Vlad, l'impalatore

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.

History buffs will be enthralled with this accurate depiction of the 15th century brief rule of Vlad the Impaler who became Romania's great national hero. Stefan Sileanu is nothing less than great in the role of the ruthless, bloody sovereign who defied Church, tradition, and the obduracy of his fractious boyars in order to drive the invading Ottoman Turks under Mahmud II out of his country. But first he had to overcome entrenched opposition from his own rebellious and traitorous nobles. He accepted nothing less than obedience...fight or die. His uncompromising stand and dire punishments earned him his sobriquet, but after viewing this masterful film one is left astounded at his great achievement during his short reign. Bram Stoker has a lot to answer for in fictionalizing this astonishing patriot into a horrific monster. Anyone interested in the truth about this legendary personality should see this film.

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?

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!

Excellent film biography of Vlad Dracula, also called Vlad Tepes (Tse-pesh), or "The Impaler", a nickname bestowed upon this 15th century warrior by enemies - the Turks of the Ottoman Empire - after his favorite method of execution. This is a good, albeit one-sided, biography of the historical Dracula, who is considered a great hero of Romania for defending his home country against excessive and insurmountable odds, which were later proven to be just that. Some of the salient facts are skewed just a bit (you can't make a hero look too much like a monster - which is what both the Turks and the Germans thought him to be), but the story is still great, and is comparable in its way to "Braveheart." Definitely recommended, but difficult to find.