Dracula: Dead and Loving It -

Slow and unfunny spoof on everyone’s favorite bloodsucker. Leslie Nielsen is Count Dracula, in this Mel Brooks film that roughly follows Bram Stoker’s tale. Dracula comes from Transylvania to London, where he desires to make the lovely Mina his undead bride. The film parodies both the original Bela Lugosi flick, as well as the newer version by Francis Ford Coppola. Unfortunately, most of the slapstick is horrendously bad. The film takes itself a bit too seriously, wasting time in setting up an overly familiar plotline. Any jokes which could be seen an humorous are seen miles in advance, and are prolonged well past the point of humor. Leslie Nielsen affects a Transylvanian accent, but that’s about the only thing that can distinguish his Dracula from Lt. Frank Drebbin of the Naked Gun series. Peter MacNicol has potential as the insectivore Renfield, but the screenplay wastes his talent. The movie tries to be as memorable as Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, but it comes nowhere close in comparison, and should be simply forgotten.