Vlad Tepes

Seen this movie recently, didn't even heard about it and I was very excited to find it one the internet. And it's good. Finally, a film about Vlad the impaler, directly and strictly about him. No, vampires, no fangs, no sexy euro accents, no capes, no Van Helsing... thank Jebus. This is an historical film about Tepes and it's pretty enjoyable. If you got chance to see this film, don't miss it. Movies about Vlad the impaler are pretty rare, I saw Dark Prince (2000) with Rudolph Martin, the movie wasn't that bad, but... they just couldn't resist to put supernatural element in the film. In Vlad (1980), there's nothing supernatural, and that makes this movie excellent. I am not from Romania, and I have read many historical facts about Vlad Tepes, I really don't know how this film accurate is, but no matter, most of things are accurate and it's because it was filmed in Romania and it is a Romanian film, and who else knows better about Vlad than Romanians themselves? And it's in Romanian language, for which I was grateful, finally yo hear Dracula speaking in his native language. Actor who plays Vlad Stefan Sileanu is brilliant, with his powerful stare and rasping voice, he is the face of true evil and also true savior of his people. Watch this film, you'll love it.

An impressive movie (considering its age, the political context, and the fact that the Romanian film industry is definitely not Hollywood, in terms of budget), and a well deserved tribute to an interesting historical figure, who was very badly mistreated for centuries. People usually remind only Dracula's cruelty, forgetting his incredible courage and cleverness in fighting for the freedom of his country and of Europe against the overwhelming power of the Ottoman Sultan (who killed many more people than Dracula did). The life of Vlad III is narrated in a quite bare biopic style, strictly focused on the Voivod as a warrior and a political leader, with the obvious intent to celebrate a national hero under the sponsoring of the PCR regime, but the story and the dialogues are good enough to make the film interesting and entertaining, not a mere propaganda, though it's a pity that Dracula's well known interest for alchemy and science, as well as his vast culture (he spoke several languages fluently), aren't mentioned. The best thing are the performances of the actors: on top, the excellent Stefan Sileanu, who's very convincing and charismatic in the role of Dracula and has got the perfect rude charm required for the character. The medieval age is portrayed well enough and there's a decent attempt of insight into Vlad's character: a very brave warrior and smart leader, living in a dark age, who is cruel out of necessity (and not without some moral doubts) in order to save his small country from a Turkish invasion and from his own greedy and unfaithful boyars, who have led Valachia to poverty and corruption. The script underlines Vlad's devotion to his land and somehow also his "rebel hero" side: he's not afraid to break rules and traditions, even to defy the Church, and to raise his head and fight against the arrogance of the Ottoman enemies. Still the best movie about the real Dracula.

In my opinion, the films of that generation create a beautiful way to know history and at the same time to see how the art of cinema has developed over the years. These are movies that reach the soul. Congratulations to Stefan Sileanu and the entire production team!

The acting is great. I would dare to say that the script is one of the best for this kind of movies. But I would like to say something about the legendary Vlad Draculea, also known as Vlad Tepes (The Impaler) and see if the history has done him justice.

First of all, Vlad Tepes' father, Vlad Basarab, was known as Vlad Dracul not because he was part of a secret organization, as other movies suggested, but for the following reason:

He received from the emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg the highest Order that was given to a knight in those troubled days - higher than The Teutons' Order, The Order of the Maltese Knights or The Order of the Knights from Rhodos. That was The Dragon's Order. In Romanian, Dracul means The Devil. And from Dragon to Devil was only a small step.

Vlad (the father of Vlad Tepes (pronounced Tsépesh)) and Mircea, Vlad's brother were buried alive by some coward, traitorous nobles, just because the nobles didn't like the idea of a war against the Turks. Those nobles wanted peace with the Ottomans, even if this would have meant a harsh tribute in gold, silver, cattle and CHILDREN.

By that time, Vlad and his brother, Radu The Handsome, were forced guests at the Sublime Porte as a pledge that their father wouldn't have risen again against the Turks.

Vlad Tepes (now known as Draculea or Dracula) has punished very harsh the thieves, liars and the enemies. And that scared people as hell. Yes, he was harsh even for those days. But efficient!!! While he ruled the country nobody dared to steal anything!!! Why, in the evening, you could let a bag full of money in the middle of the road and in the next morning it would still be there. LOL! That's why in my country HE is a national HERO!!!!

The people are such a distorted beings. They couldn't see the forest but the trees. Some can't behave unless their are forced to do so. The good deeds are easily forgotten but the harm done... Well... That's another story. And Vlad knew that well.

Maybe if he had had the diplomacy of his cousin, Stefan The Great, the Lord of Moldavia, things would have been different.

Knowing all that... Can anyone blame Vlad Tsépesh (The Impaler) for trying to clean his country of thieves, liars, false beggars, traitors and lazy people?

Not to mention the fact that his little country, as well as the other parts of the future Romania, were as a shield to the rest of Europe against the Turks and Tartars. While the Romanians (then divided in Moldavians, Transylvanians, and Valachians) were trying to survive between the blows that came unceasingly from all sides, the rest of the Europe sinked in sloth, giving, when was requested help, only promises.

So, tell me! Which ruler was the worst? The one that sacrificed anything for freedom or the one that promised to help but never did, continuing to enjoy a life of pleasures and lust, as long as the peril was away?

The communistic states used historical films to make propaganda on their policy, as well as to promote national pride. Romania was not an exception and this film is one of the most interesting of its kind.

It presents the true story of Romania's national hero, prince Vlad Tepes of Vlachia, a man who tried to reform his country and resist the Ottoman invasions, using every way available, no matter how cruel, in order to succeed. The idea is that the cause justifies the means and for this, Vlad Tepes was a perfect example.

Having cinema treating their national hero as a monster since 1922, the Romanians have every right to present him as a cruel BUT great leader, which he practically was. There have been other films about this topic but no other has approached so much the historical truth as this one.

Worth the trouble of watching if you don't hate history.