The theatricality of the movie is largely because this version comes from a long-running play in which Lugosi played the lead. Also, cameras were not as mobile as they had been in the silent era. The first sound horror movie I know of that was truly cinematic was "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" from 1931. I can still send shivers down your spine.
Nobody beats the Bela! Have you ever heard of Ed Wood, or the movies he made (or the movie made about him, starring Johnny Depp)? Ed Wood and Bela Lugosi were close friends by the end of Bela's life.
This video perfectly captures the eerie brilliance of the 1931 classic Dracula! Bela Lugosi's iconic performance as the Count is unforgettable, and his mesmerizing presence still sends chills down my spine. The gothic atmosphere, incredible sets, and hauntingly beautiful score make this film a timeless masterpiece. It's amazing how this movie laid the groundwork for so many vampire films that followed. Watching it again reminds me why Dracula remains a cornerstone of horror cinema. Thanks for sharing this classic gem!
This isn't the first adaptation of _Dracula_ for the screen -- that would be the silent version of _Nosferatu,_ although they changed the vampire's name to try to escape copyright. They didn't reckon with Stoker's widow, who took them to court and got an order for all the prints to be destroyed. (Luckily, enough escaped.) In _Shadow of the Vampire,_ the actor starring in _Nosferatu_ is a real vampire. Edit: You do mention this later.
You two should check out _Cat People_ from Val Lewton's arsenal (with Simone Simon, although the remake is of interest also). Also I recommend taking a look at _Dracula's Daughter,_ the first sequel to _Dracula._
I have already reacted to the original version of Cat People on the channel if you want to check it out. I can't believe I've not seen the sequel to Dracula but I will definitely watch it
Bella was legend! This sends me back to childhood Friday nights watching scary movies and eating junk food with the cousins! Not the best stuff for us but best memories ever. Thank you for reminding me of this gem. Appreciate the work you put into the video and commentary
The intriductory music is btmy from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, but there is a French print i have that features a more elaborate score which actually adds much more atmosphere to the somewhat stagey middle part of the film and its quite good. I don't know if it's a single composer or from a library of music. There is also a string score by American compiser Philip Glass that is evocative as well, but i prefer the French and not sure on what media it is available. As usual winderfully reaction with your lovely girlfriend. Oh, and by the way, i think the best version of Dracula is one produced by BBC in 1978 i think with Louis Jourdan as the Count even though it's primarily shot on video and has the best Mina ever played by Judi Bowker who played Andromeda in the film Clash of the Titans (1981). It's available on youtube so definitely check it out if you can.
Hi guys started watching your reactions .the 1931 dracula is one of my favourite movies .I'm 65 and I grew up with the universal monster movies .I'm John from Glasgow Scotland I'd love to visit Romania especially peles castle I watched a documentary about it it love a tour inside all the best with your channel .
_Twilight,_ um. Well, maybe after _Interview with the Vampire,_ as I can't help but feel that's an influence. Michael Sheen is in some of the _Twilight_ movies, so that's something. He's played a vampire, a werewolf _(Underworld),_ and an angel _(Good Omens)._
"This is very old wine. I hope you will like it." "Aren't you drinking?" "I never drink... wine." Fun Fact: A Spanish-language version, Drácula (1931), was filmed at night on the same set at the same time, with Spanish-speaking actors. Music Enthusiast Fact: The theme music at the start of the film is the second movement from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake (1876). Considering the general date in which the story is set, this would have been only a few years old, with a popular version of the sheet music being widely available. Lost In Adaptation Fact: In this version of the Dracula story, the woman partially transformed into a vampire is Mina Seward (Helen Chandler). In the original novel, her name is Wilhelmina "Mina" Murray, and she has no relation to Dr. Seward (Herbert Bunston). In the novel, she works as a school mistress (schoolteacher) and she had lost both of her parents at a young age.
