- Dracula 3000
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Dracula 3000 
Dracula 3000 DVD coverDirected by Darrell Roodt Produced by David Wicht Written by Ivan Milborrow
Darrell RoodtStarring Casper Van Dien
Erika Eleniak
Tom "Tiny" Lister
Coolio,
Udo Kier
Alexandra Kamp
Grant Swanby
Langley KirkwoodMusic by Michael Hoenig Cinematography Giulio Biccari Editing by Avril Beukes
Ronelle LootsDistributed by Lions Gate Entertainment Release date(s) December 7, 2004 Running time 86 minutes Country United States
South AfricaLanguage English Dracula 3000, also titled Dracula 3000: Infinite Darkness, is a horror movie released in 2004 that brings the legend of Count Dracula into outer space in the distant 31st century. Despite its name, it is not a sequel to Dracula 2000, and has no connection to that movie.
The movie can generally be referred to as a Z-movie in that it had a relatively low budget, and a direct-to-video release.
Contents
Plot
In the year 3000, the space salvage ship Mother III happens upon the derelict transport Demeter. Captain van Helsing (Casper Van Dien) and his crew board the abandoned ship.
They explore the bridge and find the corpse of the Demeter's captain, (Udo Kier) tied to a chair and clutching a crucifix. Despite the misgivings of crew, intern Mina Murry (Alexandra Kamp) and vice-captain Aurora (Erika Eleniak), van Helsing claims salvage rights and decides to tow the ship back to Earth. As the crew prepares to return, Mother III suddenly uncouples from the Demeter, leaving them stranded aboard the derelict ship with no means of communication.
Later, cargo specialist 187 (Coolio) and deckhand Humvee (Tiny Lister) discover a cargo bay full of coffins. 187 speculates that the coffins could contain smuggled goods and cracks one open only to find sand. Humvee heads back to the bridge while 187 stays to open the other coffins; he is soon attacked. The crew rushes to 187's aid only to find he is now a vampire. Under orders from his 'master', a mysterious figure, 187 attacks the crew, with Mina becoming his first victim.
Aurora, fleeing 187, runs into the "master" (Langley Kirkwood), a vampire named Count Orlock who bites her neck. Aurora makes her way to the recreation room; she reports her encounter with Orlock and reveals his intentions to return to Earth. Upon questioning, she is unable to explain how she escaped Orlock unharmed.
Thinking Aurora could be lying, the Captain leaves her tied up and guarded by Humvee. Soon, 187 gains entrance to the rec room and attacks Humvee, who manages to stake 187 in the heart with a wooden pool cue. Aurora, still tied up, confesses that she is in fact an undercover android cop investigating salvage activities. Van Helsing and Humvee feel betrayed but nonetheless untie her.
Searching the ship's database, the Captain and Professor (Grant Swanby), who uses a wheelchair, discover that the legendary vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing was one of the Captain Van Helsing's ancestors. The Professor believes that Orlock will seek revenge against the Captain. The Captain learns from the ship's computer how vampires can be stopped and decides to steer the Demeter on a course towards a binary star system.
The Captain and Aurora are soon confronted by Orlock. While Aurora rallies reinforcements, the Captain fights Orlock alone, finally being overcome. Aurora and Humvee return, only to be attacked by Orlock. Aurora stakes him with another cue stick and wounds him but Mina (now a vampire herself) attacks, permitting Orlock to escape. Mina is dispatched by Humvee.
The Professor, despairing of his chances of survival, finds Orlock who promises to free him from his disability in return for aiding Orlock's return to Earth. When Aurora and Humvee return to the bridge, they find the Professor hiding, bite marks on his neck. Aurora stabs him with a cross, revealing that he was a vampire. A furious Orlock tries to enter the bridge but Humvee and Aurora manage to close the door on him.
As the Demeter draws closer towards one of the binary stars, Humvee and Aurora confess to each other that neither knows how to pilot the ship. They take comfort in the fact that Orlock's plans to return to Earth have been foiled. Aurora also reveals that from an earlier undercover assignment she is programmed for sexual pleasure.
The movie ends with a video segment from the Demeter's Captain Varna, who announces his intention to sacrifice himself and his ship; soon enough, the Demeter explodes in space.
Cast
- Casper Van Dien as Captain Abraham Van Helsing
- Erika Eleniak as Aurora Ash
- Coolio as 187
- Alexandra Kamp as Mina Murry
- Grant Swanby as "The Professor" Arthur Holmwood
- Langley Kirkwood as Count Orlock
- Tommy "Tiny" Lister as Humvee
- Udo Kier as Captain Varna
Reception
Critical reaction to Dracula 3000 has been nearly universally negative. Andrew Stine of Something Awful said, "Whether it's out of some facsimile of genuine interest (rare) or because I just want to see how completely stupid things can possibly get within ninety minutes, I have so far been able to keep myself from lapsing into a waking coma by latching upon some facet of the movie which is not utterly, interminably boring. That is, until Dracula 3000."[1] Mitchell Hattaway of DVD Verdict said, "Dracula 3000 is a shining example of complete filmmaking ineptitude. You can look all you want and you won't find even the slightest hint of intelligence on any level. ... It sucks. Dracula 3000 makes Leprechaun 4: In Space look like Alien."[2]
Scott Foy of foywonder.com wrote, "Dracula 3000 is a monumental achievement in cinematic stupidity. ... I suspect it is going to be a long time before I come across a new movie that is as bad as this was."[3] Beyond Hollywood's review stated, "There are bad movies, and then there is Dracula 3000. ... Without belaboring the point too much, this is one of the most ridiculous movies I've seen in a long while. The script by writer/director Darrell Roodt doesn't even try to make sense."[4] David Oliver of CHUD.com said, "This is the worst movie I've ever reviewed so far for CHUD. How is it bad? Every particular way you can think of: the acting, the writing, directing... I can go on for paragraphs. ... To call this film shit is an insult to fragrant brown logs everywhere."[5]
Notes
- The names of several characters (Van Helsing, Mina Murry, Holmwood) as well as of the ship "Demeter" are taken from the original novel, while the vampire's name (Count Orlock) is taken from the silent movie Nosferatu.
- The vampires are from the planet Transylvania in the Carparthia star system. The literary Dracula is from Transylvania, which lies in the Carpathian Mountains.
References
- ^ "Dracula 3000". somethingawful.com. 2005-02-08. http://www.somethingawful.com/d/movie-reviews/dracula-3000.php. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
- ^ "DVD Verdict Review - Dracula 3000". Dvdverdict.com. 2005-01-28. http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/dracula3000.php. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
- ^ "MSD3K - Dracula 3000". foywonder.com. http://www.foywonder.com/current_columns/foy_1204.html. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
- ^ "Dracula 3000 (2004) Movie Review". BeyondHollywood.com. 2004-11-28. http://www.beyondhollywood.com/dracula-3000-2004-movie-review/. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
- ^ Published 01/26/2005. "DVD REVIEW: DRACULA 3000". chud.com. http://www.chud.com/articles/articles/1333/1/DVD-REVIEW-DRACULA-3000/Page1.html. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
External links
- Dracula 3000 at the Internet Movie Database
- Dracula 3000 at AllRovi
- Dracula 3000 at Rotten Tomatoes
Categories:- American films
- Dracula films
- Science fiction horror films
- 2000s horror films
- 2004 films
- Vampires in film and television
- Films directed by Darrell Roodt
- Films set in the 31st century
- Space adventure films
- South African horror films
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