Coppola's Interpretation of Dracula as a Love Story The protagonist and story of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula have been widely interpreted and adapted into films over the course of many years. Although almost a century has passed since it was first published, Dracula has retained its ability to scare and hypnotize readers. Bram Stoker's Dracula by Francis Ford Coppola; however, it uses the erotic romance of the original novel to depict a tragic love story. The film carefully follows the overall plot of the novel, but presents the characters in a unique way that allows for a different appreciation of the characters. Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of Stoker's novel begins with the presentation of how Dracula became an immortal creature condemned to thirst. for the blood of live animals. This story is essential to the interpretation of Dracula in Coppola's film. Dracula was a knight in the church's holy army, who left his wife to fight an invading Turkish army. He managed to prevent the invasion of the Turks, but they retaliated by sending his wife, Elizobeta, a letter falsely reporting his death in battle. After hearing this tragic news, Elizobeta committed suicide by throwing herself into a river. When Dracula returns from battle he finds that his beloved wife is dead, and when the church tells him that her soul cannot be saved because she took her own life, he turns against the church and renounces God for betraying him. Dracula strikes the stone crucifix behind the church altar, causing blood to gush from the stone. Dracula drinks the blood and vows to oppose God for eternity, causing himself to become eternally damned as a vampire. The most...... middle of paper... comparing Bram Stoker's original novel, Dracula, with director Francis Ford Coppola's film adaptation, one finds that the main theme of the film is that Dracula sacrificed himself to his true love. James Craig Holte agrees in his statement that corresponds to the conclusion of this article: "In Coppola's world of vampires, the world of contemporary Gothic fiction and cinema, the moral universe has changed: good and evil are not more opposites, and actions no longer expect consequences, for love conquers all” (Holte 87). Works CitedHolte, James Craig. Dracula in the Dark: The film adaptations of Dracula. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1997. Stoker, Bram. Dracula. New York: Signet, 1992. Bram Stoker's Dracula. Screenplay by James V. Hart. Director Francis Ford Coppola. Perf. Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkin, Keanu Reeves. Columbia Tristar, 1992.