That was an interesting reaction. Thanks for doing it. I suspect the reasons why all the signs and some of the non-English dialogue at the beginning was Hungarian rather than Romanian, was that 1.) Hollywood then (as now) often plays rather fast and loose with authenticity, and 2.) there were many working in Hollywood back then who were either immigrants themselves (like the cinematographer of DRACULA, Karl Freund, a veteran German cameraman, who worked on METROPOLIS (1927) and emigrated to the U.S. in 1929) or whose parents had been immigrants (like the producer of DRACULA, Carl Laemmle), specifically from Germany and Hungary (Bela Lugosi was Hungarian, as was another actor famous for his sinister characters, Peter Lorre) --far more so than Romanian. As a result, these immigrants probably drew more readily upon Hungarian details, rather than Romanian, as that was what they were more familiar with (basically, "This is what we know best, it's close enough, and it's all for nonsense, anyway."). Did you notice, early in the film, when Dracula greets Renfield in that great hall with the staircase, that Dracula (via simple-but-clever editing) walks through that massive cobweb at the top of the stairs, without breaking or disturbing it? Moments later, Renfield walks through, making a big hole in the web, as any solid object would. That was a nice, creepy touch. It also subtly underscores the idea that Dracula is not of our natural world, more like a kind of ghost, but not obvious enough to alert Renfield, who is walking into his spider-ish trap. If she is agreeable to it, I like the idea of your showing your girlfriend other iterations of Dracula/vampire films she hasn't seen, to get a feel for the evolution of the idea, starting with this and NOSFERATU (1922). I especially hope you'll co-watch both Hammer's DRACULA (1958) and Roman Polanski's spoof, THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS (1967, glad to see you mention it in the video), as only 4 people have reacted to the Hammer film on TH-cam, so far, and absolutely no one has reacted to FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS, to date.
Yes, I definitely intend to show her both Nosferatu and The Fearless Vampire Killers. I want to also show her Salem's Lot, The Lost Boys, The Klaus Kinski version of Nosferatu and and the Hammer version of Dracula with Christopher Lee. Plenty of great Vampire films out there. Glad you enjoyed the reaction 👍
Nice one! But, yeah, I prefer the excellent Spanish version shot at the same time (at night on the same sets) because it's more gothic, more sensual, the camera is more mobile, Renfield is more psychotic, and Harker doesn't mince around yelling "Mina!" every minute. The only thing missing is that the actor who plays Dracula doesn't have Lugosi's 'otherworld' presence.
I really need to get around to watching the Spanish version. I've have as part of the Universal Monsters Collection. It's an extra feature on the Dracula blu ray disc
The opening music is from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. The concurrently produced Spanish-language version might be a touch better. The film was shot on the same sets as this film and director George Melford watched the dailies from this version and applied what he saw to film his own version. By the way, have you seen Chuck Norris vs Communism?
I couldn't wrap my head around the title of that opening music. Fantastic piece. I've not seen it. Isn't it a documentary? I'm fairly certain she hasn't seen it either
This film hasn't aged well and seems almost comical in many respects now. Christopher Lee's "Dracula" 1958, is my go to Prince of Darkness. No one else has ever embodied the combination of aristocratic elegance and demonic evil in the way that Lee did!
The theatricality of the movie is largely because this version comes from a long-running play in which Lugosi played the lead. Also, cameras were not as mobile as they had been in the silent era. The first sound horror movie I know of that was truly cinematic was "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" from 1931. I can still send shivers down your spine.
Yet to see 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'. Was that part of the Universal Monsters?
@@IrishGuyReacts It was made by Paramount as an answer to Universal.
Nobody beats the Bela! Have you ever heard of Ed Wood, or the movies he made (or the movie made about him, starring Johnny Depp)? Ed Wood and Bela Lugosi were close friends by the end of Bela's life.
Ed Wood is a great movie
For the longest time I've been meaning to watch Ed Wood. I think it's a film I'd really enjoy
This video perfectly captures the eerie brilliance of the 1931 classic Dracula! Bela Lugosi's iconic performance as the Count is unforgettable, and his mesmerizing presence still sends chills down my spine. The gothic atmosphere, incredible sets, and hauntingly beautiful score make this film a timeless masterpiece. It's amazing how this movie laid the groundwork for so many vampire films that followed. Watching it again reminds me why Dracula remains a cornerstone of horror cinema. Thanks for sharing this classic gem!
Philip Glass did a score for this a few years ago. It was really atmospheric.
It was monotonously repetitive to the point of torture.
@@davidlionheart2438 To each their own. :)
He's done some great film scores. I'll have to find that version
@@IrishGuyReacts I enjoyed it.
