's course to Whitby, setting off a chain of horrific events. Ultimately Holmwood, with the help of his friend, Seward (Tom Burke), and vampire scholar, Van Helsing (David Suchet), must face Dracula in a final terrifying showdown.
Julie Gardner, Head of BBC Wales Drama, and one of the executive producers, says: "Stewart Harcourt's adaptation is a visceral, sexy and bold re-telling of Bram Stoker's classic chiller which will blow the cobwebs off traditional period drama. And we've brought together a cast of thrilling young talent to bring it to life."
Dracula was filmed in the summer of 2006 on location in and around the English West Country.
Did you know?
Some commentators think that Stoker may have based Dracula on Henry Irving, the exacting task-master who drained Stoker of his vitality.
Actor Profiles
Marc Warren*
Count Dracula
Mark's best known for playing Danny Blue in the con-drama Hustle. His other credits include Doctor Who, State of Play and Band of Brothers.
Dan Stevens*
Lord Holmwood
Dan starred in the popular 2006 adaptation The Line of Beauty, and has previously appeared in an adaptation of Frankenstein. Read more about Dan »
Sophia Myles*
Lucy
Sophia starred as Lady Penelope in the 2004 Thunderbirds film, and appeared in a 2006 episode of Doctor Who, famously becoming one of the few women to snog the title character.
David Suchet
Van Helsing
David is regularly seen on TV playing the legendary detective Hercule Poirot. Read more about David »
www.bbc.co.uk/drama
Thursday 28 December 2006, 9pm, BBC One
Lord Holmwood (Dan Stevens) is due to marry his sweetheart, Lucy (Sophia Myles), but hides a terrible secret - he has syphilis, so cannot consummate the marriage without infecting his bride.
His determination to find a cure leads him to a legendary being with extraordinary powers - Count Dracula (Marc Warren).
It's not long before he realises what a terrible evil he's unleashed, and has to call on the vampire scholar, Abraham Van Helsing (David Suchet) to help him rid the world of his nemesis.
****************************************************
Returning to the original novel for his inspiration, Stewart Harcourt's script draws both on elements of Bram Stoker's own life and Victorian society to give this version of the vampire classic a new, modern sensibility.
Desperate to find a cure for his syphilis, Lord Holmwood (Dan Stevens) seeks out an occult priest, Singleton (Donald Sumpter), who tells him of Count Dracula (Marc Warren) – a legendary being with extraordinary powers who lives in Transylvania.
Did you know?
Dracula means "son of the devil" in Romanian.
If Dracula could be persuaded to come to England, he could cleanse him of his corrupted blood.
Holmwood arranges for the Count to buy property in London and set up a base in the capital. Leaving his fiancée, Mina (Stephanie Leonidas), behind, solicitor Harker (Rafe Spall) is sent to finalise the property deals with Dracula in Transylvania, but never returns.
Meanwhile, Holmwood chooses to honeymoon at his ancestral home in Whitby, but still refuses to bed his increasingly frustrated wife Lucy (Sophia Myles).
Did you know?
Dracula has had an enormous cultural influence, inspiring over 100 films and a whole tourist industry in both Transylvania and Whitby, Yorkshire.
But Dracula uses his power to change his ship's course to Whitby, setting off a chain of horrific events. Ultimately Holmwood, with the help of his friend, Seward (Tom Burke), and vampire scholar, Van Helsing (David Suchet), must face Dracula in a final terrifying showdown.
Julie Gardner, Head of BBC Wales Drama, and one of the executive producers, says: "Stewart Harcourt's adaptation is a visceral, sexy and bold re-telling of Bram Stoker's classic chiller which will blow the cobwebs off traditional period drama. And we've brought together a cast of thrilling young talent to bring it to life."
Dracula was filmed in the summer of 2006 on location in and around the English West Country.
Did you know?
Some commentators think that Stoker may have based Dracula on Henry Irving, the exacting task-master who drained Stoker of his vitality.
Actor Profiles
Marc Warren*
Count Dracula
Mark's best known for playing Danny Blue in the con-drama Hustle. His other credits include Doctor Who, State of Play and Band of Brothers.
Dan Stevens*
Lord Holmwood
Dan starred in the popular 2006 adaptation The Line of Beauty, and has previously appeared in an adaptation of Frankenstein. Read more about Dan »
Sophia Myles*
Lucy
Sophia starred as Lady Penelope in the 2004 Thunderbirds film, and appeared in a 2006 episode of Doctor Who, famously becoming one of the few women to snog the title character.
David Suchet
Van Helsing
David is regularly seen on TV playing the legendary detective Hercule Poirot. Read more about David »
www.bbc.co.uk/drama
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