DRACULA

*CUT TO THE CHASE*

NOTE: This spoiler was submitted by Spectre

The time is 1480 AD.
In a large castle, Elisabeta (Zoë Bleu) plays a music box, given to her by her beloved husband, Prince Vladimir, also known as Count Dracula (Caleb Landry Jones). We see a montage of their days together in which they play, eat, and make passionate love. They have a very happy marriage.

One day, soldiers come for the Prince as he is making love to Elisabeta, telling him it is time to go to war. As he is dressed for battle, he continues to steal kisses from his wife, unable and unwilling to leave her side. Finally, his men convince him that he has to go. Dracula tells his wife that he will send a squadron of men with her to a nearby castle for her protection. Elisabeta tells him to be careful. “Take care of yourself my king. I cannot survive without you,” she says.

Elisabeta dresses and is led to a horse where she departs with four soldiers to protect her.

Dracula meets with a high ranking Cardinal who blesses him for the campaign against the Ottomans. Dracula asks if this battle is truly willed by God, as thousands will die in it. The Cardinal tells him that it is so. Dracula tells him that he asks one favor of God in exchange for his service; that God will spare his wife. “If he takes her life, he can take mine,” he says. The Cardinal says he will pray for her. “DON’T PRAY, TELL HIM,” Dracula growls.

Elisabeta continues to travel by horseback.

Dracula and his men prepare for war in a forest clearing. His second in command asks what the plan is. “Let them come,” Dracula says.

In the forest, Ottomans with crossbows lie in wait as Elisabeta and her guards pass. They fire, killing two of the men. Another tells Elisabeta to run and she flees.

Back at the battlefield, as the Ottoman army charges, Dracula and his men crack open barrels of oil and light them, creating a chasm of fire that separates them. Stepping through in their full metal armor, the Prince and his men slaughter the opposing troops. In the distance, a high ranking official (a prince or King) waits outside his tent. On the hill above him, he sees Dracula and his men hoisting the heads of the Ottoman troops on spikes, terrifying him into retreat. Dracula’s triumph is short-lived as he is told by one of his men of Elisabeta’s ambush. He races after her.

In a snowy clearing, Elisabeta is chased on her horse by three Ottomans. The clearing is filled with bear traps. Her luck runs out as her horse triggers one trap, causing her to fall. The three men approach her as she walks back in terror. Her foot hits a bear trap and clamps it, trapping her. Suddenly, behind her, Dracula arrives. The three men continue to approach her as Dracula fights them, killing two men. As the third approaches her, Dracula throws his sword, striking the man in the back, killing him. Yet, it is too late. Elisabeta has been fatally stabbed. Dracula races to her side as she bleeds out. “My Prince…” she whispers as she dies. Dracula is heartbroken beyond words.

Dracula returns to the Cardinal and tells him of his wife’s death. “IS GOD DEAF!” Dracula screams. Dracula says he must be as he told the Cardinal to speak to God on his wife’s behalf and yet she is gone. Dracula begs for a miracle, for his wife to be brought back. The Cardinal says that is not possible. Dracula asks why not, given God’s miracles. “I have done everything he has asked,” Dracula says. The Cardinal says Elisabeta was a pure soul and thus she is in heaven. This is cold comfort to Dracula, and he decides since The Cardinal is a messenger, he can give one to God personally. Snapping a lone pole with a cross on it, he violently impales the Cardinal. “Tell your god that until he brings back my wife, my life no longer belongs to him.” Dracula mockingly outstretches his arms like Jesus as a nearby statue of Jesus sheds tears of blood.

400 YEARS LATER

At a hospital in France, Dr. Dumont (Guillaume de Tonquédec) is told by his assistant that a priest is waiting for him in the chapel. In the chapel, The Priest (Christoph Waltz) partakes in some food and speaks of the case that he has been summoned for. Dumont apologizes for the sudden nature of it, but the case in question is so important, the Queen is involved. The Priest notes that while science and religion usually don’t mix, the Church uses men like him to work between the lines of both.

Taken down to a cell deep in the hospital, The Priest sees that Dumont has a young, beautiful woman chained to the floor. When The Priest questions it, Dumont says she was very aggressive, and it was for her safety and theirs. The Priest is given a brief breakdown of who she is. Her name is Maria (Matilda De Angelis) who had just married her husband Henry Spencer (David Shields) only to inexplicably attack a priest that arrived at the celebration. There is also the odd case of her documentation; it notes that she was born in 1759; so either this is the result of a clerical error, or the youthful Maria is somehow 130 years old.