Transylvanian Girlfriend sounds like a band name.
Haha it actually does 😂
This is based more on the stage play than the book and it shows. I love the creepiness of this movie, though.
Did you see the stage play?
@@larindanomikos I have not, but I've read it.
The opening section has a fantastic tone to it.
My all time favourite Dracula film. Cheers.
Glad you enjoyed it 👍
This isn't the first adaptation of _Dracula_ for the screen -- that would be the silent version of _Nosferatu,_ although they changed the vampire's name to try to escape copyright. They didn't reckon with Stoker's widow, who took them to court and got an order for all the prints to be destroyed. (Luckily, enough escaped.) In _Shadow of the Vampire,_ the actor starring in _Nosferatu_ is a real vampire. Edit: You do mention this later.
I haven't got around to Shadow Of The Vampire. But I do love Nosferatu
@@IrishGuyReacts They make an interesting double feature.
There was allegedly an Austrian adaptation made a year earlier. That one however was destroyed.
@@tremorsfan Shame it was destroyed. Would have been cool to check it out
Transylvanian girlfriend! Did she cross oceans of time to find you?
Oceans and castles
You two should check out _Cat People_ from Val Lewton's arsenal (with Simone Simon, although the remake is of interest also). Also I recommend taking a look at _Dracula's Daughter,_ the first sequel to _Dracula._
I have already reacted to the original version of Cat People on the channel if you want to check it out. I can't believe I've not seen the sequel to Dracula but I will definitely watch it
Thanks to Liam and Ioana! 🧛♀ Todd Browning and Karl Freund directed. 🔸 Will you be reacting to BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA (1992)?
We definitely intend to react to other versions of Dracula and Vampire films 👍
@@IrishGuyReacts I'm glad to hear that... because there are really good ones... and really fun ones.
Bella was legend! This sends me back to childhood Friday nights watching scary movies and eating junk food with the cousins! Not the best stuff for us but best memories ever. Thank you for reminding me of this gem. Appreciate the work you put into the video and commentary
I love the old horror films. Glad it could bring back some fond memories for you.
The intriductory music is btmy from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, but there is a French print i have that features a more elaborate score which actually adds much more atmosphere to the somewhat stagey middle part of the film and its quite good. I don't know if it's a single composer or from a library of music. There is also a string score by American compiser Philip Glass that is evocative as well, but i prefer the French and not sure on what media it is available. As usual winderfully reaction with your lovely girlfriend.
Oh, and by the way, i think the best version of Dracula is one produced by BBC in 1978 i think with Louis Jourdan as the Count even though it's primarily shot on video and has the best Mina ever played by Judi Bowker who played Andromeda in the film Clash of the Titans (1981). It's available on youtube so definitely check it out if you can.
Ah, yes. Louis Jourdan.
I've not seen the 78' version. I'll definitely have to watch that one. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Hi guys started watching your reactions .the 1931 dracula is one of my favourite movies .I'm 65 and I grew up with the universal monster movies .I'm John from Glasgow Scotland I'd love to visit Romania especially peles castle I watched a documentary about it it love a tour inside all the best with your channel .
Thanks for the support John. 👍 Much appreciated
_Twilight,_ um. Well, maybe after _Interview with the Vampire,_ as I can't help but feel that's an influence. Michael Sheen is in some of the _Twilight_ movies, so that's something. He's played a vampire, a werewolf _(Underworld),_ and an angel _(Good Omens)._
Tom Cruise steals the show in Interview With The Vampire
If Irish Guy got a Haircut he could pass for Renfield 😉
Which one?
It's funny you mention that as I was thinking how I'd love to play Renfield in a stage adaptation of Dracula
"This is very old wine. I hope you will like it."
"Aren't you drinking?"
"I never drink... wine."
Fun Fact: A Spanish-language version, Drácula (1931), was filmed at night on the same set at the same time, with Spanish-speaking actors.
Music Enthusiast Fact: The theme music at the start of the film is the second movement from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake (1876). Considering the general date in which the story is set, this would have been only a few years old, with a popular version of the sheet music being widely available.
