We explore the many faces of Dracula
With the upcoming release of Dracula Untold, and with Halloween festivities slowly creeping towards us, what better way to celebrate the Prince of Darkness than reminiscing about the characters cinematic history? Bram Stoker, Irish author of the 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula, was famous for introducing us to the world of the vampire count. The story has since been reformatted into an abundance of films and plays, grounding itself as a timeless story in our pop culture. Get comfortable, although we’re sure this will keep you on the edge of your seat, as we review some of the most memorable Dracula performances of all time (Luke Evans, let’s see what you got!)
Warning: May induce nostalgia and Halloween excitement.
1. Gary Oldman (Dracula, 1992)
Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel saw Gary Oldman portray the famous vampire who arrives in England in order to wreak havoc after capturing a young lawyer (Keanu Reeves) in his Eastern European castle. The clip above shows Oldman in an emotional uproar after the death of his lover.
Warning: some lightly bloody scenes
2. Max Schreck (Nosferatu, 1922)
Silent film, Noseferatu directed by F.W Murnau and written by Henrik Galeen, was undoubtedly one of the most memorable and recognisable adaptations of Dracula on screen. If the song in this clip (not actually part of the original actual film) isn’t enough to give you the heebie jeebies, it’s for certain that Max Schreck’s performance is simply hauntingly exquisite throughout.
3. Bela Lugosi (Dracula, 1931)
Tod Browning’s 1931 Dracula is yet another classic where Bela Lugosi performs quite hypnotically, opposite of Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan). Nervous executives exhaled a sigh of relief when Dracula proved to be a huge box office sensation. Within 48 hours of its opening at the New York Roxy Theatre, it sold 50,000 tickets. To this day people still argue that Lugosi is the one true Dracula.
4. William Marshall (Blacula, 1972)
Blacula is a 1972 American blaxplotation horror film directed by William Crain. The film stars William Marshall who plays an 18century African prince named Mamuwalde, who finds himself in modern day Los Angeles, after being turned into a vampire and later locked in a coffin by Count Dracula himself. Though it may have received mixed reviews, it was one of the top grossing films of the year and has gone on to become a cult classic.
