It was filmed at night on the same sets that were being used during the day for the 1931 englishlanguage film of the same title in the early days of sound film, it was common for hollywood studios to produce foreignlanguage. Shannon patrick sullivan after a harrowing ride through the carpathian mountains in eastern europe, renfield enters castle dracula to finalize the transferral of carfax abbey in london to count dracula, who is in actuality a vampire. But he died as dracula was going into production, and the mysterious 49yearold hungarian, who starred in a 1927 broadway production of dracula, was cast. This movie stills provides a good atmosphere and a. Dracula is an american horror film released in 1931 by universal pictures. The spanishlanguage dracula 1931 is frequently said to be better than the simultaneously shot, englishlanguage dracula. Dracula is a classic among horror films, with bela lugosi giving the.
Bela lugosis timeless portrayal of dracula in this creepy and atmospheric 1931 film has set the standard for major vampiric roles since. For xmas last year i got the universal monsters box set containing 8 of universals horror movies from the 30s and 40s. The ominous portrayal of count dracula by bela lugosi, combined with horror specialist director tod browning, help to create the films eerie mood. The movie was produced by universal pictures it is based on the 1924 stage play dracula by hamilton deane and john l. The ancient vampire count dracula arrives in england and begins to prey upon the virtuous young mina. Dracula 1931 cast and crew cast photos and info fandango. Movie lore has it that bela lugosi could barely speak english when he was chosen by universal pictures to star in dracula 1931. One section covers the techniques used to produce this fully restored copy of the 1931 movie. London after midnight 1927 aka the hypnotist with lon chaney, sr. It is the first authorized film adaptation of dracula as well as the first horror film talkie. Lon chaney had been scheduled to play the role, a wise casting decision after his success in the silent classics the hunchback of notre dame and the phantom of the opera. It was based on the 1924 stageplay by hamilton deane and the novel dracula by bram stoker. Dracula 1931 is the spanish language version of the exact same film. Dracula 1931 soon after beginning work for conde dracula carlos villarias, the clerk renfield pablo alvarez rubio learns that his employer is, in fact, a vampire who lives on human blood.
Looking at tod brownings 1931 dracula is virtually like gazing upon the bela lugosi classic for the first time. Bela lugosi, edward van sloan, helen chandler, dwight frye and francis dade. The movie is best remembered for its opening transylvania setpiece that introduces viewers to lugosis unforgettable count, and while the london sequences tend to be static and dull by comparison, the increased detail seen here in the hd presentation makes the talky latter sections. It was the start of the horror movie genre, classic lugiso lines including cheeldren of the naight, i nevair dreenk vine and i am count draculaaa, and no doesn. The extra material on the bluray is also worth watching. Dracula 1931 relive all the terror, mystery and intrigue of the original vampire masterpiece starring bela legosi that has inspired hundreds of adaptations and launched the hollywood horror genre. Perhaps that was true in 1931, but today i think the movie is interesting mostly for technical reasonsfor the stylized performances, the photography, the sets. Dracula 910 movie clip dracula and van helsing 1931 hd.
According to contemporary newspaper articles, even theater audiences would at times loudly mock the film as it played, causing the entire room to erupt in laughter throughout the movie. Dracula 1931 by tod browning movie poster after a harrowing ride through the carpathian mountains in eastern europe, renfield enters castle dracula to finalize the transferral of carfax abbey in london to count dracula, who is in actuality a vampire. Bela lugosi turns in a landmark horror performance in this 1931 adaptation of bram stokers classic vampire novel. It was customary at that time for studios to produce spanish language versions of their films at night to make use of the sets. Written by garrett fort, based on the novel by bram stoker and the play by hamilton deane and john l. One of the problems modern viewers will have with tod brownings 1931 dracula ok, at least this modern viewer, unfair as it may be, is that countless versions of the vampire tale have been. Balderston, which in turn is adapted from the novel dracula by bram stoker.
Dracula van helsing epilogue partially found scene of. It is based on the 1924 stage play dracula by hamilton deane and john l. Then vanhellsing opens a box and showed dracula a mirror and dracula swats the box away and looks at his new nemesis in shock to learn that draculas secret is now out. Dracula, of course, did not come to the screen from out of nowhere. The dashing, mysterious count dracula bela lugosi, after hypnotizing a british soldier, renfield dwight frye, into his mindless slave, travels to london and takes up residence in an old castle. Dracula, american horror film, released in 1931, that is considered one of the early classics of the genre. Thus does bela lugosi declare his presence in the 1931 screen version of bram stokers dracula.
