Dracula (1931)

Tod Browning's Dracula (1931) is by no means a masterpiece but in it's own way was quite groundbreaking. As if being the first 'talkie' movie wasn't enough if you were to think of the most iconic movie characters through cinema history Bela Lugosi's portal of the count would immediately spring to mind.

His long flowing black cape, white poo-fey shirt and eastern European accent all contribute to the way we see Dracula in popular culture today. The film itself has a greater reputation than the actual content, it's stage like dialogue and long silences all play part in a disappointing effort by Browning. 

"I am Dracula, I bid you welcome"

The movie starts out with an English estate agent Renfield (Dwight Frye) traveling to castle dracula to complete the sale of a property in London. The locals in Transylvania immediately give us the impression that the counts not to be messed with.  One of my favorite moments early on in the movie is first exchange between Dracula and Redfield and the creepy atmosphere the Gothic castle gives with it's eerie mist and shadows.

 

 

 

"I never drink wine"

The boat Journey back to London See's a ghost ship return to the port with everyone on board dead, everyone except Renfield who's turned into a stark raving lunatic who feeds of spiders and flies, (yes spiders and flies) his laugh when the boats finally uncovered is haunting still to this day. From then on Dwight Frye's role of Renfield is the stand out performance for the rest of the movie, It's both funny and sympathetic. 

In London now for the duration of the movie, Dracula begins a number of murders and quickly turns his attention to a friend of one of his victims, Mina (Helen Chandler).  After a encounter in her bedroom where he bites her, her condition begins to deteriorate and her partner John Harker (David Manners) and Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) become suspicious of there new neighbor.  

Gimme those spider's

Overall the more i sit and watch this movie i do enjoy it a little more, (Renfield is brilliant everytime) but you only have to look at James Whale's Frankenstein which was released later that same year to see the difference in direction, which is far more superior.

I'm giving this 3 out of 5 bats on strings