Dracula movie

just another sequence from the 1931 movie, with Bela Lugosi. The quality is bad, but the movie is very interesting for the atmosphere they managed to create with the technical possibilities of that time.

Dracula (1931) part 8

the final part of Dracula 1931 movie:

Dracula 1931

Bela Lugosi in the 1931 Dracula movie

Dracula 1931 - part 5

Here is the part 5 of Dracula, with Bela Lugosi & Dwight Frye.

Dracula 1931

Here is the beggining of the first official Dracula movie, of 1931, produced by Carl Laemmle, Jr and featuring Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye. All in one post, for a better experience:

Dracula (1931) Part 4/8

Here is part 4 of the 1931 Dracula movie, with Bela Lugosi.



Go here to see other Dracula movies, as well as details about the 1931 one.

Dracula 1931- part 3/8

Third part of the same movie, Dracula (1931), with Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye.

Aboard the Vesta. Bound for England.

Dracula 1931 - part2/8

Here is the second part of the 1931 Dracula movie, featuring Bela Lugosi:



see the part 3 of the movie here

Tribute to Bela Lugosi

Was Bela Lugosi, in 1931, the best interpreter of Dracula ? For me, yes (so far) !
Take a look at this slideshow with images from his movies and banners of his movies and enjoy the music:


Very recently a movie was released by Florin Iepan, "Bela Lugosi, The Fallen Vampire", also bringing a tribute of the famous actor, as well as some light in the story of the man that played Jesus Christ and Dracula (in a timeframe of just few years).

Bela Lugosi

Bela Lugosi is considered by many the best interpreter of Dracula ever.
Indeed, he was the interpreter of Count Dracula in the first official Dracula movie, in 1931, the movie that brought Bram Stoker's novel back to live and made famous by the 1931 movie. Despite the fact that by the end of his career, Lugosi played in Ed Wood movies, he was a sacred monster of the cinema (and it would have been if he pnly played in Dracula)

Bela Lugosi in Dracula, 1931

Here is a compilation of my favorite Dracula movie so far, the one in 1931, featuring Bela Lugosi as Dracula. I really like the music chosen for the compilation, don't you ?

Bela Lugosi, The Fallen Vampire

300.000 Euro and a young, ambitious director, Florin Iepan. The result is a Romanian documentary about the life of Bela Lugosi..
"Bela Lugosi, The Fallen Vampire" is a very recent production made by a team of 30 -40 actors: Romanians, Hungarians, Americans, Irish. The documentary has been shot during three years, in America, Austria, Germania, Hungary and Romania (Lugoj).

Born in 1882 in Transylvania, in a small town called Lugoj, Bela Lugosi (Bela Ferenc Dezso Blasko on his real name), has a fascinating life. Few people know that before going to Hollywood and playing Dracula, he interpreted Jesus Christ at the National Theater in Budapest.

The movie that made him famous in 1931, Dracula, also destroyed him; after that he accepted roles less important, even playing in "Plan nine from outer space", by Ed Wood, one of the worst movies ever.

Bela Lugosi remained so addicted to the character of Dracula that he was playing it even in the real life, during the interviews for example.

Did you know that Bela Lugosi has been burried wearing the suit of Dracula, that made him famous and meantime has been made famous by Bela ?

Best Version of Dracula ?

The final scene the the 1977 BBC's movie.

Discutions over who's better Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee or Louis Jordan will be forever, but I think the value of a movie is not given only by the main actor, but the scenery , music, etc.

When asked if she's afraid, Mina's answers: "Of course not, I'm in your hands!". Mina (interpreted by Judi Bowker) has a complexe role, she saves Jonathan by shooting one of count's men.

After the fight the atmosphere slowly become creepy as they reach Dracula's cave in the castle (Alnwick Castle has been used as location). Interesting what happens when they kill Vampire Dracula by sunset, in his cave. He evaporates as a powerfull steam. Nothing remains out the the Count's body. Profesor Van Helsing (Frank Finley) thanks God for protecting them and for choosing them to be His instruments (in getting rid of the vampire).

Documentary short clip about Vlad the Impaler

The life of Vlad the Impaler is briefly presented in this short movie called Killers for Christ.

[UPDATE: Video was removed, but I'll keep the post as a collection of references to others related to Vlad Țepeș]




Here are my comments on it:
1. it is only supposed that Vlad III was born in November or December 1931

2. The facts about Vlad Dracul are true (or what in history is a generally accepted truth), one can find here more details about the fascinating life of Vlad Dracul.

