NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Shout! Factory Blu-ray (November 2019): To be brief - as stated below, the Shout! Factory Blu-ray package is a 2-disc 'Collector's Edition' that offers both the 'desaturated color timing' (Director preferred) and the original 'theatrical' color timing - from 4K Scan 'Of The Best Available Original Film Elements'. This Universal is the former and I can't distinguish much difference between it and the desaturated Shout! Factory (disc 1.) But, like many, I was curious to see the original color timing 1080P version (Disc 2.)The director, John Badham, states in his 'Introduction' on both Shout! Factory Blu-rays, he fell in love with the desaturated, almost black and white, Noir-ish look. Personally, the jury is still out but I can see the strong appeal of the 'desaturated' presentation as the color version does have some, less-natural, softness. Check out our comparisons captures.

The audio on both Shout! Factory HD transfers is 24-bit DTS-HD Master and sounds the same to my ears as the Universal with the dramatic Williams score. Both Shout! Factory Blu-ray discs offer optional English subtitles and both are Region 'A'-locked.

Without going into excessive detail, there are are 8 new interviews with Badham, W.D. Richter, Peter Robb-King, Hugh Harlow etc. as well as having the The Revamping of Dracula is a 40-minute, 2004, documentary about the "Making Of" Universal's 1979 "Dracula" directed by Laurent Bouzereau and has John Badham, Frank Langella, Walter Mirisch, Kate Nelligan, John Williams input (some archival) and the Badham commentary (on the desaturated version). For myself, the big appeal was the new Constantine Nasr commentary. He spent years researching this 1979 Dracula for 'Little Shop of Horrors' magazine, and is, likewise fascinated by the full, rarely seen, color version that is been unavailable since the early 90s. He is the best person to do this commentary and he digs incredibly deep into the production minutia. The disc is rounded out by a trailer, radio spots and a stills gallery.

I really liked John Badham's Dracula from 1979. I found it remarkably similar in plot specifics to Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula. So much to like; Laurence Olivier as Prof. Abraham Van Helsing, Donald Pleasence, a stunning Kate Nelligan although I realize Frank Langella was reprising his stage play role - I find him the weak point in this for my suspension of disbelief. The huge appeal is the fully color version, multiple interviews and the Constantine Nasr commentary. Huge thumbs up!

***

ADDITION: Universal Blu-ray (November 2019): Universal transferred John Badham's Dracula (1979) to Blu-ray. As we noted above, this is coming to Shout! Factory on Blu-ray in a 2-disc 'Collector's Edition' that will offer both the 'desaturated color timing' (this one) and the original 'theatrical' color timing. This Universal is the former and has some greenish hues to it and is greyish and with, mostly, muted colors, although I though some of the visuals and effects looks very pleasing in 1080P but the dull appearance is... unfortunate. For under $10, I appreciated seeing the film in HD, even if it can looks dark, lacking full depth. On my system though I saw only flashes of color strength and the dual-layered transfer with a high bitrate handled the many dark scenes well. The new Shout! Factory transfers should be interesting (we will compare if they send). It will also offer a new Constantine Nasr audio commentary among other extras. 

On their Blu-ray, Universal use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (24-bit) in the original English language. The film has, often understated, and creeping, audio effects but a noble score by John Williams (Warhorse, Conrack, The Fury, The Cowboys) Universal offer optional English (SDH) and French subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Universal Blu-ray has the same extras as the technically-oriented commentary by director John Badham. He talks about the 'mechanical' effects (not CGI) and gives details on how specific scenes were shot. The Revamping of Dracula is a 40-minute, 2004, documentary about the "Making Of" Universal's 1979 "Dracula" directed by Laurent Bouzereau and has John Badham, Frank Langella, Walter Mirisch, Kate Nelligan, John Williams input (some archival). There is also a Universal Classic Monsters trailer and a 1990 Dracula TV Series trailer.

It's a film I am very happy to own on Blu-ray and we will be patient to see what Shout! Factory produces.

Gary Tooze