The Priest begins a series of tests. He examines Maria’s teeth and finds fangs. He says it is possible that they are naturally occurring and moves on to the next test. He mentions that potential monsters like her, contrary to popular belief, are not bothered by the daylight per se, but are hurt by direct rays. Opening a window, the direct rays burn her hand, before Dumont hastily shuts it. For the final test, The Priest raises a cross next to Maria, which she causes to burst into flame. Examining her neck, he finds a bite mark and tells Dumont she is not an original, but turned by a monster the church has been chasing for years. To placate her, The Priest gives Maria a few drops of blood via Dumont’s assistant to get information about her master. Maria tells him that her master is coming for his bride, and that she is very beautiful. Realizing she has said too much, Maria shuts down after that. The Priest, however, has gotten what he wanted; a lead.

In a snowy forest, a horse drawn carriage stops at a path. Out steps Jonathan Harker (Ewens Abid), a lawyer sent to a distant castle. The driver gives him a torch to ward off the wolves and a cross.

“I don’t believe in God,” Harker says.

“Well, hope God believes in you,” the driver says before he departs.

Harker walks up the path, dodging wolves until he arrives at the castle. Going up to the doors, they seemingly open by themselves. Going into the main lobby, he is met by Count Dracula, now very old. Dracula introduces himself and tells Harker they shall have dinner. Dracula watches Harker eat and enjoy the food immensely. “Your appetite is wonderful to see,” Dracula notes dryly, as he picks at food he cannot have. Harker makes small talk asking if he has traveled. Dracula says he spent many years doing so (looking for the reincarnation of Elisabeta) but is now retired and lets his employees handle his business for him. He asks why Harker has traveled to see him. Harker says that one of his properties in Paris has fallen into disrepair, and the men Harker represents wondered if Dracula would be interested in selling it. As he looks for the contract, the cross falls out of Harker’s bag, startling Dracula. Dracula asks if he is a believer. Harker looks down and sees the cross, scoffs and says the driver gave it to him. When he isn’t looking, Dracula uses his powers to push the cross into the fireplace. He tells Harker they will conclude their business the next day and shows him where he will sleep.

In the bedroom, Dracula tells Harker he must not leave his room for any reason, given the dangers of the vast castle.

“I’m not superstitious,” Harker says.

“That is a pity,” Dracula replies.

Dracula leaves and he looks at one of his gargoyle statues, which are alive and serve him. “Watch him,” Dracula tells it. Alone in the room, Harker looks at the book of Dracula’s history, but finds a picture ripped out; the picture of his wife Elisabeta.

The Priest goes to the home of Henry Spencer, who is worried sick about Maria. The Priest tells him she is still recovering and asks to see her room, looking for any clues. Spencer likens him to a police officer. The Priest says it is true though, “I try to solve the case before the murder.” Spencer leaves him alone to work, but not before offering him his services if need be. The Priest looks through her things until he finds the missing page from Harker’s book. The page is the photo of Elisabeta.

Harker ignores the warning of Dracula and goes exploring. Going back into the dining room, he feels a draft of air and it leads him to a secret door. Going downstairs, he finds a coffin that contains Dracula.

“You should have not left your room,” Dracula dryly notes, terrifying Harker. He is knocked out by a gargoyle guard.

When he comes to, he is chained up and is being raised upside down. As he calls out for God in reflex, Dracula shushes him. “Don’t utter that name. He is not welcome here.” Dracula notes that Harker once told him he wasn’t a believer.

“I am now,” Harker says.

“You are very funny,” Dracula says.

“Thank you,” Harker replies.

Harker asks if Dracula plans to kill him. Dracula says yes but not yet. Harker then asks for a last request; to hear his story. Dracula is in disbelief that Harker would want to know it. “I’m dying to,” Harker says. Once again charmed by his dark humor, Dracula acquiesces. Telling his gargoyle minions to put Harker down, they do so and then chain him to a chair.

Dracula recounts to Harker the death of his wife and her burial. He tells Harker that sometimes pure souls can be reincarnated and his beloved was the purest. When he renounced God, he began his endless search for her. It was not without its setbacks. The Black Plague caused countless deaths and most women convalesced in churches, where he could not enter. In time, he began to envy the dead, for at least they were released from their pain, while his still remained. “Living without love is worse than disease.”

