As the prow of a ghostly wooden ship emerges from the mist, a shadowy figure strides silently across the deck dressed in a flowing black robe…
TV&Satellite Week has been invited to Bray Studios in Berkshire, where BBC1’s new adaptation of Dracula is being filmed – and the atmosphere couldn’t be more menacing as Danish actor Claes Bang films his scenes as the terrifying Count.
Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have reunited to breathe new life into the legendary vampire, who first featured in Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic novel.
The three-part horror tells the story of Dracula’s journey from Transylvania and his adventures in 19th-century England, with 52-year-old Bang, who has appeared in Borgen and The Affair, donning the bloodsucker’s famous fangs.
The series begins in the late 1800s as lawyer Jonathan Harker travels to Dracula’s remote castle in Transylvania to help him purchase a property in England. However, after meeting his charismatic host, he realises that the Count is hiding a horrifying secret.
Soon after, Dracula sets sail for Whitby with a plan to feast upon the people of England – yet he finds a surprise waiting for him…
As horror fans will know, Bray Studios was the home of Hammer Films, where Christopher Lee filmed a series of classic Dracula movies in the 1950s and 1960s.
‘It was wonderful to watch Transylvania once again rise on the sound stages of Bray,’ says Gatiss. ‘And it was amazing to be able to say that Count Dracula has finally come home.’
The drama was also filmed at Orava Castle in Slovakia, and while many elements of the story stay true to the novel, there are some modern twists, with Gatiss and Moffat also promising a few laughs along the way.
This story is from the December 21, 2019 edition of TV & Satellite Week.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 21, 2019 edition of TV & Satellite Week.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Reef encounters
Liz Bonnin an and Steve Backshall on the race to save the planet's precious Coral reefs
Gunman grandpa
Nicolas Cage is a washed-up assassin forced to protect his family
SPOOK squad
Two teenage ghosts and their psychic friend tackle mysteries from beyond the grave
Never say goodbye
Rock band Bon Jovi look back on a glittering 40-year career and consider the next chapter
Golder opportunities
Alesha Dixon on what to expect as Britain’s Got Talent returns...
Headline hunters
Roving reporters Josh Widdicombe and Nish Kumar are back in the newsroom
SECRET Society
A dedicated cop searches for a missing teenager on a sinister pagan island
Flight risk
Richard Armitage and Jing Lusi are caught up in a dark conspiracy aboard a plane bound for Beijing
Back on the road
Sir Michael Palin embarks on an epic adventure across Nigeria – at the age of 80
REBELS RETURN
Kora and her motley crew are back for an epic rematch in a sci-fi sequel