3. After 1448 Vlad came to Vallachia to take the throne and, taking advantage of the fact that Vladislav II was attacking the turks on the right side of the Danube, together with his protected John Hunyadi. In fact the real reason for Vlad's liberation was, from the Turks' part, to set him as a ruler of Wallachia. His brother Radu the Handsom remained and there are good proof that he became sultan's lover.

4. at min. 1:42 indeed in Chindia Tower in Târgoviste there are some copy of the old designs representing the building of Poienari citadel. I only wish to remind that the capital was in Targoviste by that time, that's why there was a 50miles trek up to Poienari.

5. min 2:26 - he used brutal punishment methods (like impaling) againd Transylvanian merchants but especially agains the transylvanian saxon population that was hospitating and sheltering him rivals for the Wallachian throne.

6. Facts about 1462 are generally accepted but the romanian historians still discuss if the Turks' campaig in Wallachia was a failure or a success. Only an unfortunate confusion made Vlad not killed the sultan. While the turkish army was resting on the left side of the Danube, after hardly passing the Danube in Vidin Vlad attacked by night and, even if he has been spying the turks's camp before he missed sultan's tent and so the opportunity to kill him.

7. At 3:42 we can admire the terrifying figure of Bela Lugosi in the movie Dracula, of 1931, the first official movie about Dracula.

Generally this video respect the historic truth and is a good short presentation of Vlad Dracula's life. I really like it for this and highly recommend it !

Short clips, slideshows and other media resources about Dracula

Besides the well-known Dracula Movies, there are thousands of short clips, slideshows, interesting images about Dracula and Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler) that (most probably) has inspired Bram Stoker for his book.


Let's start with this slideshow containing images from movies (starting with Dracula, 1931 - the image of Bella Lugosi), the well-known portrait of Vlad the Impaler as well as a relaxing music:

The Immortal, Vampire Myth

Another short clip is this one, rather amusing, called bride of Dracula

Gerard Butler. Dracula makes the music of the night, a nice slideshow.

Dracula Movies

I mean artistic Dracula movies. Here you can find Dracula documentaries !

The novel of Bram Stoker, "Dracula" has really become famous after it has been translated into the movie with the same name. Or...movies with the same name ?

Well, let's try to present them in a chronological order, starting with the masterpiece of 1931.

The first official Dracula movie

has been made in 1931, featuring the Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi as Dracula and Dwight Frye, a great American actor. (Few years before there was another German movie, but it went underground.)

The movie has a very good IMDB (Internet Movie Data-Base) mark, 7.7/10 (after almost 7000 votes).

On the trailer of the 1931 movie we can read: "In all the annals of living horror one name stands out as the epitome of EVIL ! DRACULA! ". Here is the trailer of the 1931 Dracula movie.

Here is the movie:

Part 1 of Dracula 1931

Part 2/8

Part 3/8

Part 4/8

Part 5/8

Part 6/8

Part 7/8

Part 8/8

Another scenes from the movie are to be found here:

http://dracula-transylvania.blogspot.com/2007/02/dwight-frye-in-dracula-1931.html

http://dracula-transylvania.blogspot.com/2007/03/scene-from-same-dracula-1931.html

http://dracula-transylvania.blogspot.com/2007/02/renfields-conscience-dracula-1931.html

http://dracula-transylvania.blogspot.com/2007/02/dracula-movie-1931_24.html

Compilation with Bela Lugosi in Dracula, 1931

Watch and listen the performance of Michael Riesman's transcription for solo piano of Philip Glass' score to the 1931 film.

Romanian television presented this brand new documentary about the life of Bela Lugosi, first Dracula interpreter, "Bela Lugosi, The Fallen Vampire"

Dracula 1958

Some IMDB comments consider it the best vampires movie of all times.

Here is the trailer

The BFI restored trailer of the 1958 Dracula movie

Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)

Here is another Dracula horror movie. Dracula Prince of Darkness, from 1966 with Christopher Lee. The movie is considered a Sequel to "The Horror of Dracula" (1958)

• Part I of the movie
• Part II of the 1966 Dracula movie
• Part III 
• Part IV - Dracula, Prince of Darkness
• Part V
• Part VI
• Part VII
• Part VIII
• Part IX
• Part X
• Part XI

Dracula Has Risen from The Grave

As imdb states the release date in USA was 6 February 1969. The IMDB mark 6.2/10 denotes a sensible difference from the 1931 movie. In fact it did not reach the fame of the first official dracula movie. However, I present it here, there are some nice scenes that deserve a look:

The 1968 movie's trailer

Clips from the 1968 movie, with Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee, standing and his terrifying eyes

Soundtrack of this movie

Dracula A.D. 1972

With an IMDB mark of only 5.3/10 the movie seem to has had less success than the versions of 1931 and 1977, despite being directed by Alan Gibson and having a cast as Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing

Here is the The promo of the film

A short promotional presentation of the 1972 film

Opening Scene of the 1972 movie

Scene from the same movie

Dracula returns to London

Blood for Dracula

The trailer of the movie Blood for Dracula, 1974

Count Dracula. BBC, 1977

The guy who posted this considered the 1977 version "Easily the best version of Dracula filmed to date" and in fact it has the biggest IMDB mark. However I don't know if I like more this one or the 1931 Dracula version, feat. Bela Lugosi.