There are slouching scenes where the camera seems nailed to the floor, panning occasionally to keep the characters in frame a style which brownings other films seem to favor. Dracula 1931 directed by enrique tovar avalos, george. Director tod browning invests most of his mood and atmosphere in the first two reels, which were. It was filmed at night on the same sets that were being used during the day for the 1931 englishlanguage film of the same title. After a harrowing ride through the carpathian mountains in eastern europe, renfield enters castle dracula to finalize the transferral of carfax abbey in london to count dracula, who is in actuality a vampire. It doesnt follow the book, but to be honest, bram stokers novel would be hard to film with perfect faithfulness. In another part of the subterranean cellar, mina feels his agonizing death pains, and screams as dracula is impaled. Were your movie poster source for new releases and vintage movie posters. Media in category dracula 1931 film the following 32 files are in this category, out of 32 total. The film is seen as a classic by many and is often regarded as the film that made dracula a popular icon. The biggest mistakes you never noticed in dracula 1931. It was selected for preservation in the united states national film registry by the library of congress as being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
Based on bram stokers 1897 novel which was in time adapted for the stage, first in stokers native britain, and then, beginning in 1927 on broadway where bela lugosi was first cast in the title role. Dracula remains a masterpiece not only of the genre, but for all time. I mean it too, its the same script, the same story, and even the same set. Revisit transylvania for the eerie mood created by spectacular cinematography and lugosis oftcopied take on the infamous dracula. The road to dracula sd,35 min a short makingof doc hosted by rebecca isabelle carla laemmle, niece of universal pictures founder carl laemmle. Modern dracula, the return of dracula, and the son of dracula.
Dracula movie poster print 1931 horror one 1 sheet artwork bela lugosi. Dracula goes up the steps, and waits for renfield, who without difficulty, cuts open a huge spiders web using his walking stick. According to contemporary newspaper articles, even theater audiences would at times loudly mock the film as it played, causing the entire room to erupt in laughter throughout the. Universals dracula is a 1931 horror film loosely based on the 1924 play of the same name directed by tod browning and karl freund starring bela lugosi as dracula and edward van sloan as van helsing. His portrayal of dracula is the one that most people think of when they hear the characters name or even just the word vampire, whether or not theyve actually seen the movie. Dracula is sent to eternal damnation, making agonized groans offscreen when van helsing pounds and drives the stake into his undead heart while he is sleeping in his coffin. Balderston, which in turn is adapted from the 1897 novel dracula by bram stoker. The film was produced by universal and is based on the 1924 stage play dracula by hamilton deane and john l.
Dracula is a 1931 american precode supernatural horror film directed and coproduced by tod browning from a screenplay written by garrett fort. With bela lugosi, helen chandler, david manners, dwight frye. Dracula 1931 tt0021814 the legend of vampire count dracula begins here with this original 1931 dracula film starring bela lugosi. Although theres no record of when browning was in control and when or if freund had the helm, one can certainly conjecture. Dracula 1931 george melford synopsis, characteristics. The most chilling, genuinely frightening film ever made, vows the reference series cinebooks. Critics already considered dracula adaptations to be old hat and singled out lugosis performance as the worst part of the movie. Towering ominously among the shadows of the carpathian mountains, castle dracula strikes fear in the hearts of the transylvanian villagers below. It stars bela lugosi as the title vampire count dracula. The ominous portrayal of count dracula by bela lugosi, combined with horror specialist director tod browning, help to create the films eerie. Dracula is a 1931 universal horror film directed by tod browning and written by carl leammle jr. O boy was i wrong, the bluray copy i screened was pristine in both image and sound.
Then vanhellsing opens a box and showed dracula a mirror and dracula swats the box away and looks at his new nemesis in shock to learn that dracula s secret is now out. Bela lugosi stars as dracula in the 1931 original screen version of bram stokers classic tale. Dracula is een amerikaanse horrorfilm uit 1931, geproduceerd door universal pictures co. Balderston, which in turn is based on the novel dracula by bram stoker. He turns into a wolf and then is seen running across the yard, into the night. It is an adaptation of the 1897 novel by bram stoker and the 1924 stage play. Dracula is a 1931 film about the ancient transylvanian vampire count dracula, his voyage to england and his hunting by legendary monster hunter abraham van helsing. Dracula is a 1931 american spanishlanguage precode horror film directed by george melford. Filmed simultaneously and on the same sets as the bela lugosi version of dracula, this spanishlanguage version is in many ways an improvement upon the original. Dracula 1931 movie simple english wikipedia, the free.
The performances of villarias, rubio, and arozamena are much less affecting than those of lugosi, frye, and sloan. With lots of interviews with film historians, relatives of cast members and contemporary fans, its a nice and insightful piece at the movies history and impact with some cool lost footage. Bela lugosi as dracula, anonymous photograph from 1931, universal studios. Before mina leaves, dracula asks if he can check on her later. The legend of vampire count dracula begins here with this original 1931 dracula film starring bela lugosi. A universal horror film from 1931, which made bela lugosi famous as the classical movie vampire. Dracula is a 1931 vampirehorror film directed by tod browning and starring bela lugosi as the title character. If youve watched leslie nielsen in dracula dead and loving it youll see the various scenes that inspired the mel brooks comedy. Watch dracula 1931 movie trailer instantly, no need to login.
Is the 1931 dracula still a terrifying film, or has it become a period piece. Edward van sloan the legend of vampire count dracula begins here with this original 1931 dracula film from bela lugosi. Dracula is a 1931 american precode vampire horror film directed by tod browning and starring bela lugosi as count dracula. Find out where dracula 1931 is streaming, if dracula 1931 is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. In 1931, universals publicity heralded dracula as the story of the strangest passion the world has ever known. But film critics and the american public rechristened it as a horror movie. Whereas the englishlanguage version directed by tod browning, is stylish and atmospheric only in its first two reels, the spanish dracula sustains its eeriness throughout. Although there have been numerous screen versions of bram stokers classic tale, none is more enduring than the 1931 original. Produced by universal, the screenplay is based on the 1924 stage play dracula by hamilton deane and john l.
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