Dracula (1931 Universal Film)

Posted by crypticescapemagazine on October 20, 2015 in Drive In, Halloween Movie Extravaganza | 1 Comment

Happy Birthday to LEGENDARY Bela Lugosi.  Our favorite Hungarian practically jump started the horror movie!  To many he will forever be the face of Dracula.  Today Begla Lugosi would be 133, not bad for the Prince of the Undead!  So to honor the man who put a face on the horror movie genre we present Dracula!

Dracula is a 1931 Universal Studios film based on play written by Hamilton Deane (not many people know that), who based his play loosely on Bram Stoker‘s novel, Dracula.  Unlike the other Dracula movies, the movie open with Renfield going up at Dracula’s castle instead of Jonathan Harker.  A major different from the book but as I said it’s based on a play.  But the overall story is about the same.

The black and white and the ambiance add an ethereal chill to the movie.  When you hear the wolves in the first few scenes and Bela Lugosi say those famous words “The children of the night, what music they make.”   Oh man, you’ll understand then that for 1931, this movie was damn magical in the sense of storytelling and acting.

You’ll be treated to the epic Bela Lugosi, clearly the hottest Dracula, stalk Mina and Lucy and you’ll see why women all around the world were swooning over the dark and mysterious Hungarian forever after.   He had the accent, the eyes, and the class that made saying “No” and irresistible impossibility.

The climax of the film is complete with eerie setting, music, and tension as Van Helsing and Jonathan Harker race to destroy the Count and save Mina’s life.  Vampires will take the world by storm after this and they never seem to go away.  The vampire would in itself become a genre thanks to Bela Lugosi.

Dracula will go on to be selected by the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress to be preserved because the movie is “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

Lugosi’s Dracula is regarded by many as THE Dracula.  Lugosi is known for his enigmatic authority on and off screen.  His personal presence radiates intensity and seriousness when it comes to his roles.  When combines these attributes built the image of Dracula we all know and love today and would go on to become his signature role.  Dracula would become a icon of American horror cinema and Lugosi would also become a film Legend himself.

With all things regarding fame it would become a curse to our dear friend Bela Lugosi.  Before Dracula he was an upcoming star of the state and other roles in cinema.  However, the very instant Lugosi walked through the mists of the big screen and mesmerized us with that horrific stare…he would forever be Count Dracula.  Typecast and chained to movies of the horror genre and would eventually lead to the decline of his career.

Lugosi died at 73, and was buried with the Dracula ring and Dracula cape.  However, the master of vampires is immortal and will forever be apart of our culture and history.  So without further adieu, Cryptic Escape Magazine is proud to present to you Dracula!

Happy Birthday Bela Lugosi!

Click the link, thank you Classic Cinema!

http://classiccinema.org/movie/1017/Dracula

This version of the film has been slowed a bit, in the video settings just adjust the speed to 1.25 and it’ll sound tons better.

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