In film the scenes following this type of introduction should set the plot and introduce the key characters. In Dracula the next few scenes had a direct contrast in colour to the introduction. This was meant to show how diverse the atmospheres were between the two eras. The first scene was set in a perfect, almost paradise like Garden. This set the Romantic like atmosphere for what the scene was to contain. Mina Murtay (played by Winona Ryder) is a very pessimistic girl who was fond of many things including her fiancé, Jonathon Harquer (played by Keanu Reeves) was completely the opposite. He’s very positive in the things he does, but does he sustain that optimism as he’s taken into the hands of Dracula. The contrasts between the paces of the first two scenes create a big impact on the audience showing them the change of Dimensions Jonathon’s bin through. The first scene of the garden was very relaxed with a major contrast of bright colours. Except it begins to loo comparably different as the camera focuses in on the eye of a peacock’s feather and fades into the high speed train Jonathon’s travelling on to Transylvania. The colours compared to the Garden are very dark and dull, with dark blue mist draining the light of the moon. When their were birds singing in the morning sun there are now wolves howling in the dark of night. This doesn’t perturb Jonathon though as he’s writing his first letter to his darling fiancée Mina. This was the first of a string of letters Keeping the couples relationship alive, as Jonathon’s about to experience the toughest chapter of his life yet. The use of voice over in the scenes leading up to the arrival into Dracula’s province creates a bigger understanding between the film and the audience. They help to explain the setting and the plot of a certain phase in the film. They also enhance the atmosphere creating a mood as a substitute or bonus to music. They sometimes help you develop a better understanding of characters or scenes. There were many incidences in the film where voice over had a big affect on the audience. Where it had its biggest impact though was when Jonathon was getting closer to Dracula and the film needed a voice over to enhance the atmosphere, portraying to the audience the severity in which Jonathon was crossing dimensions.
The ‘Lucy’ and the ‘escape’ plot were both key minor turning points in the film. They were both completely opposite in the sense Lucy’s giving her life to Dracula whereas Jonathon’s escaping releasing his life from him. When in Dracula’s hands, Jonathon’s life was slowly being drained, as was shown when his hair began turning grey. His optimism faded and his single life support was being able to send letters home to Mina. Jonathon though hadn’t lost hope. When Dracula is with Mina he’s open to her and has no control over anything else at that moment in time. This gave Jonathon the opportunity to escape. In the ‘escape’ plot it was very dark and dismal reflecting the environment Dracula blends into. It was very wet and stormy, forcing Jonathon to keep slipping. This showed how desperate and determined he was to release himself from Dracula’s anguish. The use of the voice over of Jonathon’s letter to Mina helped the audience understand what was going on creating a reassuring atmosphere to fit the scene, as Jonathon was in the safe hands of the nuns.
Lucy (played by Sadie Frost) is a pure and virtuous girl who used the element of seduction to magnetize the things she wanted. She is very loose sexually; this gave Dracula the opportunity to embark onto her in order to get closer to Mina. Due to her volatile actions she becomes extremely venerable to Dracula eventually resulting in her death. Everything she wore seemed to be extremely bright reflecting her personality: always optimistic and jovial. In the scenes set in the chamber when Ms Lucy is lying dead in a glass coffin the atmosphere is very capricious as Lucy’s in the hands of Dracula. The glass coffin and the fact she is wearing white gives off an aspect of irony, expressing to the audience a sense of her being virginal and pure/\. This all Dracula has given to her. The scene in which Lucy is seen walking down the steps towards her coffin carrying a new born has a big impact on the audience. It symbolises innocence which is far from what Lucy is, the baby helps to remove the impurity she carries. The baby also signifies the parody of Mary and Jesus as Lucy’s walking down the steps.
The climax to a film always has to keep the audience on a knife edge as the element of anticipation helps consequence the resolution of a film. In Dracula Mina’s appearance and actions leading up to the climax, play a significant roles the director tries to impact the audience and keep in-line with the plot at the same time. There is a diverse contrast in how Mina appears with Jonathon to Dracula. With Jonathon Mina wear radiantly bright coloured clothes with her hair up. Whereas when she is with Dracula she wears dark red and her hair is down. In the 1800’s the two different hairstyles represent two different ways in which women desired to express themselves in those days. This illustrates the true feelings Mina has for Dracula and helps to bring out the Elizabata in her. Leading up to the climax of the film an accumulation of incidences help Mina form a closer relationship with Dracula. At the same time Jonathon begins to realise how his love for mina is slowly being drained from him. This all accrues, eventually resulting in Mina giving her life to Dracula of her own will and Jonathon letting go of the love of his life. The scenes leading up to this are very fast moving and it’s the same for the storyline. There was a lot of action creating a very eager atmosphere. The use of strings played a big part in the mood of loss, as Jonathon decides to let go of Mina.
In Dracula the aspects of good and evil are portrayed vividly. Weather it be through media devices or by ‘set scenery’ the two aspects play a big role throughout the plot of the film. The director always thought about the audience, when and how to impact them through creating atmospheres and moods. The element of anticipation in Dracula played a big part as far as the audience are concerned. This allowed the audience to keep on the tip of their toes foreseeing the outcome. The use of Christian symbolism also played a big part in giving the audience a chilling experience. There are no plot twists for anybody who already knows the story, but Coppola keeps things reasonably fresh with imaginative touches throughout. "Bram Stoker’s Dracula" is an old-fashioned monster movie on a grand scale, a Gothic horror spectacular in the best, but for contrasts reflecting on old age epoch it’s one to watch.