Topic: Favorite Dracula movie?

[Little Mac]

I personally can't decide between the original Lugosi version or the 1992 Gothic steroid version with Gary Oldman. Both have their own unique atmosphere. I think if I was to recommend one out of the two to somebody it would would have to be the 1992 version.

EDIT: I just searched and found there was already a topic similar to this, so for this I apologize. It's strange, I searched before I made this topic and I didn't notice anything. I search again after, because it sounds too strange to be true, and there it is! One of the first results. My first post on the site, and boy do I feel stupid. Sorry, guys.

[X]

Welcome Little Mac to the Dungeon. And try not to let little things like this get to you. We all make mistakes. It was unintentional so no worries.

[Ratty]

Yeah no worries. Most people are only annoyed with that kinda stuff when it's a very common topic.
As for my favorite Dracula movie well that's really tough, there are so many great ones. Nosferatu is one
Nosferatu
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein is another. The Coppola version is alright but Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder's sub-par performances (and Oldman's ridiculous wig) bring it down somewhat, I enjoy Mel Brook's spoof Dracula Dead and Loving It just as much or more. One of the great things about Dracula is there's a version for practically any mood.

[Beaumont_Belmont]

I'm between the Lugosi version and Horror of Dracula. I love Lugosi's genuine old-world charm, but I like the overwhelming menace that Lee possesses. Those red contacts are freaky.

I enjoy the Coppola movie, but mostly in an MST3K way. I really don't see why other people love it unironically- I'm unable to take a movie seriously when Dracula appears to be Dale Earndhardt cosplaying as a pimp and the tacked on love story both slows the movie to a crawl and is absolute nonsense. On the other hand, it did give us what is perhaps Cary Elwes greatest scene in cinema.

Cary Elwes "What in God's name is going on up here?"

[Ratty]

I'm between the Lugosi version and Horror of Dracula. I love Lugosi's genuine old-world charm, but I like the overwhelming menace that Lee possesses. Those red contacts are freaky.

I enjoy the Coppola movie, but mostly in an MST3K way. I really don't see why other people love it unironically- I'm unable to take a movie seriously when Dracula appears to be Dale Earndhardt cosplaying as a pimp and the tacked on love story both slows the movie to a crawl and is absolute nonsense. On the other hand, it did give us what is perhaps Cary Elwes greatest scene in cinema.

Cary Elwes "What in God's name is going on up here?"

Don't forget how Anthony Hopkins chews away at every scene like it owes him money, one of the more redeming qualities of the film.
I also dislike how forced the romance in Coppola's Dracula is. Especially considering the character is essentially a rapist and our tragic "hero" is shown to laugh about feeding a baby to his brides. Unless he's changed his name to Soma, Dracula as a sympathetic hero just doesn't work imo. Which is why I like that Kouta Hirano skipped trying to make him sympathetic.
Horror of Dracula and Lugosi version are both good but very slowly paced. I think most modern audiences would find the 1931 Dracula boring. I saw it in a theater once during a sort of mini Halloween film festival and heard a child complain to their parents "You said it would be scary!"

[TheCruelAngel]

I'm personally a huge fan of Coppola's Dracula (92 film) and find it to be one of my favorite renditions of the count (especially since it follows the plot of the book better and keeps our beloved Morris in there!). I think the set and costume designs are also amazing, and while some of the performances are a little lacking; Oldman, Hopkins, Elwes, Waits and Campbell did amazing work and more than made up for some of the other actors. 

While not actually a Dracula movie (though we know it is), Nosferatu is ama~zing and is probably one of my favorite vampire movies period. While the original was already linked, I'd like to point out an interesting remix using gothic industrial music instead of the traditional soundtrack. Very unique, and I quite like it.

Gothic Industrial Nosferatu

ALSO, if you're a fan of Nosferatu I recommend the amazing movie, Shadow of a Vampire. It's like a "what if" behind the scenes of the making of Nosferatu if the count were an actual vampire. A really fun film with great performances around, and a great date flick. (First date I took with my wife was to watch this movie, boo yeah!)
Shadow of the Vampire (2000) - Trailer

[Abnormal Freak]

I haven't seen a great deal of Dracula films, but I love Nosferatu (the original and Herzog's remake—the latter has such an amazingly creepy vibe) and Coppola's probably the most, and I dig the first Lugosi and Lee flicks. Oh, does Blacula count? That one's fun.

