Dracula
Originally released in 1931
Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula
Dracula is one of the best known horror stories in the world,
not only because of the novel by Bram Stoker but also due to the portayal
of the vampire by Bela Lugosi. The tale of an undead count from Transylvania
who feeds on the blood of the living, the plot of this story can be terrifying.
As he makes his way to London to occupy a new home, Count Dracula falls
in love with a woman which he pursues throughout the film, and not until
a man named Van Helsing realizes what Dracula is can he be stopped.
Universal Pictures hit the jackpot by casting Lugosi as the vampire because
his look and Hungarian accent made a great fit. It should be noted
that had Lon Chaney not passed away in 1930, he would have been offered
the role instead of Lugosi.
L.C. Subject Headings
The following Library of Congress Subject Heading
is for use in searching the on-line catalog for materials pertaining to
Dracula.
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Dracula.
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Dracula films – History and criticism.
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Dracula (Motion picture: 1931).
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Horror Films.
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Horror Films – Catalogs.
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Horror Films – Encyclopedias.
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Stoker, Bram, 1847-1912.
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Stoker, Bram, 1847-1912. Dracula.
Reviews
The New York Times Film Reviews 1913-1968.
Vol. 1, 1913-1931. New York: The New York Times & Arno
Press, 1970.
[Davis Ref: PN 1995. N4 v1]
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Dracula – “Bram Stoker’s Human Vampire,” p.
697, Feb. 13, 1931; 21:3.
Variety Film Reviews 1907-1980. Vol.
4, 1930-1933. New York: Garland Publishing Inc., 1983.
[Davis Ref: PN 1995 .V34 v4]
Original Novel
Stoker, Bram. Dracula. New
York: Penguin Books, 1993. (originally published in 1897)
[Davis, 7th floor stacks: PR6037.T617 D7 1993b]
A true classic, Dracula is one
of the finest and most horrific novels ever to be adapted to the silver
screen. Printed in dozens of languages, this book has also been the
subject of many reprints, and this version is probably one of the best.
Aside from keeping true to the original text, this Penguin release has
some very interesting material included in it, such as reviews, criticism
and a list of dramatic and film variations.
Video
Dracula. Universal City, C.A..: MCA
Videocassette, 1980.
[UL NonPrint: 65-V176]
Put out by Universal in 1931, this movie
stars Bela Lugosi, who had been playing Dracula on the stage for a number
of years. The role of Count Dracula was actually intended for Lon
Chaney, but when he passed away in 1930 the part went instead to the Hungarian
born actor. A classic film, Dracula has set the standard for
the public’s image of the vampire, using the look of Lugosi to portray
the evil blood sucker.