Having failed, Dracula goes back to his wife’s grave and lies on it. After lying there for several seasons, he gets back up. Wanting to join her in death, he jumps out of his castle window. He does it multiple times, from taller and taller perches but while he is injured he cannot die. He realizes by renouncing God, God cursed him in turn, denying him the right to die. Dracula begins to lose all desire to do anything, feeling nothing would remove the ache for his beloved.

Still, he persisted. Dracula traveled, to Baghdad, to India, to Italy, searching for the perfect scent. In Italy, he finds the perfect blend. Whenever he puts it on, every woman near him becomes entranced, wanting him, lost to his control. Dracula becomes amused by how highly effective it is, culminating in a montage of him controlling several royal courts to dance as he sees fit.

Eventually, he finds himself in France in the court of the Queen. Sensing a woman, he calls her Elisabeta, only for the woman to turn around, and says that isn’t her name but she will gladly change her name for him. She then laughs at him. Looking around, Dracula imagines the whole court laughing at him. He notices all the decadence, avarice, and gluttonous empty pleasure that seem to leave no place for true love. Realizing he can no longer search for Elisabeta alone, he strives to create helpers. Dracula then proceeds to bite all the women in the French Court, with the other partygoers too stunned to do anything. One of the women he turns was Maria.

Dracula returns to his wife’s grave and opens it, finding nothing but ash, devastating him. In a montage, Dracula sits at his dining table as his minions bring him treasure as he ages due to not drinking blood. He has all the money to continue searching and yet Elisabeta has yet to be found.

Having heard the story, Harker pleads for his life, saying he is to be married soon, and begs on behalf of love itself, something that Dracula should understand. Dracula asks what she looks like, and Harker directs him to look at his locket. Dracula looks at it and is stunned; Harker’s fiancée is a dead ringer for Elisabeta. Overcome with emotion, Dracula says he will spare Harker because he has brought his wife back to him. Leaving him chained up, Dracula calls to his gargoyle servants that he needs to be ready to travel and that “I NEED BLOOD.”

In Dumont’s office, The Priest translates some passages related to Dracula and his curse. The Priest notes that God can refuse death with a great offense, but can also forgive with genuine repentance. If they are able to slay the beast, all he has infected can be saved from the curse. The Priest shows Dumont the photo of Elisabeta, and says Dracula is looking for her. Dumont’s assistant comes in and is taken aback at the photo, saying it looks like the woman outside waiting to meet with Dumont.

The woman, Mina Murray (Zoë Bleu) asks about Maria as she was present at the wedding and is worried about her. The Priest asks about her relationship with Maria. Mina says she met Maria at a tea party with her fiancé and they became fast friends. Maria was seemingly drawn to her, and though she made Mina uncomfortable at times, she was won over by Maria’s lust for life. She was present when Maria attacked the priest and doesn’t know what to think. Mina tells The Priest and Dumont that she feels like she is “lost in her era” which concerns them. Mina believes she is boring them with her problems but The Priest assures her she is not. Asking for her address so they can update her when Maria is better, she gives it, saying she is waiting for her fiancé Jonathan to return from business.

Dracula knocks at the door of a church, disguising himself as a beggar, asking for shelter and noting he hasn’t eaten in “centuries.” Not catching that slip of the tongue, the nuns invite him in. Once inside, Dracula reveals himself and sprays his perfume mockingly on a statue of Jesus, bringing all the nuns to him. They crowd him, falling onto a large pile. One of the young nuns climbs to him and offers her neck first. He eagerly bites, and a mass feeding occurs. Later restored to full vitality, he has his human servants take his coffin via carriage to Paris.

Meanwhile, Jonathan, still trapped, uses a series of sheets to knock over some tools so he can get free from his chains. He uses the sheets once free to climb out the window. The gargoyles soon realize he has escaped and cut the sheet, causing him to fall hard onto the icy lake. The gargoyles try to follow but they are too heavy and one falls through the ice. Realizing they cannot follow him, Jonathan gets up and carefully walks away from the castle.

Back at the hospital, on the asylum floor, the patients see Dracula walk through and bow in reverence. Dracula finds Dumont’s assistant and enslaves him with the perfume to take him to Maria. When Maria sees Dracula she is ecstatic and tells him she found Elisabeta. Dracula says she did well and deserves a reward. Dracula makes the assistant go to Maria and she drinks greedily from his neck.

The next day, Dumont meets with The Priest, who is told of The Assistant being turned by Maria. The Priest realizes that Dracula is getting closer to Mina.

The next day, Mina is by the fire where she begins to mimic the movements of Elisabeta. When a knock at the boarding house door occurs, Mina opens to find Maria, seemingly back to her old self. Maria tells Mina that she has been given an exclusive invite to a party where their benefactor is “dying to meet her.”

