Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (June 5, 2020)
PAGE A8, KEIZERTIMES, JUNE 5, 2020 Netfl ix puts a new spin on infamous Count Dracula in new mini-series By TJ Reid For the Keizertimes “Listen to them, the chil- dren of the night. What music they make!” Although legends of the bloodsucking, darkness-lov- ing undead have existed since time immemorial everywhere from Ancient Greece to Mes- opotamia, it was Bram Stok- er who codifi ed the myth of the vampire in his classic 1897 novel Dracula. This landmark piece of Gothic literature cat- apulted the children of the night into pop culture super- stardom, and with this rise of popularity an interesting thing has happened: Our vampires have gotten nicer, sexier, and more heroic. It’s hard to remember that these fi ctional de- mons were once the absolute epit- ome of evil when one stops to admire the hunk- iness of an Edward (Twilight), the sensitive brooding of an Angel (the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe), or the silliness of a Leith Evergreen (yes, this is a shameless plug for my own novel, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Apocalypse, which is available on Amazon). The latest adaptation of the big daddy vampire himself, how- ever, Netfl ix’s Dracula, effec- tively brings the menace back to the legend in a brilliantly acted four-and-a-half-hour roller coaster ride of playfully subverted expectations. Developed by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat–names you might recognize if you are a fan of either Doctor Who or Sher- lock–Dracula is a thoroughly British experience in the sense that it is performed by actors who you might not have heard of, but who can act circles around 90 percent of Holly- wood’s talent. The clear MVP here is the brilliant Claes Bang, who plays a Count who can, at the drop of a hat, shift from silently sinister to chewing up the scenery with such gusto that I’m surprised he had any room in his stomach for blood. It is also British in the sense that it is very short: just three episodes long with each episode being an hour-and-a-half. This for- mat may cause the story to lag a bit at times, particularly in the third episode, which I must say isn’t nearly as good as the fi rst two. To talk about the third episode in any detail beyond this would be dan- gerous spoiler alert territory, however, as Dracula does what BBC’s Sherlock does with great delight: starting off with ter- ritory that is familiar to those who know the source materi- al and then changing it up in increasingly bigger ways until you’re in a completely un- review Phone & Video Conferencing Available 503-371-9636 Protecting You and the Ones You Love Kathy Belcher Attorney at Law McGinty Belcher & Hamilton, Attorneys 694 High Street NE, Salem • mcginty-belcher.com Submitted Claes Bang’s Count Dracula confronts Holly Well’s Sister Ag- atha Van Helsing in Netfl ix’s fresh take on the well-worn char- acter. familiar place without quite knowing how you got there. As a fan of Stoker’s original novel, I was thrilled with the ways this series surprised me throughout, even if the sto- ry itself lagged occasionally. Again, this is mostly a third ep- isode problem, as the fi rst and second episodes are brilliant. An additional word of cau- tion- Netfl ix may say that this series is TV-14, but I can’t see how this is possible. Dracula is not afraid to get TV-MA gory when it wants to, particularly Estate Planning • Elder Law • Probate Social Security • Wills & Trusts Asset Protection • Medical Directives Guardian & Conservatorships in the fi rst episode, which in- volves, among other horrors, a man wearing the face of anoth- er man and the beheading of a nun. Maybe don’t watch this one with the kids. If you can stomach it, however, Dracula is a bloody brilliant time that not only doesn’t suck (again, see my book if you want even more vampire puns!), but also effectively returns the vampire to its rightful place: our darkest nightmares. Dracula is now available on Netfl ix. police scanner MONDAY, MAY 25 3:25 a.m. - Theft in the 1000 block of Rafael Court N. 4:53 a.m. - Physical harassment in the 3000 block of Cherry Avenue NE. 1:59 p.m. - Menacing with weap- on in the 7000 block of Kayla Shae Street NE. TUESDAY, MAY 26 9:10 a.m. - Altering a fi rearm identifi cation number, criminal in possession of counterfeit curren- cy, unlawful possession of meth- amphetamine on Apple Blossom Avenue NE. 11:20 a.m. - Possession of meth- amphetamine in the 100 block of Garland Way N. 9:09 p.m. - Fleeing a police of- fi cer at the intersection of Che- mawa Road NE and Kinglet Way NE. WEDNESDAY, MAY 27 11:57 a.m. - Traffi c accident at the intersection of River Road N and Sandy Drive N. 3:13 p.m. - Theft in the 500 block of Chemawa Road N. 4:27 p.m. - Criminal trespassing in the 1000 block of Dearborn Avenue NE. 6:30 p.m. - Motor vehicle theft in the 2000 block of Kennedy Cir- cle NE. 8:12 p.m. - Unlawful entry into a vehicle with the intent to commit crime in the 6000 block of Ulali Drive N. River Road N. FRIDAY, MAY 29 8:11 a.m. - Theft from a mo- tor vehicle in the 6000 block of Pierce Court N. 2:46 p.m. - Traffi c accident in the 6000 block of Keizer Station Boulevard. 3:41 p.m. - Shoplifting in the 3000 block of River Road N. 4:50 p.m. - Unlawful entry into a vehicle in the 4000 block of Bai- ley Road NE. crossword 503.390.5222 CreeksideVetKeizer.com 113 McNary Estates Dr N, Suite B Next to Don Suklis State Farm Insurance Free Consultation NO FEE UNTIL WE WIN • Personal Injuries • Wrongful Death THURSDAY, MAY 28 3:21 a.m. - Arrest for burglary in the 5000 block of River Road N. 4 p.m. - Failure to perform duties of a driver in the 4000 block of Shoreline Drive N. 6:52 p.m. -Possession of metham- phetamine in the 3000 block of Richard Walsh • Auto Accidents 503-304-4886 174 Shore Pointe Pl N, Suite 201, Keizer Come in & receive a FREE Light Check & Bulb Replacement 3353 Silverton Road NE Salem ◆ 503-363-1990 See BEFORE & AFTER photos at jacksonsautobody.com Give Us Your Keys, & You’ll be Pleased!
