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Behind the Scenes of Dario Argento’s Dracula 3D

Asia bares her fangs...
Dario Argento is currently ensconced in shooting his adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic vampire novel, 'Dracula'. Filming began in Hungary (where Argento previously filmed Phantom of the Opera and produced Michele Soavi's The Church) in June and the film stars Rutger Hauer (as Van Helsing), Thomas Kretschmann (as Dracula), Marta Gastini (as Mina) and Asia Argento (as Lucy). A few on-set photos have found their way online courtesy of Asia Argento… 

According to Alan Jones’s on-set reports, filming has gone well thus far and the shoot has proved something of an Argento ‘family’ reunion. Working with him again are the likes of special effects artist Sergio Stivaletti (who has worked on the majority of Argento's films since Phenomena in 1985), cinematographer Luciano Tovoli (who also lensed Argento’s gothic masterpiece Suspiria and edgily reflexive giallo Tenebrae), production designer Massimo Antonello Geleng (The Stendhal Syndrome, Phantom of the Opera, Sleepless and The Card Player) and ex-Goblin composer Claudio Simonetti, who has worked extensively with Argento since they collaborated on Deep Red in 1975.

Descending to the crypts
Jones commented that the film is imbued with a ‘post-modern Hammer style’ and that Tovoli is aiming for a look that will be ‘classic, expressionistic, romantic and naturalistic all at the same time.’ Kretschmann also remarked on the unique look of the film, describing it to Alan Jones as "Splatter Visconti!"

Also according to Jones’s reports, Argento remarked to him “Once you've shot in 3D you will never go back." Hardly surprising to hear as Argento has consistently experimented with film making technology in his native Italy throughout his blood-splattered career – his film The Stendhal Syndrome for example, was the first ever Italian production to utilise CGI, so it makes sense that he’d eventually experiment with 3D.

As Asia is portraying Lucy, the Count’s first victim when he arrives in England, this could mark the first time she dies onscreen in an Argento film (she usually plays the lead). It also marks the second time she’ll share screen time with Kretschmann (the first was during the sadistic and sordid The Stendhal Syndrome), who told Alan Jones: "When Dario called me up offering the role he said to think of it as a Stendhal sequel as I would be treating Asia just as badly!"

Dracula 3D will wrap soon, and early word is that Argento hopes it will be released in March, 2012 and he says that his screenplay is very faithful to Stoker’s text. With horror cinema experiencing something of a gothic revival (The Wolfman, Red Riding Hood et al), an obsession with all things fanged and blood-thirsty (Let the Right One In, a remake of Fright Night on the way) and pop-culture generally sopping with depictions of lovelorn/lustful vampires (True Blood, Vampire Diaries, Twilight) at present, the time is ripe for a revisit to Stoker’s source material, which arguably kick-started the whole mainstream acceptance/popularity of the vampire.  


Asia and Thomas



Dario

Marta Gastini as Mina

Asia and Alan



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