That night, they go to the party. As Mina enters, Dracula stares in awe. Everyone disappears as he looks at her. He sees his beloved once more. Dracula introduces himself and kisses her hand which causes Mina to have a memory of Elisabeta which frightens her.

Later, Maria and Mina go to a festive carnival with Dracula accompanying them not far behind. Try as she might, Mina continues to find herself having memories of a life that isn’t hers. They go back to Dracula’s vast hotel room and Dracula tells her of his wintry Romanian castle. Asking to show her something, Dracula presents her Elisabeta’s music box. It was special to them, because every time she triggered it, he could hear it anywhere in the castle and it meant she wanted him, desperately. Mina asks if he is married and he tells her he is widowed. Dracula plays the music box and Mina begins to see more memories. Dracula calls her Elisabeta and it snaps her out of her trance. She tells him Mina is her name and she is to be married soon. Dracula apologizes saying she reminds him so much of his wife. He gives her the music box, which she tries to refuse but he is firm. “A gift can never be refused,” he tells her.

Dracula walks Mina home and thanks her for a lovely evening, one he has been bereft of for an eternity. Mina asks has it has really been long since he has known happiness. “My wife took it with her,” Dracula says before departing. Mina goes inside and shuts the door. A smile and a laugh escape her lips. Try as she might, she has felt something with him.

That moment doesn’t last, as she realizes the living room is full of men, including her fiancé Harker. The Priest and Dumont confront her with the truth; that Count Dracula is no man but a monster intent on harming her. Mina refuses to believe them, saying he was nothing but kind and caring to her. The Priest examines her and is shocked to see there is no evidence that she has been turned. Overwhelmed with what she has been told, Mina goes upstairs to her room. Looking at the music box, she plays the tune. As it plays, more memories return of Elisabeta’s life.

Hearing a noise, she turns around and finds Dracula standing behind her. Unsure of what to do, she asks him to leave. He goes for the door, but she knows the men downstairs will hurt him, so tells him to leave the way he came, which would cause him to jump out of the window. Not wanting him to hurt himself, she tells him to stop. Filled with conflicting emotions, Mina doesn’t know what to do. She tells him what The Priest said about him and his perfume that bewitches his victims. Dracula confirms it, but shows her that he didn’t use it on her. To prove his sincerity, he throws it in the fire. He didn’t want to use it, because he wanted her to be real, their reincarnated love to be real. He also notes despite what she has been told, he doesn’t enjoy blood and only consumes it because he has to.

Dracula asks if she remembers the last thing she told him and Mina is able to remember. “Take care of yourself my king. I cannot survive without you.” Recognition falls across her face. She is truly Elisabeta reborn. Dracula is her beloved. They begin to kiss passionately. Enveloped in her passion, her lust, Mina begs Dracula to take her right there. Dracula is hesitant, but Mina offers her neck of her own free will. “Take me. Please, my husband,” Mina says. Dracula softly bites her neck, turning her and making her his once more.

Downstairs, The Priest smells the perfume and realizes Dracula is there. They go upstairs and realize he has taken Mina. He asks Harker if he can show them where the castle is. Dumont says they need a plan. The Priest says he knows a man that can help.

Spencer is at home when there is a knock at the door. Maria is there happy to see him. She begins to seduce him in her high energy way when Dumont, Harker, and The Priest arrive. They try to reason with her, but Maria charges them, causing Dumont to shoot her. Spencer is horrified and The Priest tries to explain what is going on. Maria gets up and begins to strangle The Priest. Harker, seeing some swords hanging on the wall, grabs one and beheads Maria. The Priest finds a cross and stakes Maria’s body in the heart, killing her for good. Now a widower, Spencer joins them.

Dracula’s human servants transport his coffin back home that now has Mina with him. He welcomes her home. Talking with his servants, he is warned that forces are not far behind that wish him harm and they should go. Dracula tells the men they are home and there is nowhere else to be. He pays them well and says he will no longer require their services and for them to leave in peace.

Mina goes up to the master bedroom. She sees Elisabeta’s dress and puts it on. She triggers the music box to summon Dracula to her. When he arrives, he sees her and is overwhelmed by his desire; after so many eons, they are finally together again.

As the servants depart, Harker, Dumont, Spencer, The Priest and a battalion of soldiers storm the castle and capture Dracula’s servants.

As this occurs, Dracula looks at Mina/Elisabeta.

