Dracula

Storyline

Jonathan Harker [Hardy Krüger Jr] is a successful real estate agent now living with Mina Murray [Stefania Rocca] in Budapest. While dancing at a ball being given by John Seward [Kai Wiesinger], a psychiatrist who runs a sanitarium, Jonathan proposes to Mina, she accepts, and suddenly all of their friends--Lucy Westenra [Muriel Baumeister], Arthur Holmwood [Conrad Hornby], and Quincey Morris [Alessio Boni], who have been secretly invited by Jonathan to the wedding--stand waving at them from the balcony. Unfortunately, Jonathan must leave this happy reunion because he is called away to confer with a new client, Vladislav Tepes [Patrick Bergin], who wishes to purchase Carfax House in Budapest for his uncle, who lives in an old castle in Romania. Even worse, Tepes wants Jonathan to drive to Romania to blackmarketeer a deal with his uncle and launder the dirty goods, a duty that Mina doesn't like at all, considering that their wedding is only one week away. Jonathan doesn't find Romania a pleasant place. The border guards taunt him for being a rich capitalist driving a Porsche and, when his car runs off the road, a group of Romanians attack him. Fortunately, Count Tepes shows up to transport him to Castle Dracula, a ride he finds unnerving when they pass blue flames. After a few days at the castle, Jonathan has the distinct feeling that he is being held prisoner, as all the doors appear to be locked. One night, Jonathan has a dream that he is being seduced by three women and that Tepes sends them away. When he wakes up the next morning, he finds telltale scratches on his body and realizes that it was all true, including Tepes's invitation to grant all his wishes if Jonathan will but choose him, love him. Jonathan realizes that he must get away, but first he pokes a hole in a wall and descends into the cellar where he finds Tepes lying in a box of dirt. Jonathan tries to kill Tepes with a shovel, but Tepes wakes up and Jonathan runs, breaking a window to where his Porsche is parked in front of the castle with keys in the ignition. Jonathan happily drives away, only to meet Tepes standing in the middle of the road. Once again, Jonathan's car runs off the road. A ship has somehow arrived near Budapest, and a wolf jumps off after killing a few of the crew. Meanwhile, Lucy has begun her old habit of sleepwalking, during which she goes to Tepes, who has offered her the ability to attract all the men she wants. Fearful of what is happening to her, Lucy accepts Arthur's proposal of marriage. Yet, each time Lucy sleepwalks, she returns fatigued. Dr Seward, who has his hands full treating the bug-eating lunatic Roenfield [Brett Forest], notices the loss of blood, gives her transfusions, and calls in his teacher, Dr Enrico Valenzi [Giancarlo Giannini]. Meanwhile, Mina has learned that Jonathan was found unconscious and is now on her way to Romania. Once there, Jonathan begs her to marry him immediately, which she does. They return to Budapest where Lucy has been drained again by the vampire and is in the hospital. Dr Valenzi diagnoses the problem as due to a vampire, which no one believes. In fact, Arthur warns him to stay away from Lucy. Jonathan, knowing that the threat is real, warns Lucy to stay away from Tepes. She promises, but doesn't comply. After meeting Tepes at the Opera, she meets him again in secret. Once again she lands in the hospital, requiring a blood transfusion. As her friends stand by, Lucy dies. The doctors try to zap her heart, but it doesn't work. Lucy is dead. A child is found with wounds on the throat and suffering a loss of blood. Dr Valenzi is certain that Lucy is the culprit. He and Seward check with the morgue and find that Lucy's body is missing. Valenzi explains that Tepes is really the legendary Dracula, and Jonathan finally tells what he went through in Dracula's castle, agreeing that the only way to save Lucy is to drive a stake through her heart. That night, armed with stakes, they search for Lucy. It is Arthur who finds her. Lucy beckons him close but, as she descends upon him with her fangs apparent, Arthur drives the stake through her heart. It's now apparent that Dracula must be killed, so the four men break into Carfax House, where they find a cache of earthboxes, which they sterilize, but no Dracula. Suddenly, they are descended upon by a horde of rats that transform into Dracula. They try to fight him, but Dracula kills Quincey and runs to Seward's sanatarium where Mina is supposedly in safe keeping. He drinks from Mina and opens a vein in his chest from which he makes her drink his blood. That night, as Mina and Jonathan sleep, Mina is summoned by Dracula to meet him. She obeys. Jonathan follows. Mina runs to Dracula for his embrace but, when he wraps her in his cape, she drives a stake through his heart. Dracula disintegrates into dust and blows away. Mina is saved...or is she? The bite marks still remain on her neck. [Original synopsis by bj_kuehl]