Visually dynamic, but hampered by a performance lacking bite, “Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula” is still a fascinating recount of the real iron-fisted Romanian from whom Bram Stoker used as a pattern for his monstrous literary creation.
Premiering Tuesday at 8 p.m. on the USA Network, it especially works in showing how Vlad Dracula”s legend inspired Stoker.
For instance, a scene in which the prince seems to come back from the dead hints he might have been in a death-like coma during a battle and simply revived.
Another scene has Vlad dipping a piece of bread into a wine glass; legend twisted that into Vlad as a drinker of his foes” blood.
Vlad was fueled by vengeance, both for Turkish conquerors who took over his country, and for those who buried his father alive.
“What I do will bring justice and freedom to all Romanians,” says Vlad, played by Rudolf Martin.
But it”s hard to feel sorry for Vlad because of his brutality. His practice of running through enemies, criminals, corrupted noblemen and others with spikes, and then hoisting them up like trophies as a warning, won the man the nickname “Vlad the Impaler.”
Not making Vlad any more likable is Martin”s somewhat stiff portrayal. He doesn”t make Vlad approachable or help viewers understand why he was so bloodthirsty.
Offsetting Martin”s performance is some nice camera work and visual effects from director Joe Chappelle. Be warned: The movie is brutal in its violence, which it also tries to romanticize.
Often Chappelle gets carried away with the visual tricks. A scene where Vlad offers a supporter a piece of bread becomes nauseating, as the camera hiccups as if they were experiencing an earthquake.
Last month, Martin played the mythic vampire Dracula on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” There he came off as more than a murderous thug. It”s too bad he didn”t use that part of the fiction when essaying the reality.
Sunday
– “Plastic Surgery” is a new E! Entertainment Television special on the obsession with altering looks focusing on two women and one man — that premieres at 7 p.m.
– The movie icon that is Robert Redford is featured in a special A&E “Biography” at 7 p.m.
– “National Geographic Explorer” scares up some spooky creatures — including vampire bats and swamp rats — at 7 p.m. on CNBC.
– Screen legend Maureen O”Hara stars in “The Last Dance” as a retired high school teacher who reunites with a former student (Eric Stoltz) and teaches him the value of living life. The CBS movie is at 8 p.m. on WBBM-Ch. 2.
– Lifetime”s affecting “Any Day Now” lands in its new time slot of 8 p.m.
– Home & Garden Television visits six reportedly haunted homes in Charleston, S.C., at 8 p.m.
– Warning: There is no nudity on “The Naked Chef,” a new Food Network series with a special preview at 9 p.m. British cook Jamie Oliver is known for his stripped-down fare and back-to-basics attitude, hence the title. “The Naked Chef” bows in its regular 8:30 p.m. Saturday time later this week.
– CNN”s seven-part “Democracy in America” series of election specials concludes at 9 p.m. with a profile of Al Gore.
Monday
– Park Overall Day starts at 6 p.m. on Lifetime, with an “Intimate Portrait” of the “Empty Nest” actress, narrated by Andrew McCarthy. At 8 p.m. Overall stars as a mother whose son (Seth Adkins) returns to her psychologically damaged five years after his abduction by her ex-husband (Carl Marotte) in Lifetime”s “When Andrew Came Home.”
– An Animal Planet marathon of “Twisted Tales,” myths and fables about bugs, flies, frogs, wolves and other beasties, starts off with a new special on the history of the cat at 7 p.m.
– “The Ultimate Guide: Mummies” is a Discovery Channel special on ancient and modern mummification that is set for 7 p.m.
– Stars from “Moesha” guest on UPN”s special Halloween edition of “The Parkers” at 7:30 p.m. on WPWR-Ch. 50.
– Afterward at 8 p.m. on “The Hughleys,” Darryl (D.L. Hughley) sees the ghost of his home”s former owner.
– The History Channel”s new six-hour mini-series charts 5,000 years of a country in “A History of Britain.” Beginning Monday and going through Wednesday at 8 p.m., it is based on writer Simon Schama”s massive two-volume book. He also wrote, narrated and hosted the mini-series. See story, page 30.
– Engineer James Buchanan Eads created several innovations during the 1800s, including the diving bell and the ironclad gunship. Learn the “Secrets of a Master Builder” on PBS” “American Experience” at 9 p.m. WTTW-Ch. 11.
– Court TV teams up with ABC”s “Nightline” on the two-part “Death Penalty: Who Lives, Who Dies?” Drawn from “Nightline”s” four-part series “Crime and Punishment” and hosted by Ted Koppel, it looks at ways in which four state legislatures deal with the controversial issue, including Illinois. The special is Monday and Tuesday at 9 p.m.
Halloween
– CBS” “The Young and the Restless” celebrates its 7,000th episode at 11:30 a.m. on WBBM-Ch. 2.