Lost In Adaptation Fact: In this version of the Dracula story, the woman partially transformed into a vampire is Mina Seward (Helen Chandler). In the original novel, her name is Wilhelmina "Mina" Murray, and she has no relation to Dr. Seward (Herbert Bunston). In the novel, she works as a school mistress (schoolteacher) and she had lost both of her parents at a young age.
Thanks as always for the trivia. A mainstay 👍😉
You're welcome!
Go with God and Be Safe from Evil. 😎 👍
That was an interesting reaction. Thanks for doing it.
I suspect the reasons why all the signs and some of the non-English dialogue at the beginning was Hungarian rather than Romanian, was that 1.) Hollywood then (as now) often plays rather fast and loose with authenticity, and 2.) there were many working in Hollywood back then who were either immigrants themselves (like the cinematographer of DRACULA, Karl Freund, a veteran German cameraman, who worked on METROPOLIS (1927) and emigrated to the U.S. in 1929) or whose parents had been immigrants (like the producer of DRACULA, Carl Laemmle), specifically from Germany and Hungary (Bela Lugosi was Hungarian, as was another actor famous for his sinister characters, Peter Lorre) --far more so than Romanian. As a result, these immigrants probably drew more readily upon Hungarian details, rather than Romanian, as that was what they were more familiar with (basically, "This is what we know best, it's close enough, and it's all for nonsense, anyway.").
Did you notice, early in the film, when Dracula greets Renfield in that great hall with the staircase, that Dracula (via simple-but-clever editing) walks through that massive cobweb at the top of the stairs, without breaking or disturbing it? Moments later, Renfield walks through, making a big hole in the web, as any solid object would. That was a nice, creepy touch. It also subtly underscores the idea that Dracula is not of our natural world, more like a kind of ghost, but not obvious enough to alert Renfield, who is walking into his spider-ish trap.
If she is agreeable to it, I like the idea of your showing your girlfriend other iterations of Dracula/vampire films she hasn't seen, to get a feel for the evolution of the idea, starting with this and NOSFERATU (1922). I especially hope you'll co-watch both Hammer's DRACULA (1958) and Roman Polanski's spoof, THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS (1967, glad to see you mention it in the video), as only 4 people have reacted to the Hammer film on TH-cam, so far, and absolutely no one has reacted to FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS, to date.
Yes, I definitely intend to show her both Nosferatu and The Fearless Vampire Killers. I want to also show her Salem's Lot, The Lost Boys, The Klaus Kinski version of Nosferatu and and the Hammer version of Dracula with Christopher Lee. Plenty of great Vampire films out there.
Glad you enjoyed the reaction 👍
Nice one! But, yeah, I prefer the excellent Spanish version shot at the same time (at night on the same sets) because it's more gothic, more sensual, the camera is more mobile, Renfield is more psychotic, and Harker doesn't mince around yelling "Mina!" every minute. The only thing missing is that the actor who plays Dracula doesn't have Lugosi's 'otherworld' presence.
I really need to get around to watching the Spanish version. I've have as part of the Universal Monsters Collection. It's an extra feature on the Dracula blu ray disc
Bela lugosi was Hungarian
Indeed he was
What surprised me when I first read the novel was the amount of xenophobia in it.
I have the novel in hardback (as well as other stories by Stoker) but haven't read it yet
The opening music is from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. The concurrently produced Spanish-language version might be a touch better. The film was shot on the same sets as this film and director George Melford watched the dailies from this version and applied what he saw to film his own version. By the way, have you seen Chuck Norris vs Communism?
I couldn't wrap my head around the title of that opening music. Fantastic piece. I've not seen it. Isn't it a documentary? I'm fairly certain she hasn't seen it either
Make sure you react to bride of Frankenstein and son of Frankenstein
Hi John from Scotland watch Dracula's daughter or son of dracula .
Never seen the sequels so would like to check them out
The ending is very anticlimactic, where Van Helsing just announces Dracula is dead. That's it? That's the ending?
True, it does end on a bit of a whimper
This film hasn't aged well and seems almost comical in many respects now. Christopher Lee's "Dracula" 1958, is my go to Prince of Darkness. No one else has ever embodied the combination of aristocratic elegance and demonic evil in the way that Lee did!
I've only seen the 58' version once but I remember enjoying it.