I can get behind Shadow of the Vampire. Really interesting movie. The only thing that bothers me each time I see it are Dafoe's buck teeth. :B Max Schreck's Count Orlok had sharp buck teeth, not beaver teeth. It kinda bothers me.

[Mooning Freddy]

How about Dead and Loving it? Great movie. There's also Dance of the Vampires / The fearless vampire killers (1967) which is not based on the novel but a great film nevertheless.

THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS Trailer

Also, Alucard is that you? 

Dance of the vampires

[Abnormal Freak]

Well, The Fearless Vampire Killers isn't a Dracula movie, but it is baaaaaaaadaaaaaaaasssss. Perfect mixture of quirky comedy and drama.

[Beaumont_Belmont]

I love both versions of Nosferatu, but I think Herzog's is utterly fantastic. Few movies nail grim atmosphere so well. Somehow it feels the most "real" of all Dracula films, possibly due to the authentic European locations that show genuine Gothic decay and not artificial soundstages.

Also, there's The Monster Squad. Not terribly serious, but ever since I rented it as a kid I've been in love with the movie. 40's style monster mash plotline mixed with 80's effects. Duncan Regehr plays Dracula as a totally evil bastard, which is how I prefer Dracula. Tom Noonan is pretty great as the Frankenstein monster, too.

[Abnormal Freak]

Someday I'll have to watch the German and English language versions of Nosferatu the Vampyre to see if I prefer one over the other. Interesting that dialog scenes would be filmed in both languages by the same actors.

Seen 'em both, just haven't done a comparison.

But yeah, there's a scene showing a bat flying at twilight in slow-motion with a really haunting synth score accompanying... It disturbs me.

[Little Mac]

Wow. Not to be dramatic but I really appreciate it that nobody flipped over this. I've seen many gaming forums before where when somebody will make a mistake everyone seems to flip on them. I've been to many where people get banned or warned for things as silly as double-posting. It's so nice to find a game forum where people aren't prudes about such things! I really appreciate it.

CruelAngel: I have seen Shadow of a Vampire! I totally love that movie, I'm glad somebody else here knows about it. That's a good date movie, too.

Also, the entire Hammer series are great on any slow night, I find. And the Nosferatu remakes (German and English) are fantastic.

I found an interesting video review which tackles the 1931 vs Coppola remake debate and very articulates why I think most people who like the Coppola remake actually do (it is not because we take the dramatics of the film seriously). For anyone with the time:

http://blip.tv/thedistressedwatcher/dracula-1992-review-4353373

And again, thanks for not flipping out on me. 

[Flame]

I also dislike how forced the romance in Coppola's Dracula is. Especially considering the character is essentially a rapist and our tragic "hero" is shown to laugh about feeding a baby to his brides. Unless he's changed his name to Soma, Dracula as a sympathetic hero just doesn't work imo. Which is why I like that Kouta Hirano skipped trying to make him sympathetic.
Horror of Dracula and Lugosi version are both good but very slowly paced.

Yeah it's like the very moment he goes from Gary Oldman to Gary Youngman (lol) the character does a COMPLETE 360, and becomes this dramatic and romantic figure, who even seems to show remorse while feeding Mina Harker his blood.

I think most modern audiences would find the 1931 Dracula boring. I saw it in a theater once during a sort of mini Halloween film festival and heard a child complain to their parents "You said it would be scary!"

Man yeah, that is real sad. people have no taste nowadays. Old horror movies were not exploitation slashers, or thrillers, they were just well, "scary stories" or rather, "monster stories". They were rarely ever actually scary. And when they were, they were scary because of suspense and atmosphere.

anyone watch Woman in Black? Sort of like that, although ill admit it relied on jump scares, which weren't really used back then.

Also, the Jesus Franco one with lee, which was faithful to the book to a point, but felt like they blew their budget on lee's count and the gothic castle setting, while everything else looked VERY 60's. or rather, 60's pretending to be Victorian. And the ending felt ridiculously rushed. I was left with some serious blueballs with that movie. I was getting ready for the epic chase to transylfania and all that, and in a few minutes, it's all over. They kill the count in his coffin without a fight.
My favorite Dracula movie?

I know, I'll pick an obscure one-

Malice Mizer's all silent Dracula Movie, Bara no Konrei ~Mayonaka ni Kawashita Yakusoku~

MALICE MIZER Bara No Konrei Part 1

okay maybe not my favorite, but it was pretty memorable, if only for the music and atmosphere. (I mean, the whole thing is practically an extended PV for their Bara no Seido album...)