– Sister stations USA Network and the Sci-Fi Channel simulcast the New York City Village Halloween Parade live at 6 p.m.
– TNT”s stock market drama “Bull” starts from the beginning, rerunning the first of 11 episodes at 9 p.m. New episodes will return in January.
Wednesday
– Fox brings out two new series after the 11th all-new edition of “The Simp-sons”” Halloween anthology “Treehouse of Horror,” at 7 p.m. on WFLD-Ch. 32:
John Goodman”s new comedy “Normal, Ohio” (7:30 p.m.) has gone through several changes since it was first announced in May, but Goodman still plays a gay man. Now he”s returning home from California to reconnect with his mean-spirited extended family.
Goodman is his genial self, and Joely Fisher (“Ellen”) is sweet as his tart, yet vulnerable, sister. But mostly everyone else wisecracks, usually at Goodman”s expense. It seems they”re picking on him just because he”s gay, and that”s not funny.
Debuting at 8 p.m. is “The Street,” Darren Star”s (“Sex and the City”) Wall Street drama that, unlike TNT”s similarly themed “Bull,” isn”t too stuck on showing the investment world”s in”s and out”s. Instead, the series is more soap opera-ish as it looks at how these traders play after the closing bell rings.
The cast is appealing enough, although some of the guys look a little too much like each other. Standouts include Adam Goldberg of “Relativity,” whose nebbishness stands out from the others; and Rick Hoffman as a fast-talking investments jerk.
– With Election Night less than a week away, PBS and National Public Radio broadcast “Time to Choose,” three hours originating live from five locations around the country, including Chicago”s WTTW-Ch. 11 at 7 p.m. The special will look at the issues that determine how voters will cast their selection for president.
– Director Rob Reiner gets roasted and toasted in Comedy Central”s third presentation of the legendary New York Friars Club”s salacious, outrageous salute of really funny people at 9 p.m. Michael McKean, who co-starred in Reiner”s “This is Spinal Tap,” hosts.
– A detective (James Brolin) takes his estranged teen daughter (Amanda Fuller) on a case that takes them to an Arizona town where polygamy is practiced, in “Children of Fortune,” a CBS movie airing at 8 p.m. on WBBM-Ch. 2.
Thursday
– “Diner” director and “Homicide” executive producer Barry Levinson is profiled on Encore”s “The Directors” at 7 p.m.
– Hitler biographer David Irving sued American historian Deborah Lipstadt in British court for branding him a Holocaust denier several years ago. PBS” “Nova” re-enacts that courtroom drama in “Holocaust on Trial” at 8 p.m. on WTTW-Ch. 11.
– The nurses of Angels of Mercy Hospital stage a “sick out” due to a rapist stalking the hospital on CBS” “City of Angels” at 8 p.m. on WBBM-Ch. 2.
Friday
– ABC News” Barbara Walters is scheduled to conduct the first interview with Barbra Streisand since she married James Brolin two years ago on “20/20” at 9 p.m. on WLS-Ch. 7.
Saturday
– MTV”s “Choose or Love” voter campaign drive sponsors a two-hour pro-voting pep rally at 11 a.m., with celebrities and musical guests slated to attend.
– Creed and “NSync lead the nominees with four bids each on the Radio Music Awards, which is scheduled to broadcast live on ABC from Las Vegas at 7 p.m. on WLS-Ch. 7. Top 40 pop, alternative, hip-hop, country and other formats will be represented at the awards.
FX TRIES TO SPIN NEW SHOW FROM MOVIE
Many times the new supernatural thriller “The Sight” comes off too much like “The Sixth Sense.” It”s like little Haley Joel Osment”s character has grown up still carrying on his mission of helping the dispirited dead seek closure.
But if you get beyond the comparisons, you”ll find a nice little story. Premiering Sunday at 7 p.m. on FX, former Brat Packer Andrew McCarthy plays architect Michael Lewis, in London with his business partner (Kevin Tighe) to refurbish an old hotel.
The job isn”t going smoothly.
“OK. I”ve been in London two days. Killed someone, totaled a $70,000 car, and 21 people who I”ve never met hate me. Things are going well,” Lewis says to a video diary.
Before you can say “I see dead people,” Michael is seeing the hotel”s 21 ghosts, experiencing disquieting dreams, and being told by the spirit of the woman he accidentally killed (Honor Blackman) that he must carry on her work in using his own “sight.”
The ghost of a little girl asks Michael, “Can you help me?” in achieving peace. She is among several kids who were murdered by a Jack the Ripper-type.
Paul W.S. Anderson writes and directs a good-looking film that moves along briskly, is rife with cheeky humor and is aided by a low-key turn by McCarthy.
“The Sight” will become into a regular series if the movie does well. Let”s hope we see more of Michael”s sightings.
