Dracula Reviews

The Grand Daddy of them All

This is the original dracula movie and perhaps the grand father of all horror movies.

It is simply a classic.

Bela legosi is 'Dracula' and the supporting cast are fantastsic especially 'Fritz' who becomes Draculas slave feeding on Rats.

It has atmosphere and a charm about thi film that many other films have never quite captured.

It is regal, charming, and scary.

If you like Dracula or classic horror films , see how this classic without huge special effects or excessive blood ensures that you will never forget this film

Stagey nonsense

After seeing Frankenstein for the first time (I had previously only seen Bride of Frankenstein) I decided to finally see the famous Lugosi version of Dracula; to say it is terribly dated, stagey and slow is being kind. Although any film over 70 years old is likely to have faded somewhat, it is clear that even by the standards of the day the film is dreadfully stilted and conventional. The acting ranges from ropey to appalling (including that of Lugosi; if he spoke any slower you could make a cup of tea and still be back in time for the end of his sentence) and half the time everyone seems to be standing around waiting for someone to remember their lines, like a under-rehearsed play by the 5th year at school.

What is worth seeing however is the accompanying 40 minute documentary, which amongst other interesting items reveals that there was a Spanish version, filmed on the same sets, which from the little shown appears to have been much more interesting.

I'll stick with Frankenstein...

[Highly rated reviewer]

Give me Nosferatu over this any day

The first appearance on screen of the Dracula character that everyone is familiar with these days. Some great sets couldn't hide the fact that it looked and felt like a cartoon Nosferatu in comparison, however its subsequent influence is there for all to see. The glamourisation of Dracula in film begins here. There's also a commentary on the film that focuses on the legend of the character, notably where the original Dracula character sat in the context of Victorian England which was fascinating.

Dracula begins here

..okay maybe not quite, as 'Nosferatu' is where Drac really starts in film lore, but in terms of who Dracula IS, then is must be Bela Lugosi, in this film. This film is not perfect, the ending for example is abrupt, and the special effects limited (bats are a bit plasticky) but I have five starred it because of its importance in establishing the persona of Dracula as he is imagined today - an aristocrat, charming, exotic, but above all strangely alluring. This is all because of Lugosi's performance - his body language to the modern eye may seem on occasion hammy, but it is also iconic, and also amazingly effective when you consider how old this film is. Particularly watch out for the bit where he tries to hypnotise Van Helsing.. 'Come.....here..'. Electifying!

[Highly rated reviewer]

Just because it's the first Dracula does not make it great.

Terrible acting.Old film.

Watch Joan Fontaine/Audrey Hepburn.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Classic Drac

The Dracula, although judging by the accompanying film, there was an even better Spanish one made at the same time. Bela Lugosi is the bees knees as the famous impaler, one look from and you're lying down and loosening your collar. To be truthful though, there were sleep inducing passages, but perhaps they were deliberate!

the best

this is a fantastic movie. bela lugosi is amazing. the one and only dracula. you can chose if you want the musics on or off. the original movie had no musics so i advice you first watch it without. it's creepy anyway. i turned all the lights off and everything was silent and thats how this movie should be watched i think. no distractions...dracula's castle is so huge and it felt like being in there. i could almost smell the dump :). i loved this movie and i advice anyone who likes horror to rent it as it is the creepiest dracula ever. better then any big budget cheesy crap. 5 full stars.

About Dracula

The movie is one of the really good classic movies altough you cant expect it to amuse u because of the oldness that it has, altough it is the best Dracula movie in my opinion and can not be replaced

Dracula

I got this copy of Dracula and wondered would I like it at all, I love vampire films but was never one for the cheesey types, I also never liked Dracula as a character but in this film Bela Lugosi has completely changed my opinion, he acts with such grace and presence its really something to behold. I found myself really enjoying the film and the story and have come to the conclusion that it is one of the best vampire films I've ever seen.

The original and the best

I chose to write about this for an essay I had to do so rented it out...

So this film being enjoyable was a real bonus. This film set the tone for every horror film that has come since. Lugosi made the Dracula formula that we see in every vampire film today. This film was made in the early days of sound, so dont expect alot of amazing sound effects, camera movements or special effects.

A landmark film.