U.S. Trailer for Radu Jude's Dracula Makes a Bold Impression

      With an abundance of ideas flowing at a rapid pace, possibly more than any other film this year, Radu Jude’s interpretation of Dracula showcases numerous different approaches. After its premiere at the New York Film Festival, 1-2 Special is set to release the film on October 29, accompanied by a new trailer and poster.

      Here’s the overview: “A disheartened filmmaker, grappling with creative blockage, resorts to an A.I. chatbot to ensure his latest movie's success. This leads to a collection of increasingly outrageous vignettes that delve into the Dracula myth across various interpretations. From a thrilling chase through contemporary Transylvania to unsettling hauntings in the Romanian countryside, cinematic provocateur Radu Jude presents another groundbreaking epic that features a union-busting Dracula breaking a strike, an adaptation of the first Romanian vampire novella, thwarted romance, fields of phalluses, an abundance of blood, and much more.”

      In his review, Rory O’Connor remarked, “Radu Jude is among the finest filmmakers of the decade. His latest work, Dracula, ostensibly satirizes Vlad The Impaler—the most renowned Romanian, who appears throughout in various forms—but its primary focus is on A.I. learning models. This film celebrates the vulgarity and stupidity inherent in technology while heightening concerns about its capabilities. As a result, Jude has crafted a film that is intentionally crude and childish, yet I am not entirely convinced it’s humorous enough to evade those very descriptions. A bit too self-satisfied and indulgent, Dracula takes an extensive 186 minutes to convey its message; while admirers of the director's more farcical style might find a way to connect with its rhythms, I found it challenging to extend the film the benefit of the doubt.”

      Watch the trailer below.