“Do you think God will forgive us for loving each other so much?” he asks her.

“God is love. He understands. And if he doesn’t, he can go to hell,” Mina replies. They lean in for a kiss.

The soldiers fire a large cannon, blowing out a section of the bedroom, bringing in the sun. Dracula shields Mina and goes to battle, telling Mina they will know a demon’s wrath.

The gargoyle minions begin to attack the soldiers, wounding and killing some.

Some soldiers see Mina and she barricades herself in the bedroom.

The Priest, Harker, and Spencer go down to Dracula’s coffin with a squad of soldiers. They fire on it, but he isn’t in there. Harker finds a blade to his throat. “I spared your life, don’t make me regret it,” Dracula says, knocking Harker out. Dracula begins to decimate the soldiers, killing them with his superior fighting skills. Spencer fires two single shot pistols that barely graze Dracula. He responds by bleeding Spencer dry. Dracula then confronts The Priest with a blade to the chest. He notes his hatred of God and how he fought and killed in his name. The Priest counters that men kill in their name, not God. The Priest tells Dracula he came here to save him and asks him to repent and free Mina.

“She is my SALVATION,” Dracula says.

“You are her DAMNATION,” The Priest says.

The cannon outside continues to destroy the bedroom. Mina calls out for Dracula. Dracula races to save her. Seeing his gargoyle minions, he smiles, saying he needs them to buy him a little more time. They continue to fight the soldiers. Going to the hallway, Dracula slaughters the men and reunites with Mina.

The Priest goes back to his tools and pulls out a metal stake and a hammer and follows Dracula. Seeing him, Dracula shuts the door. The Priest calls out to him, telling him not damn Mina if he truly loves her. Dracula looks at her and realizes that he cannot condemn her to his suffering. Mina realizes what he is thinking and begs him not to go. “You’re my freedom,” Mina says. Caught in a situation with no true victory, Dracula makes the hardest choice of his long life; he lets her go.

Opening the door and quickly locking it behind him, he offers himself to The Priest to save Mina from damnation. Mina bangs on the door, devastated, begging him not to go. Dracula outstretches his arms and tells The Priest to hurry before he changes his mind. With a final prayer, The Priest stakes Dracula.

Downstairs, Harker wakes up from being knocked out, the battle over.

Mina drags Dracula into the bedroom onto the bed. Dracula has aged back into his old self. Mina asks him why he let himself be killed.

“Because I love you,” Dracula says.

“I love you too,” Mina says, kissing his bloodied hand.

Dracula turns to ash. Mina grabs a handful, devastated.

Outside, Dumont looks on dumbfounded as it is revealed that the gargoyles were actually young boys, now free of their curse of servitude.

Harker finds Mina, on the bed, crying over Dracula’s ashes. They watch as the ashes rise into the sky, Harker looks at Mina one last time and realizes that what they had is over, it being no one’s fault, leaving her for good, as she continues to grieve.

The Priest meets with Dumont and tells him the spell has been broken and heads on his way. We see Dracula’s ashes rise toward the heavens, having been forgiven by God

Count Dracula (Caleb Landry Jones) has fought in wars in God's name in return for protection of his beloved wife Elisabeta. However, when she is killed by Ottoman soldiers, Dracula renounces God until his wife is returned to him. Denied the right to die for his defiance and unable to find the reincarnation of his wife, Dracula isolates and grows depressed.

By chance, a lawyer, Jonathan Harker (Ewens Abid) arrives at his castle to discuss a real estate deal, and uncovers his secret. After telling Harker his story, Dracula is astounded to discover that Harker's fiance, Mina Murray (Zoë Bleu) is a dead ringer for Elisabeta. Dracula travels to Paris and finds Mina and Mina recovers the memories of her past life, being a genuine reincarnation. She then willingly asks to be turned by Dracula and be his wife once more.

Harker, with other allies including The Priest (Christoph Waltz) storm the castle, with Dracula defending himself and Mina. Dracula just wants to be with Mina/Elisabeta but The Priest convinces him that he cannot doom her to his fate if he truly loves her. Making the hardest choice of his life, Dracula lets himself be killed by The Priest to set Mina free.

Mina holds Dracula as he dies and they reaffirm their love for each other as he turns to ash. Harker finds her grieving and realizes what they had is over, it being no one's fault, and leaves her to mourn. Having vanquished the curse, The Priest moves on to his next challenge. Dracula's ashes rise to the heavens, signifying he has been forgiven by God for his genuine repentance and sacrifice.