Dracula 3: Legacy (DVD)

Dracula just won’t die! He’s back again (this time in the person of Rutger Hauer) in the third installment of a series that was initially called Wes Craven Presents: Dracula 2000, and a fourth film is already in the works.

The second movie introduced the Father Ufizzi character (played by Jason Scott Lee), a kick-ass priest with an enviable six-pack, and guns of both kinds — and, he just happens to be a half-vampire vampire slayer (rather like Blade). (Actually he has guns, but he doesn’t shoot them, preferring a bow for his deadly damage.)

After a cliffhanger in Dracula 2: Ascension (my personal favorite in the series so far), we pick up the action with Ufizzi and his sidekick, Luke (Jason London), heading for the bloodsucker capital of the world, Romania, to save Luke’s S.O., Julia (Alexandra Wescourt) from Count Dracula’s lethal clutches.

While this particular Dracula series is not exactly Shakespeare, it’s generally entertaining, well-written, and has good production value. All of them have been directed by Patrick Lussier, and he has the mythos and horror aspects well in hand — Dracula 3: Legacy has some rip-roaring action sequences (gunfire, explosions), creepy moments (a carnival crew is turned into vampires), and suspense (a maze-like cavern that crushes).

It’s not a classic, and unfortunately Hauer is only in the movie for a few minutes, but it’s got enough bite for a vampire fan looking for an hour and half distraction (and you needn’t have seen the other films to enjoy it).

Additional release material on the DVD includes interviews with Lussier and the makeup effects man, Gary J. Tunnicliffe. Both interviews are shot separately, in a bare room with no apparent concession made for lighting and sound considerations… while both men have interesting things to say, the presentation is basically dull “talking heads”. Had Lussier and Tunnicliffe been interviewed together, there might at least have been some joking around and fun interplay. Also, as a person who works in a visual medium, Lussier should have known not to dress as he did for the interview (you’ll see what I mean, if you watch the extras).

Lussier talks about the vampire mythology, and how it’s been reshaped and reformed over the years (in addition to what he himself has brought to the table). Tunnicliffe talks about — you guessed it — the makeup effects, plus how much fun it was to get into the act himself.

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson