Review by CJ

Director:
Chad Van De Keere

Starring:
Nathan Gamble, Ray Liotta, Emilio Estevez, Ariel Winter

Other notable appearances:
Matthew Lillard, Marion Ross, Tara Strong, Yuri Lowenthal

Running time:
42 minutes

Watch this if you liked:
Hotel Transylvania, ParaNorman, Monster House, Frankenweenie

Sam (Gamble) is a classic horror movie aficionado who lives with his grandmother (Ross). When Sam begs for the latest Dracula action figure, his grandmother suggests that he writes to Santa and asks for the ‘doll’. However, with Halloween significantly closer than Christmas, Sam decides it would be a far better idea to write to Dracula instead. This leads to a washed-up Dracula (Liotta) deciding to pay young Sam a visit with his minion Myro (Estevez).

I watched Dear Dracula on a whim because it was free, available and looked like fun. I have never been more happy to judge a book (movie) by its cover (promotional image).

At only 42 minutes, Dear Dracula is a movie that is shorter than most television shows I watch. However, in doing so the creators have ensured it isn’t stretching for material that isn’t there. For the story that is told, the length is perfect and adding to it would only diminish the quality.

The story is endearing as Sam helps Dracula get his scare factor back and Dracula helps Sam get the girl. Dear Dracula also has some very funny moments, including Dracula explaining why vampires who sparkle are not okay.

The animation leaves a bit to be desired at times but overall the aesthetic is good, especially for an animation studio that isn’t Disney, Pixar or DreamWorks.

Overall, with its fun story, amusing characters and subtle undermining of the less than horrific horror/monster films, I would highly recommend Dear Dracula for kids both young and old.

Rating: 4/5