Sequence of the 1977 BBC movie

Lucy and Mina meet skipper Swales and listen his frightening story

First apparition of Dracula - HQ

Count's brides destroyed

From the same movie, Vampire Lucy's first victim

Final scene, where Count Dracula gets destroyed

A clip from the 1977 movie

Vlad Țepeș (1982)

The Romanian FULL movie from 1982 (2 h), with English subtitle.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

The movie is rated 7.1/10 on imdb (by more than 30 000 voters). This is a good mark and the difference from the 1931 movie's mark also reflect my opinion, I like the old one more !

Unofficial scripts of the movie can be found here.

Trailer of "Bram Stoker's Dracula"

Part 1 of the movie. Introduction, Dracula gives up church and...1897, Jonathan is sent to Transylvania to take over Reinfield's business.

Part 2

Part 3

Black and White Dracula

A scene from the movie featuring Garry Oldman as Dracula and Winona Rider as Mina. Mina's letter to Dracula.

Here we have the Story of Lucy, from the same movie !

Bram Stoker's Dracula - the final scene

Making of the 1992 movie

Dracula 2000

The soundtrack

A nice compilation of sequences from the 2000 movie.

Dark Prince. The True Story of Dracula

This movie could also have been put in the documentaries section, as it is well documented and presents the historic truth about Dracula, rather than the vampire Dracula or the impaling stories.

The world knows the legend.

Many know the MYTH....
but FEW know the TRUTH
Here is the full movie Dark Prince.

The first episode presents Dracula went to the church council and presenting his life

Dracula: Dead and Loving It

The first part of this parody upon Dracula Movies.

Part 2 of the Mel Brook's movie.

Nosferatu

One of the best german expressionist film, Nosferatu is loosely based on the Bram Stoker's novel.

Vlad Tepes

Scenes fromn the movie

Vlad Tepes (Romania, 1979). Watch the first part of the movie here !

Second part of Vlad Tepes (Romania 1979), the night attack

The forest of impaled that Mehmet found in Targoviste, in 1462.

Dracula's Curse

This seems to be the worst Dracula movie of all times (at least according to imdb rating: 1,8/10). However I added it to the media library, as the intention is to present all Dracula movies and see the evolution from the 1931 movie to the nowadays ones.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Transylvania - The Vampires

This ammateur french movie tells the story of a soldier hanged during Dracula's regime. Well, one could easily reply that Dracula was not ruling Făgăraş , where they say the soldier has been hanged, but the movie is quite interesting.

NBC Series, 2013

The Dracula series, on NBC. The trailer

Bran Castle on Italian Television Rai 1

This morning the Italian television RAI 1 aired a 5 minutes documentary about Bran Castle. They mentioned it has been built “in 1300” (although the “official” year is 1377), that it belonged to Dracula in the 15th century (still we'll see later on this blog if it really belonged or not to Vlad III), than to Queen Mary of Romania at the beginning of the 20th century (they “forgot” to mention that the local council of Brasov offered it to Queen Mary “for her contribution to realizing the union of 1918” – is still unclear to me what her contribution was, but let’s skip this “detail”). Then they mentioned the castle has been transformed into museum by the communists and that Dominic of Hapsburg managed to have the castle given to him as he inherits the royal family (respectively Queen Mary). Images in the short documentary where from the castle, from the movie Dracula (1931) - a few seconds with Bela Lugosi and from the moment when dominic

The future of the Castle is still unclear; Dominic of Hapsburg wants to sell it for an amount of 60 to 100 m. USD but the Romanian state considered the sum exaggerated and refuses to pay.

Scene from the same Dracula 1931

Dracula 1931

I consider necessary enriching the media gallery with this dialogue from the movie Dracula - 1931. Bela Lugosi in another proof of his talent.

Renfield's Conscience (Dracula - 1931)

Dwight Frye - Renfield's Death (Dracula - 1931)

An other scene from the classic movie Dracula.