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Dracula (1931) ✦ Full-Length Watchalong Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2024-10-11 20:00:07
Edited:
2025-05-21 23:15:08
Imported:
2026-08
Tags:

Content

This is now the oldest film I've ever watched! I don't watch older films very often, but every time I do my appreciation definitely grows. This was the winner of the 20s-30s Horror Poll - thank you for voting in that! I'm looking forward to your thoughts - please enjoy! [Direct link here.]

✦ KL

Files

Dracula (1931) ✦ Full-Length Watchalong Reaction

Comments

Nathan Jasper

I love this film so much. They didn't need CGI or wild effects to get the point across. Just some nice shade and a spotlight on the eyes and that makes Bela Lugosi look more threatening than any other Dracula in film history. Even with such a calm demeanor, his voice just gives you that small sense of uneasiness that something is off. I love this Dracula more than any other Dracula, including Gary oldman and I know that's a controversial statement.

Jason Chirevas

As good as DRACULA is, which is good, James Whale’s FRANKENSTEIN is a masterpiece.

Tyler Foster

One piece of great trivia about this original Dracula: at the time it was made, studios were interested in attracting foreign-language audiences, and in particular, Universal was courting the Spanish-language market. So, after Tod Browning was finished shooting during the day, another crew, led by director George Melford, took over the same sets and shot another version of Dracula in Spanish, with a different cast. Melford even watched the dailies of Browning's Dracula before filming each evening to better replicate what his predecessor was filming. It would probably be hard to find this version on a streaming service, but it has been made available on many home video releases of this film, and some say it's actually the better version, since Melford was able to work off of what Browning had already done.

Crimson Ace

It's a classic I've seen many times, but I loved watching it along with you. "I never drink... [completes the NYT crossword]... wine." lol

Prophet2272

So growing up I watched these with my dad. Dwight Frye's "Reinfield" is my favorite of this film. So much so that Alice Cooper made a song about him. Also a quick answer to the scoreless movie, early DVD/bluray collections of this movie had a added score done by Philip Glass as an alternative to the original.

Jason Chirevas

The Spanish Dracula IS better than Browning’s in just about every respect — the way it’s shot, how the sets are used, more naturalistic performances — except it doesn’t have Lugosi. Carlos Villarias tries, but he doesn’t have the presence Lugosi brings to the role. Saying that, the Spanish Dracula is well with seeing, especially for Pablo Rubio’s Renfield, which is even more manic and unhinged than Dwight Frye’s.

Jason Chirevas

A few things… Originally, when Renfield crawls across the floor to the fainted nurse, he stopped just short of touching her, snatched a fly from the air, and ate it. I would highly recommend seeking out THE BLACK CAT from 1934, which also stars Bela Lugosi (Dracula) and David Manners (Harker) alongside Boris Karloff, who plays the monster in FRANKENSTEIN. It’s a terrific battle of wills with some amazing sets and atmosphere. Although he played vampires in a few other movies — and other actors played Dracula in other movies — Lugosi only played Dracula one more time, in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, which was his last role for a major studio and the best horror/comedy ever made. A must see. As for other Draculas, Francis Coppla’s version, BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA from 1992, is much more faithful to the novel and features probably every in-camera trick in the book to tell its story. It’s a visual feast, if you will, with some interesting takes on all of the principal characters. Last, since this has become a little tradition with me here recently: https://boxd.it/7x1y71

Jason Chirevas

The Philip Glass score is interesting, and does suit the movie, but I’ve always felt it doesn’t work organically within the film. it just sort of lays on top of it.

Movies with KL

The 1992 version was on a poll at some point a long time ago. Def haven't forgotten about it! And thanks for the other rec's.

Prophet2272

I've felt the same, but it does make some people enjoy the movie a bit better who are not used to scoreless film.

Tyler Foster

Many of the Letterboxd users who have written about the Glass score describe it less like a score for the movie and more like an art piece that uses the movie as a backdrop, as the score sometimes outright drowns out the dialogue.

Bryan Dempsey

Just finished watching your reaction. I really enjoy the effort that went into classic movies. The set design and developing props or effects for the first time. And the acting, it’s like watching stage acting up close because that’s what it is. They have stage actors who are used to projecting and broad movement so the audience can follow the story. I find it all engaging and entertaining. I’m glad this was your first exposure to the Dracula story. I found the novel a chore to read because it’s in epistolary style and find the movies a better format to take in the story.

Just Plain Bob

kaiielle, simultaneous with the filming of Tod Browning’s version, the studio filmed a Spanish language version with different actors, crew and director. They filmed the Bela Lugosi/Tod Browning version during the day and used the same sets to film the Spanish language version at night. Prior to this, Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” was adapted as the silent film classic “Nosferatu.” The filmmakers were promptly sued by Stoker’s widow for adapting his novel without permission. The novel is quite a bit different from either “Nosferatu” or “Dracula”, which is unfortunate. Even Francis Ford Coppola’s version in 1992 departs significantly from the source material. As a fan of the book, I’m still waiting for a truly faithful adaptation. Shortly after making “Dracula”, director Tod Browning made a very controversial film titled “Freaks.” It was a deeply unsettling film (particularly at the time) as most of the cast were actual members of various carnivals that were visibly disabled/different (including conjoined twins, “pinheads”, little people, people born with missing limbs, etc). Protesters accused Browning of exploiting his cast. His cast pointed out that he gave them gainful employment (as had the carnivals that previously employed them and which were also under attack), at good wages and that none of the protesters had offered to employ them. What the protesters and critics FAILED to do was actually judge the film on its merits. Had they paid attention to the story, instead of sharpening their pens, they would have noticed that the denizens of the carnival were portrayed in a very positive light, forming a small community of people that were, honest, very close knit and loyal to one another. On the other hand, the “normies” were portrayed as monsters, exploiting others, lying and cheating and capable of any horrible act, all in the service of their self interest. They were the true “freaks” of the title. (Browning worked in carnivals and sideshows prior to going to Hollywood, so his sympathies were hardly surprising). It’s a wonderfully different film that sadly spelled the end of Browning’s then-burgeoning career. Since then, it’s undergone a critical reappraisal and has taken its rightful place as a highly regarded entry in the early days of horror films.