Dracula (1931)

This might very well be another case of me not being able to grasp the significance and influence of a film because I have seen it lampooned and referenced a thousand times before but I just couldn’t get into this film. One of Universal’s landmark monster movies, I wasn’t as tense, shocked or surprised as much as I thought I would be. That doesn’t mean this incarnation of Dracula doesn’t have any bite; it just means it never really bit me.

I think the biggest problem with this adaptation of the fabled vampire is that it is based off of a stage play instead of the novel by Bram Stoker. This means that a number of the most exciting parts of the story were left out because they never made it into the play. Granted, it would have been very difficult to include many scenes from the book into a stage play but I read the book shortly before watching this film and had my hopes up.

At only 75 minutes long, it surprised me how slow the pace was at times. I actually found myself getting a little bored at times. This was mostly to do with seemingly long stretches without much dialogue at all. Maybe it was something to do with Bela Lugosi’s thick Hungarian accent. Or maybe it was just an atmospheric effect left over from the theatrical version. Maybe it was just the style of the time to use shadow and looming figures in silence. Whatever it was, it just felt off for me. All I know is that there was never a shortage of dialogue in the book.

Most of the sets were large and impressive, though I never personally imagined Dracula’s castle as dilapidated and decaying. The London scenes are handled very well with its prim and proper Victorian style architecture and upper class furniture. It really helps bring home the contrast the characters are experiencing with the invasion of this foreign monster.

In the end though, Dracula doesn’t do it for me. I had similar difficulties with Frankenstein but not with Universal’s other monster hit The Wolfman. It might emanate from the fact that I have read both Dracula and Frankenstein, which are top notch tales and movies almost never live up to the books they are based on. The Wolfman isn’t based on a novel, just werewolf mythology in general.

Maybe future viewings will increase my appreciation for what Dracula attempts to do with the story. I am certainly mature enough in my love for cinema to recognize that my cultural upbringing may have also gotten in the way from truly receiving this film. Time will tell. For now, Dracula was a near miss.

RATING: 2.75 out of 5