Parents' Guide to

Dear Dracula

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Sweet, funny story of friendship is a treat for the family.

Movie NR 2012 60 minutes
Dear Dracula Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 11+

Based on 5 parent reviews

CSMContentDefault
CSMContentDefault Adult
October 31, 2018
age 5+

5 year olds didn't mind at all

My twin 5 year old girls didn't seem to think this was too scary. They aren't the most daring either; they were still talking about the Grinch in March. We are pretty tight on what they watch and are exposed to and other than the less-than-Pixar animation quality, nothing seemed bad. The mentioning of the Saw movies is a total farce. Dracula says "chainsaw movies" so quickly, I don't think anyone would've noticed it. I only did because I was looking out for it, I had to go back later and make sure that's what another reviewer said. It was never over the top scary, there was a positive message. Throw your tv out if you don't want them exposed to anything remotely negative. Most stories have conflict in them, so we have a resolution. It's a part of life. It's a Halloween movie with Dracula in the title, I don't know exactly what you're expecting. Rent Noah's Arc if you're looking for something a little more wholesome. SPOILER ALERT - Earth is flooded and some animals were probably...KILLED. As far as the bullying thing goes, it's nothing too extreme and you can TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN! Don't let the tv be the only influence on them. If they're over 5, they can probably understand reason and emotion. Take responsibility for raising your kids.
1 person found this helpful.
Beautymerc
Beautymerc Adult
October 26, 2018
age 5+

Cute movie

This was a cute movie. Maybe if the person above had finished the movie they would have seen they address the bully issue which is minimal to begin with. As far as believing kids would just go around playing with deadly spiders is just silly. I recommend this movie.
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

DEAR DRACULA tells the story of Sam (voiced by Nathan Gamble), an introverted boy with an affinity for monsters who decides to write to Count Dracula (Ray Liotta) to ask for a vampire action figure he wants. His request is granted (sort of) when the Count himself shows up on his doorstep, accompanied by his sidekick, Myro (Emilio Estevez), just in time for the Halloween festivities on Sam's street. But try as he might, the Count just can't seem to scare up any fright in neighborhood trick-or-treaters, leading him to question his abilities. Meanwhile, Sam is pining for a friendship beyond that he shares with his pet spider, Webber, but can't seem to get up the nerve to talk to his neighbor, Emma (Ariel Winter). When these two unlikely pals pledge to solve each other's problems, it's anybody's guess as to how things will turn out.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (2):

Halloween specials tend to be as fleeting as the buckets of candy that disappear in a matter of days, but this is a delightful addition to TV's holiday repertoire. It deserves a place in your family's Halloween viewing traditions. Based on a graphic novel by Joshua Williamson and Vincente Navarrate, Dear Dracula is light on fright and heavy on comedy, cleverness, and fantastic messages about the value of friendship and the satisfaction of self-esteem. Sam and the Count discover that they may not be able to solve their own problems alone, but that each one has some expertise to offer the other in his quest for happiness.

What starts as a cute premise for a story quickly blossoms into a full-blown treat for the whole family, thanks to visually pleasing animation and exceptional voice artists who capture the essence of the characters. From Marion Ross as Sam's spunky grandma to Liotta as the curmudgeonly Count, there's a delightful surprise around every corner of this funny, sweet Halloween story.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about self-confidence. How do the Count and Sam regain their confidence in Dear Dracula? What causes them to lose confidence? How does having a good friend change their outlook?

  • Kids: What kinds of things scare you? How does familiarity with them help you conquer that fear? How does Sam deal with his fear of being around other kids?

  • If you had the chance to meet a book or movie character, who would it be? What would you like to know about him or her? Do you think you'd be friends? What do you have in common?

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