And I'd say Yu-Ki played a pretty good Count Dracula. Or as the movie calls him, "Earl of Dracula".

[TheCruelAngel]

CruelAngel: I have seen Shadow of a Vampire! I totally love that movie, I'm glad somebody else here knows about it. That's a good date movie, too.

I found an interesting video review which tackles the 1931 vs Coppola remake debate and very articulates why I think most people who like the Coppola remake actually do (it is not because we take the dramatics of the film seriously). For anyone with the time:

http://blip.tv/thedistressedwatcher/dracula-1992-review-4353373

Glad to see another fan of Shadow of a Vampire! Great movie, definitely wasn't what I was expecting when I saw it in theaters (didn't watch trailers back then, lol early 00's internet).

Also thank you for the link to the discussion with the 31/92 comparison. I thought it was well articulated as well, and brought up interesting points. While I agree Keanu isn't the best actor, I think his expressions are spot on as well as his body language.

Yeah it's like the very moment he goes from Gary Oldman to Gary Youngman (lol) the character does a COMPLETE 360, and becomes this dramatic and romantic figure, who even seems to show remorse while feeding Mina Harker his blood.

Now this can be explained in several different methods (if we care to discuss it). First and foremost Dracula loves Mina. Well, not really Mina but Elisabeta, the love he lost in the beginning of the film and denounced God over her loss, etc. To Dracula, Mina is his victory, and to have her love him as he loves her will show that all the evil he has succumbed to will of been worth it. The denouncement of his faith, sacrificial babies, roofies in champaign, ALL of it will have been for a purpose if he can have his Elisabeta back.

That's why Dracula tries to become romantically involved with her, awaken the old soul locked inside and be complete again. That is why he is remorseful when Mina asks to be like him, because he knows he's a sick and evil monster. He knows all of what he has done to get to this point, and doesn't want Mina to suffer the same fate. He sees her as innocent and doesn't want her to know what he has done to survive by having her commit the same sins.

It's hypocritical, sure, but humans aren't particularly perfect by nature. I don't expect Dracula to be either, he's a monster who's selfish desires drive him and has driven him for all of this time.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Lugosi Dracula immensely. Lugosi's old world charm is haunting and definitely sets up all the tropes for Dracula we live by today. And I also understand people's preference for it, since it is markedly different from Coppola's interpretation. Call me a sucker or what have you, but I just love the depth of Oldman's performance and portrayal of our beloved count.

Also f*ck yeah, Malice Mizer!

[Ratty]

Yeah it's like the very moment he goes from Gary Oldman to Gary Youngman (lol) the character does a COMPLETE 360, and becomes this dramatic and romantic figure, who even seems to show remorse while feeding Mina Harker his blood.

Lol yeah. Where the whole forced Dracula-is-the-victim thing fails most in that movie though. At least for me, is the "Who are the real monsters here?!?!" moment at the very end. When Hopkins says they've all "Become God's madmen". Let's see who's the real monster, the thing that's been killing the weak and innocent to sustain it's own life for 100s of years or the guys who stopped it. Hmm, that is a tough one.
I do like the Coppala movie in a lot of ways, especially the art direction (aside from Dracula's initial appearance) but the Dracula-as-romantic-figure/victim is a little grating for a film that purports to be "Bram Stoker's".

This topic has reminded me that I haven't seen any new Hellsing Ultimate OVAs in a long time because they stopped releasing them in English when Geneon went under. Such a shame, well I can keep hoping they'll bring it back and finish it with the original voice cast one of these days. If not, well we've still got the manga. Which is better anyway.
|HD| Hellsing Ultimate trailer ova Long version Broken English
For anyone who might not have seen it Hellsing is a great series by an avid otaku and pervert* not necessarily in that order. The only way I know to describe it is as one of the glorious crowning achievements of the sleazy exploitation genre. Think the X-Files meets all out war. Dracula, enslaved by the Helsing family under the codename Alucard, battling with Nazis and the Catholic Church all with ridiculously over the top violence. Dracula being usually portrayed as the lesser of the evils. He's not a good guy, he's just a badass. Sonny Chiba style.


*A brief chapter on Dracula's origin is named "Castlevania", and his in-magazine author's commentary on the final installments apparently just talked about how much he wanted to bang some woman in soap commercials, and Sarah Palin.