Dracula Overview:

Dracula (1931) was a Fantasy - Horror Film directed by Tod Browning and Karl Freund and produced by Carl Laemmle Jr., Tod Browning and E.M. Asher.

The film was based on the novel of the same name and also Stage Play written by Bram Stoker published in 1897 (novel); Oct 5, 1927 - May 1928 (play performed at Fulton Theatre, NY).

SYNOPSIS

The most famous screen version of Bram Stoker's celebrated tale launched Lugosi's career in the role he seemed destined to play. Browning had the right macabre sensibility and Freund's images are moody and shadowy. You know the lines by heart, but have you ever really looked at the scene in which Lugosi stands at the top of a sweeping staircase, haloed by spiderwebs, and intones, "I am...Dracula"? There was a Spanish-language version filmed at the same time that, with the exception of Lugosi's embodiment of the count, is considered superior. Try to give it a watch.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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Dracula was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2000.

BlogHub Articles:

TENDER DRACULA On Blu-ray From Severin

By Dan Day, Jr. on Dec 17, 2023 From The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog

So it's finally come to this. The most notorious title in Severin's CUSHING CURIOSITIES Blu-ray box set is the 1974 French film TENDER DRACULA, also known as LA GRANDE TROUILLE. TENDER DRACULA is known among Peter Cushing fans for being the strangest, and possibly the worst, movie in the actor's ent... Read full article


Dracula (1931): Starring Bela Lugosi

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jun 6, 2023 From 4 Star Films

As the story behind Universal’s Dracula unfolds, it’s a joy to pinpoint all the elements helping to intensify the dread and solidify it among the studio’s emerging array of horror classics. There has to be a kind of mythology and lore that the scares can be built out of. The protec... Read full article


Monsters and Matinees: Beyond Lugosi – 9 classic film actors who played Dracula

By Toni Ruberto on Nov 12, 2022 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Say the name Dracula and who do you see? Most likely Bela Lugosi. The Hungarian actor remains the face of Bram Stoker?s iconic character even for some who have never seen him play the role. So here?s a surprising fact that I have to remind myself of: Lugosi only played Count Dracula twice on film... Read full article


Rating The Universal Dracula Films

By Dan Day, Jr. on Oct 9, 2022 From The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog

Now it's time for my personal rankings of the Universal Dracula films made during the studio's classic monster era from 1931 to 1948. This will be the same setup as my Universal Frankenstein rankings from yesterday. There's going to be some overlap from that list, as HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, HOUSE OF ... Read full article


DRACULA AND SON On Blu-ray From Severin

By Dan Day, Jr. on Aug 29, 2022 From The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog

The main highlight of Severin's THE EUROCRYPT OF CHRISTOPHER LEE COLLECTION 2 Blu-ray box set is its 3-disc presentation of the 1976 French comedy DRACULA AND SON (originally titled DRACULA PERE ET FILS). The film is not only shown in a restored, uncut condition, it is also the recipient of several ... Read full article


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Quotes from

Renfield: I'm loyal to you Master, I 'm your slave, I didn't betray you! Oh no, don't! Don't kill me! Let me live, please! Punish me - torture me - but let me live! I can't die with all those lives on my conscience, all that blood on my hands!


Count Dracula: To die, to be *really* dead, that must be glorious!
Mina Seward: Why, Count Dracula!
Count Dracula: There are far worse things awaiting man than death.


Renfield: He came and stood below my window in the moonlight. And he promised me things, not in words, but by doing them.
Van Helsing: Doing them?
Renfield: By making them happen. A red mist spread over the lawn, coming on like a flame of fire! And then he parted it, and I could see that there were thousands of rats, with their eyes blazing red,l ike his, only smaller. Then he held up his hand, and they all stopped, and I thought he seemed to be saying: "Rats! Rats! Rats! Thousands! Millions of them! All red-blood! All these will I give you! If you will obey me!"
Van Helsing: What did he want you to do?
Renfield: That which has already been done!
[giggles sinisterly]


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Facts about

Several famous elements often associated with Dracula are not visible in this film. At no point does Dracula display fangs. Also, the famous vampire bite mark on the neck is never shown either (though it is visible in the Spanish version).
Before he was cast as Count Dracula, Bela Lugosi acted as an unpaid intermediary for Universal Pictures in negotiating with the widow of author Bram Stoker in an attempt to persuade her to lower her asking price for the filming rights to the Dracula property. After two months of negotiations, Mrs. Stoker reportedly lowered her price from $200,000 to $60,000. This, however, further demonstrated to Universal how desperate Lugosi was to repeat his stage success as Count Dracula and secure the film role for himself.
Although it was his most famous role, Bela Lugosi played Dracula only once more on screen, in the comedy Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein. However, he played Dracula-like characters in movies such as The Return of the Vampire and Plan 9 from Outer Space.
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National Film Registry

Dracula

Released 1931
Inducted 2000
(Sound)




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Also directed by Tod Browning




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Also produced by Carl Laemmle Jr.




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