Dark Prince: the True Story of Dracula
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Joe Chappelle
Rudolf Martin
Jane March
Christopher Brand
Peter Weller
Roger Daltrey
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
The story of Vlad the Impaler, a 15th century Romanian prince who inspired the legend of Dracula. He led the people of Romania against the awesome power of the Turkish Ottoman Empire led by his traitorous brother Radu. During his epic lifelong battle, Vlad falls madly in love with Lidia, the woman who stole his heart and became his wife.
Teen Vlad Dracula and his younger brother Radu are kidnapped and held hostage by the Turkish Sultan, Mohammed. Their father is murdered -- buried alive -- but no one knows by whom. The Sultan holds the boys prisoner for many years. When the grown Vlad Dracula is finally released, he voews to avenge his father's death and return to liberate his brother from the Sultan. He journeys to Hungary to ask for an army from King Janos in order to overthrow the Turks and regain his kingdom. While dining with the King, he meets a nobleman's daughter, Lidia; they fall in love and quickly marry.
In Romania, peasants cheer the return of their prince. To restore peace and order, Vlad brutally kills common criminals, corrupt noblemen and clergy alike, impaling bodies on stakes for public display. Vlad Dracula is aided in his quest to unite Romania by a former slave who becomes his chief confidant, Bruno. Vlad manages to hide the ruthlessness of his vicious actions from Lidia, whom he protects from the reality of the world outside. At war with the Turks, Vlad is badly wounded. Lidia is stricken with grief and madness, imagining she hears the tortured cries of the dead noblemen killed by her husband. She leaps to her death from the castle. Her body is never recovered, and she walks the earth as an "undead."
Radu, envious of his brother, attacks his homeland leading the Turkish army. Converted by the Sultan, he has returned full of hate for Vlad, who escapes, only to be imprisoned by King Janos who has reversed his loyalty. Vlad Dracula must fight once again to regain his kingdom for his son. Learning the true identity of his father's killer, he is excommunicated for his act of retribution. Vlad Dracula is murdered by his brother, and with his wife, Lidia, becomes one of the undead -- doomed to wander the world "incorrupt and entire."
Director
Joe Chappelle
Cast
Rudolf Martin
Jane March
Christopher Brand
Peter Weller
Roger Daltrey
Michael Sutton
Radu Amzulescu
Dan Badaru
Claudiu Bleont
Dan Bordeianu
Niels Brinks
Marius Capota
Serban Celea
Laura Cret
Eugene Cristea
George Grigore
Sebastian Lupea
Roxana Marian
Maia Morgenstern
Orodel Olaru
Mircea Stoian
Claudiu Trandafir
Victor Ungureanu
Razvan Vasilescu
Crew
Nicolae Alexa
Dan Alexe
Cris Andrei
Gabi Antal
Vivian Baker
Cristian Baluta
Daniel Barbu
Florin Barcun
Tom Baum
Matt Earl Beesley
Annette Benson
Frankie Blue
Tiberiu Borcoman
Sylvie Brocheré
Catalin Ciutu
Adrian Conerth
Catalin Dardea
Catalin Dordea
Dermott D Downs
Cornel Duta
Livia Fister
Teresa Garber
Viorel Ghenea
Christian Gruau
Radu Ion
Lucian Iordache
Avram Kaplan
Donald Kushner
Max Lemnij
Peter Locke
Stefan Mangar
Ian Marcu
Lari Maronese
Silvia Mikai
Cristian Niculescu
Maggie Parker
Oana Paunescu
Vlad Paunescu
Adrian Pavlovschi
Serban Porupca
Joe Rabig
Ron Sato
Sheri Sedlik
Cornelia Stefan
Cristian Stefan
Zoltan Szabo
Bela Unger
Fanel Ursu
Petre Veniamin
Nguyen The Zoun
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Aired in United States October 31, 2000
Released in United States on Video March 4, 2002
Previous title: "Vlad the Impaler."
Began shooting April 3, 2000.
Completed shooting May 15, 2000.
